Support 2011 HB86 - Campus Carry

[terryg]

This topic has come up in other threads - but I thought it warranted it's own place in the sun ...

The text of the currently submitted House Bill 86 is very encouraging. The language is such that there are no exemptions for private colleges and it would appear to preclude any employee limitations for faculty and staff.

Full text: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82 ... 00086I.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is there any thing about this bill of concern? - because it seems darn near perfect to me.

I would encourage everyone who supports Campus Carry to contact their Representatives and encourage them to support this bill in it's current form. Contact Senators to use the house bill language in the Senate version.

[RPB]

I like it.

I posted a yet-to-be-approved comment somewhere that :
Alternative Solution:
1) IF the bill doesn't pass
and
2) IF Universities don't change their policies
that
Since I can walk all over campus armed, except into a building, that gun safes/lockers and private changing areas (concealed is concealed) be provided outside each and every building on campus, so I don't have to walk back and forth to store my gun in my car (where police admit "there's noting that can be done to stop car break-ins, so don't store valuables in your car")

So, they knew or should have known that guns stored in cars can fall into the wrong hands.

Also:
I have trouble walking long distances due to a disability .... the Americans with Disabilities Act people should get involved

[RPB]

On a related note to my above post:
San Antonio College
Survey shows inadequate lighting on campus
http://www.theranger.org/survey-shows-i ... -1.2411311" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
A walk through the center of this campus after dark to see if lighting is adequate resulted in finding more than 35 outdoor lights burned out or not on because timers needed attention.

A communication breakdown in who is supposed to be checking lights may be to blame.
Tammy Kothe-Ramsey, Student Government Association president and psychology sophomore, and campus police representative Sgt. Robert Tomlinson walked throughout the campus Monday at about 6:45 p.m. in a survey requested by The Ranger.

This came a week after the shift to daylight-saving time and a few weeks after the college suffered a string of daylight assaults, which included robberies, thefts and assaults.
While walking past Lot 10, west of the visual arts center, a student approached Tomlinson and reported a man in a hooded jacket attempting to open car doors in the parking garage. Tomlinson called an officer to take her report.


Campus Parking Lots are currently an "all-you-can-eat buffet" where thieves are more likely to find free guns, since licensees must store them there.

[para driver]

I'm still working on my degree at age 50+. I'd like someone to make the arguement that I am not old enough, or rational enough to CHL on a campus. These people who object to campus-chl are absurd. They don't care if I sit next to them in the movie theater, shop next to them in the mall, or eat at the next table over at the BBQ joint. I was one of the first batch in Texas to get a CHL, and thankfully never had to escalate. Aside from a single officer hanging around the admin office, I have NEVER seen a LEO anywhere else on the campus.

Hopefully with 94 Republicans in the Texas legislature, this will now pass.

[74novaman]

I'm still working on my degree at age 50+. I'd like someone to make the arguement that I am not old enough, or rational enough to CHL on a campus. These people who object to campus-chl are absurd. They don't care if I sit next to them in the movie theater, shop next to them in the mall, or eat at the next table over at the BBQ joint. I was one of the first batch in Texas to get a CHL, and thankfully never had to escalate. Aside from a single officer hanging around the admin office, I have NEVER seen a LEO anywhere else on the campus.

Hopefully with 94 Republicans in the Texas legislature, this will now pass.

exactly! How many 21 year olds bother to get a CHL? dang few. But what about staff, faculty, and older students? Do they have to be disarmed just because of the "animal house" college idea people have in their heads?

Edit: I got mine at 22, but I'm in the minority here, I'm sure.

[RPB]

I'm still working on my degree at age 50+. I'd like someone to make the arguement that I am not old enough, or rational enough to CHL on a campus. These people who object to campus-chl are absurd. They don't care if I sit next to them in the movie theater, shop next to them in the mall, or eat at the next table over at the BBQ joint. I was one of the first batch in Texas to get a CHL, and thankfully never had to escalate. Aside from a single officer hanging around the admin office, I have NEVER seen a LEO anywhere else on the campus.

Hopefully with 94 Republicans in the Texas legislature, this will now pass.

