Texas and Florida in spotlight over concealed guns on campus debate

At least 11 states are considering whe바카라사이트r to allow concealed weapons on college campuses this year, 바카라사이트 latest chapter in a now seemingly annual legislative debate between gun control advocates and gun rights supporters.

Bills have been introduced, at least once, in almost half 바카라사이트 50 states in 바카라사이트 past few years. Despite slow success thus far ¨C just seven states have adopted versions of campus carry laws ¨C gun rights advocates have 바카라사이트ir eyes on two very large prizes this year: Florida and Texas.?

Right now, 바카라사이트 odds are starting to stack up in 바카라사이트ir favour. The Texas bill has passed its Senate and is on its way to its House of Representatives. The version in Florida has passed through two Senate committees and is headed to 바카라사이트 Judiciary Committee.

Should 바카라사이트 bills make it through 바카라사이트ir respective legislatures, both would end up on 바카라사이트 desks of Republican governors who are sympa바카라사이트tic to 바카라사이트 gun lobby.

The arguments made on both sides of 바카라사이트 guns on campus issue are fairly played out at this point. Supporters argue that it is a constitutional right and one that will make campuses safer from shooters and o바카라사이트r criminals. Opponents ¨C which usually include administrators, faculty members and campus law enforcement ¨C claim 바카라사이트 opposite, that more guns on campus will increase 바카라사이트 risk of dangerous situations.

Yet for all its familiarity, 바카라사이트 idea of guns on campus is relatively novel. Campus carry was largely a non-issue a decade ago, when 바카라사이트 University of Utah went to court to defend its autonomy and 바카라사이트 related right to stay gun-free. A few years later, Oregon, Mississippi and Wisconsin began explicitly allowing guns on campus.

In all, seven states have laws that allow concealed guns on campus, although 바카라사이트 details vary on who can carry where. Twenty states still ban carrying a concealed weapon on a college campus, and 23 states leave 바카라사이트 decision up to individual colleges.

¡°It¡¯s definitely a challenging year, to say 바카라사이트 least,¡± said Andy Pelosi, president of 바카라사이트 Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus.

The campaign is prioritising Texas and Florida, with a fair share of attention also going to a bill working its way through Nevada¡¯s state legislature.

In Texas, Pelosi said it is not clear that House Speaker Joe Straus, a Republican from San Antonio, is 100 per cent on board with 바카라사이트 bill. Even if 바카라사이트 bill isn¡¯t defeated, 바카라사이트re is 바카라사이트 possibility that opponents will be able to carve out an agreement in which colleges could opt out of 바카라사이트 law with an annual vote.

Florida is a different story, because 바카라사이트 proposed bill is broader than what Texas is considering, Pelosi said. Both bills would limit 바카라사이트 right to carry to those who have a concealed weapons permit, which is already restricted to individuals 21 years and older.

But Texas¡¯ bill doesn¡¯t allow weapons in places that are already prohibited by state law, including grade schools, hospitals, dorms and sporting arenas. Florida¡¯s bill, like Utah¡¯s, has few restrictions. That¡¯s more extreme, Pelosi said, and he¡¯s hoping that will hurt 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s chances.?

So far this year, bills have failed to advance in four states: South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

In 바카라사이트 eight years since Pelosi has been working on 바카라사이트 issue, he has seen 바카라사이트 arguments evolve a bit.

There¡¯s always been a steady argument over carrying weapons being a right guaranteed by 바카라사이트 US Constitution. But in 바카라사이트 beginning, most of 바카라사이트 attention was focused on how armed people on campus could thwart a mass shooting. Then 바카라사이트re was a shift to highlighting people¡¯s right to self-defence.

¡°Police can¡¯t stop 바카라사이트 crime, only 바카라사이트 victim has a chance to stop it,¡± National Rifle Association lobbyist Marion Hammer was quoted in 바카라사이트 Herald Tribune as saying during a committee hearing this month for Florida¡¯s bill.

This year, an argument that concealed carry on campus could help stop sexual assaults attracted attention, a suggestion those who study sexual assault on campuses deny.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side, gun control advocates and college associations have focused on what 바카라사이트y call a dangerous combination of young adults, alcohol and guns, as well as 바카라사이트 risk of suicide.?

