Concealed Carry on Campus

[GEO]

Originally Posted by fordpwrstroke7

I have my CHL and during the certification class, they were explicit on where you can and cannot carry. Courthouses, banks, places that have 51% or more of their sales from alcohol and a few others. Unless there is a specific sign posted w/ specific size font, no other place can keep you from carrying your gun.
Several years ago, I worked for a company that had a no gun policy but they did not post the state approved sign saying that you cannot carry there...so I took mine to work with me every day.
Do the campuses have the signs posted? Did I miss something during the training that I'm doing wrong or was the instructor wrong?

you are correct, unless there is a specific sign that is a specific size and it has to be posted in the right spot, then you can legally carry. I go to SHSU and I carry about 90% of the time.

[Curlysue]

Originally Posted by fordpwrstroke7

I have my CHL and during the certification class, they were explicit on where you can and cannot carry. Courthouses, banks, places that have 51% or more of their sales from alcohol and a few others. Unless there is a specific sign posted w/ specific size font, no other place can keep you from carrying your gun.
Several years ago, I worked for a company that had a no gun policy but they did not post the state approved sign saying that you cannot carry there...so I took mine to work with me every day.
Do the campuses have the signs posted? Did I miss something during the training that I'm doing wrong or was the instructor wrong?

Texas state law says that you cannot carry on the "premises" of a college campus, which they define as the buildings. Texas A&M (and probably almost every other college) has a policy that says you can't carry at all on campus. So it isn't illegal to carry on a college campus in Texas as long as you don't go into a building, however, you can still be expelled. These bills would change it so that you can have a gun anywhere on campus and the college can't restrict you.

Some states (like Colorado) allow licensed individuals to carry on campus but the universities themselves (like the University of Colorado) don't allow it. Students for Concealed Carry on Campus is actually suing CU for violating state law for not allowing students to carry on campus.

If I didn't love Texas and Texas A&M so much I would move to Utah for my junior and senior years so that I could carry on campus. Hopefully this law will pass, though, and I won't have to worry about it.

[Curlysue]

So... for everyone in Texas who is interested, the House Public Safety Committee is holding a hearing right now on HB 1893, which is the House bill for concealed carry on campus. You can watch it here:Texas House of Representatives

This is really important because the Senate bill seems likely to pass. The problem is the House bill. Right now, the House Public Safety Committee is split on the bill. There are 4 in support, 3 against, and 2 undecided. I'm thinking the bill will pass by one vote (hopefully!).

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Last edited by Curlysue : 03-30-2009 at 06:17 PM.

[TXbroker]

I just heard this passed today?

[kingchip]

Probably passed the house. The senate was having a hard time getting the votes. I hope you are right.

It says it passed engrossment as amended, whatever that means. That is the SB 1164 I believe. If it makes the senate, we'll probably get it.

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Last edited by kingchip : 05-19-2009 at 03:25 PM.

[Curlysue]

Originally Posted by TXbroker

I just heard this passed today?

It did! I just found out about an hour ago! It passed the Senate with one amendment that just clarified that you still can't carry on bars on K-12 schools if they are on a college campus. I've nicknamed it the John Woods amendment because he was trying to tell everyone that if the bill passed you could carry in bars and elementary schools that are on college campuses (a blatant attempt at fear mongering).

This came at a great time because the House bill died last week. Now the Senate bill will move on to the House and hopefully we can get this passed into law. Perry supports it and has promised to sign it so now it's up to the House to pass it.

[kingchip]

Oughta be a nice message to send to DC.

[choctaw]

Here's what I found............

Campus concealed gun bill advances

Campus concealed gun bill advances | Texas Politics | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Texas Senate
Sen. Wentworth
The Senate today tentatively passed a controversial bill to allow college students who are at least 21 years old and licensed to carry concealed handguns to carry those weapons into campus buildings. The vote was 20-10 after about 90 minutes of debate.

The bill faces a final vote before it would go to the House, where a similar bill was declared dead last week by its author, Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland. The Senate bill could be a way to revive the issue in the final weeks of the session.

Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, said he introduced the bill because of the 2007 massacre at Virginia Tech, where he said victims were "picked off like sitting ducks."

"I would feel personally guilty if I woke up one morning and read that something similar had occurred on a Texas campus," he said.
The bill would apply to all universities and colleges in the state, but private institutions would be able to opt-out. Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, tried to amend the bill to allow university regents to determine whether to have guns on their respective campuses.

"This is a common-sense approach to the concealed handgun issue. Allow local control," she said before her amendment was defeated.

The Senate also tabled a Van de Putte amendment that would have informed parents that their student was living with a roommate who carries a handgun.

[TexasR.N.]

Taking a wait and see approach..............
Craig

[Nally7.3Powerstroke]

sounds like a good idea to me