[rant]
I'm 55, (as kids say "goin' on 56" in a few months) have an Associates degree, and lack 1 course for B. Science (American Jurisprudence), then to law school.
I was in 5 honor societies in college.
I'm retired after 25 years as a legal assistant at a law firm, also held a Private Investigator license from the State of Texas for many years. (Background checks were done, fingerprint, photos etc, even with local Sheriff and police and State and National)
Prior to that I was a licensed Real Estate Broker since the 1970s.
Prior to that, I was an armed Security Officer at the Dallas Convention Center (for a private Security firm)
Have 2 daughters 18 and 21; I told my 15-year old niece I'll pay for her CHL when she's old enough too.
I own a home, free and clear, not the first I've owned "free and clear".
I paid off all my prior Student Loans, credit cards and my car is "free and clear"
I used to own an interest in 300 acres of cotton fields in North Texas, (the oil they found was more profitable than the cotton though)
My beard is grey, sometimes I use a cane to walk.
I probated my mom's will in the 1980s, and retired in about 2007, after 25 years at the law firm, to be a caretaker for my dad prior to his death.
I used to customize guns for Law Enforcement officers about 30 years ago.
I collected bought and sold various firearms since the 1970s, and donated several to benefit fallen officers.
I got my CHL in 2009 because I moved, [Local PD knew me well where I used to live; see above 2 statements] (And, again, background checks like the ones many years ago for the Private Investigator license etc)
Am I too irresponsible or too immature to carry on campus?
[/rant]

[Pawpaw]

There is another aspect of campus carry that hasn't been mentioned much. What about patients (& their families) going in for medical or dental treatment at university hospitals?

I'm in the process of having mega dental work done at Baylor College of Dentistry, which is also part of TAMU. There's a double-whammy.

[para driver]

Not sure if I'd want to carry after having general anesthetic (colonoscopy etc).. realistically, you're still 'under the influence' for several hours.. they sure don't want you to drive.

However, medication issues aside, I agree that if you're visiting someone in the hospital, or just going in for a doctors visit.. no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to carry.

[RPB]

Not sure if I'd want to carry after having general anesthetic (colonoscopy etc).. realistically, you're still 'under the influence' for several hours.. they sure don't want you to drive.

However, medication issues aside, I agree that if you're visiting someone in the hospital, or just going in for a doctors visit.. no reason why you shouldn't be allowed to carry.

No bad guy in his right mind would guess that there are mega-drugs in a hospital pharmacy, so you should be safe

[CJD]

This is the only clause I do not like:

An institution of higher education or private or
independent institution of higher education in this state may
establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning the
storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential buildings
that are owned or operated by the institution and located on the
campus of the institution.

So if you live on campus, you must keep your gun in your car anyway.

[RPB]

This is the only clause I do not like:

An institution of higher education or private or
independent institution of higher education in this state may
establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning the
storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential buildings
that are owned or operated by the institution and located on the
campus of the institution.

So if you live on campus, you must keep your gun in your car anyway.

good catch
may establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning (forbidding?) the storage
is vague and overly broad ... should say
May require you to buy a small safe to store stuff in... from Academy.

(On sale this week)

Or if dorms start furnishing safe's like lockers
"May require you to rent a safe to store stuff in"

[Keith B]

This is the only clause I do not like:

An institution of higher education or private or
independent institution of higher education in this state may
establish rules, regulations, or other provisions concerning the
storage of handguns in dormitories or other residential buildings
that are owned or operated by the institution and located on the
campus of the institution.

So if you live on campus, you must keep your gun in your car anyway.

I don't think you will ever get away from this as I don't think it will pass without it. Being able to properly secure your weapon would be tough if you live on campus due to shared housing, etc. Also, campus housed students are usually under 21, and even those 21 - 25 are probably not going to have a CHL anyway. Admittedly, there may be a few, but those would be rare IMO.

[Big Tuna]

Some universities own off campus housing. Do I read that bill correctly and the schools wouldn't be able to prohibit guns at off campus housing, and students would have the same gun rights as apartment renters?

[CJD]

Some universities own off campus housing. Do I read that bill correctly and the schools wouldn't be able to prohibit guns at off campus housing, and students would have the same gun rights as apartment renters?

That seems arguable, but if the university owns the off-campus housing (university apartments for example) they may be able to consider it "on campus"

[baldeagle]

I don't think this bill is going anywhere. HB 750 seems to be the bill that everyone has signed on to. HB 750 allows private institutions to "opt out" of allowing licensed carry by adopting rules and regulations that prevent it and limits licensed carry to Texas CHL holders only.