Florida and Utah passed bills to expand campus carry, and New Hampshire is debating another
Several states are considering legislation that would allow guns on college campuses, reigniting debate over safety and Second Amendment rights in higher education.
Lawmakers in New Hampshire, Florida, Utah, and Louisiana introduced bills this year to expand where firearms are allowed at public universities. Similar proposals have popped up in Wyoming and South Dakota. Some have passed, others are still being debated, while still others have stalled or been withdrawn.
Supporters say allowing legally carried firearms on campus could improve personal safety, but critics argue that more weapons could increase risks in academic settings.
Second Amendment Foundation attorney William Sack told The College Fix that public universities should not be treated differently from other public spaces when it comes to constitutional rights.
“The philosophical foundation for the Second Amendment is the right to self-defense, and our right to protect ourselves and others from criminal violence is no different at a university than it is at a gas station, supermarket, or coffee shop,” Sack, the director of legal operations, said in a recent email.
Sack further explained that the foundation’s position does not change depending on who is carrying firearms.
“All peaceable adult Americans have the same rights,” he said. “This applies equally to students, professors, administrators, or campus workers.”
When asked whether campus carry policies affect how safe people feel, Sack said perceptions vary widely.
“People that are afraid of guns may feel more at ease under a policy that bans them on campus,” he told The Fix. “But people familiar and capable with firearms often feel safer when they have the tools necessary to defend themselves.”
The College Fix also reached out to Everytown for Gun Safety twice for comment on the state bills and overall issue of carrying guns on college campuses, but did not receive a response.
On Everytown’s website, the group states that “guns have no place on college campuses,” warning that factors such as mental health challenges and alcohol use can increase the risk of gun-related violence.
The organization also points to cases of unintentional shootings on campuses where firearms are allowed, arguing that introducing more guns could increase the risk of harm for students and employees.
New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, a student-turned lawmaker is backing a bill that allows law abiding adults to carry a firearm on public college campuses. Rep. Samuel Farrington, a senior at the University of New Hampshire, told The College Fix in January that students have the right to use guns in self-defense and higher education institutions are “overstepping and putting students at risk” by enforcing gun-free zones.
Farrington’s bill, HB1793, passed the state House in February, and the Senate has a hearing on it scheduled for Tuesday.
Florida
Florida lawmakers passed a bill, HB 757, in March that allows select professors and other university staff to carry firearms if they receive training and pass a psychological evaluation. The legislation expands an existing K-12 safety training for public school employees called the “guardian program” into higher education.
Supporters told Fox 13 News the bill could help campuses respond more quickly to emergencies.
However, some student groups spoke out against the bill, with one telling the Tallahassee Democrat that it could create a dangerous “Wild West” situation on campuses.
Utah
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill in March that expands gun carrying on public campuses. The bill “allows an individual 21 years old or older to conceal a dangerous weapon at an institution of higher education without a concealed carry permit.”
Previously, Utah allowed open and concealed carry on public campuses only if an individual had a concealed carry permit.
The purpose is “to allow more people to have protection for themselves,” sponsor Rep. Walt Brooks, R-St. George, told the Utah News Dispatch.
Louisiana
A bill proposed in Louisiana would have allowed students and professors to carry firearms on public college campuses. However, the legislation was withdrawn in March.
Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, the lead sponsor, told the Louisiana Illuminator that he withdrew it “because the college students who asked him to file it told him they would be unable to testify in support of it. McCormick said he would be open to filing it again next year …”
In interviews with KPLC-TV 7, several students at McNeese State University expressed worries that the bill would make their campus less safe.
“I feel that there is enough gun violence as is, and I feel like a school should be a safe place. They shouldn’t be allowed to have guns on campus,” student Indi Batiste told the news outlet.
Campus discussion beyond legislation
Similar campus carry bills in Wyoming and South Dakota failed to pass this year.
But the debate is not limited to state legislatures. At Wheaton College, a small private institution in Illinois, a student petition calling for the school to consider arming campus public safety officers gathered more than 100 signatures in February, student newspaper The Wheaton Record reported.
“Although Wheaton College maintains a close working relationship with the Wheaton Police Department, Public Safety officers would be able to respond far more quickly in an emergency due to their constant on-campus presence and familiarity with the environment,” the petition states. “In situations involving violence, seconds matter, and delays while waiting for outside law enforcement could result in preventable harm.”
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