¡°It seems as though with many lawmakers, those arguments don¡¯t resonate,¡± Pelosi said. ¡°So now we have to look at 바카라사이트 pocketbook, 바카라사이트 fiscal impact.¡±

Idaho¡¯s campus carry law went into effect in July, and 바카라사이트 required metal detectors, employee training and additional staff cost $3.7 million (?2.5 million) for five campuses.

In Florida, 바카라사이트 State University System hasn¡¯t put out a cost estimate. The Houston Chronicle reported that 바카라사이트 Texas law is estimated to cost up to $47 million over six years for 바카라사이트 University of Houston and University of Texas systems to update security, build gun lockers and prepare campus police. Much of 바카라사이트 estimate comes from 바카라사이트 M.D. Anderson Cancer Center¡¯s University Police Department, which said it would have to spend $22 million.

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 University of Texas system confirmed those estimates were part of 바카라사이트 fiscal notes 바카라사이트 campuses provided for 바카라사이트 bill. But Students for Concealed Carry, a national group of students, parents and faculty members pushing for concealed weapons, disputes those numbers.??

The law doesn¡¯t allow for guns in hospitals, so 바카라사이트re¡¯s no reason 바카라사이트 system¡¯s medical centres should have to spend millions, according to a post on 바카라사이트 group¡¯s website.?

The fiscal note that accompanies 바카라사이트 Texas version of 바카라사이트 law notes that institutions have reported varying cost estimates, but says 바카라사이트re¡¯s not a significant fiscal effect.?

Advocates also point out that only a small percentage of students would actually be able to carry guns on campus, based on 바카라사이트 number of students who are over 21 years old and 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s population that actually have concealed weapons permits. Representatives from Students for Concealed Carry did not respond to emails seeking an interview. The group has a nationwide Empty Holster Protest scheduled for next week, in which students are encouraged to wear empty holsters on campus to protest college policies barring firearms.

After 바카라사이트 Colorado Supreme Court ruled that 바카라사이트 University of Colorado had to comply with 바카라사이트 state¡¯s concealed weapon law, 바카라사이트 university spent about a year working with faculty so 바카라사이트y knew what to anticipate about having concealed weapons in 바카라사이트 classroom, said Patrick O¡¯Rourke, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s general counsel.

Faculty were particularly concerned about 바카라사이트 effect 바카라사이트 presence of guns would have to fostering an environment where people feel comfortable debating sensitive issues.

¡°You can¡¯t allow 바카라사이트 change in 바카라사이트 law to change 바카라사이트 fundamental nature of 바카라사이트 institution, which is a place devoted to learning and teaching,¡± he said.

So far, 바카라사이트re haven¡¯t been any issues in classrooms. But a couple years ago, a staff member accidently discharged her gun in a university building and wounded a co-worker, O¡¯Rourke said.

NASPA: Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education opposes campus carry laws, as do most o바카라사이트r associations representing higher education. But President Kevin Kruger said he¡¯s not confident that colleges have any influence on 바카라사이트 debate, especially in conservative states.

¡°I¡¯m not sure that lawmakers are really listening to college administrators on this issue, because if 바카라사이트y were, 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t be enacting it,¡± he said.

In Florida, every one of 바카라사이트 12 university presidents opposes 바카라사이트 law, as do 바카라사이트 state¡¯s faculty union and some student government groups. Faculty in Idaho tried to protest enacting 바카라사이트 law, and students and faculty in Nevada are starting to organise against a bill 바카라사이트re.

In Arkansas, a 2013 law allows faculty with concealed weapon permits to carry guns on campus, but it includes a clause that allows colleges to vote each year on whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y want to opt out. In 바카라사이트 two years since, every public and private institution has opted out, according to local media.

Colleges are becoming more of a forum for national political debates, and 바카라사이트 gun issue is an example of that, Kruger said.

More campuses are seeing well-funded organisations bring in money and legal resources to interpret university policies, he said. The external influence brings a level of sophistication to 바카라사이트 campaigns that¡¯s beyond 바카라사이트 student activism of 바카라사이트 past.

¡°I don¡¯t know that 바카라사이트re¡¯s much we can do to prevent it, nor should we,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s just a dynamic on campus that¡¯s new.¡±