1/21/2011

Arizona and Florida considering bill to let law-abiding citizens carry concealed on college campuses

From the Arizona Republic:

. . . Rep. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said he decided to sponsor House Bill 2001,which would allow community college and university instructors to carry a concealed weapon after an Arizona State University professor told him he feared for his safety.
"He said he felt like a sitting duck," Harper said. "After what happened at Virginia Tech . . . I think it's clear that . . . there needs to be more responsible, law-abiding individuals that can protect themselves on college campuses."
The 2007 Virginia Tech shooting left 32 people dead. In 2002, a University of Arizona nursing student failing classes shot three of his professors to death and then killed himself. In the wake of the Tucson tragedy, records have been released documenting the fears students and faculty at Pima Community College had that alleged shooter Jared Loughner would harm someone on campus.
Harper filed his bill before this month's shooting in Tucson.
"I'm not trying to capitalize on other people's grief for political gain," he said.
Harper said his bill is needed because the current Arizona law, which allows university administrators to ban firearms on their property, gives criminals unchecked powers.
"University or college police officers are few and far between," he said, adding that many lives can be lost in the time it takes officers to respond to a shooting.
If the law passes, Arizona would be the second state after Utah to allow faculty members to carry concealed guns on campus, while 24 states have bans, according to the National Conference of State Legislators. . . .


From Florida:

The proposal comes in the wake of a mass shooting in Arizona and the accidental shooting death of a Florida State University student. The police chiefs of Florida's state universities, including UF Police Chief Linda Stump, have come out in unanimous opposition to the measure.
"I don't think you're going to find anybody in higher education in law enforcement who is going to want guns on their campus," Stump said.
State Sen. Greg Evers, R-Crestview, is proposing the change in a bill that would allow residents who have concealed weapons permits to openly carry those guns. The measure also would lift the state's prohibition on having the weapons at colleges and universities, while leaving it in place for K-12 schools.
"I think it's just a good idea that people be allowed to carry firearms wherever they feel the necessity to protect themselves," Evers said. . . .


Note: Both pieces incorrectly mention only Utah has prohibiting the banning of permitted concealed weapons on campuses. Obviously, Colorado should be included, though an appeal from the University of Colorado is going to the state Supreme Court.

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