On-Campus Gun Carry Legislation to be Reintroduced

By November 14, 2012

State rep. Charlie Collins, a Republican, will reintroduce legislation that, if passed, would make it legal for staff and faculty to carry handguns on campus through HB 1479.

The bill failed in committee in the last legislative session, but Republicans, eager to flex their new majority, will take up the issue again.

Collins is more confident the bill can pass “given the increase of conservatives and Republicans.”

The first priority for the legislature is not the campus carry bill, but to reduce the income tax in Arkansas, Collins said.

Though he said this is the first priority, Collins also said the bill will be introduced early in the session, which starts in January.

The bill states that the act would allow trained and licensed staff and faculty to carry a concealed handgun on a university, college or community college campus under certain circumstances.

Mississippi passed a campus carry law in 2011, according to the National Conference of State Legislature. Students are allowed to carry a concealed handgun if they have taken a voluntary course on safe handling of firearms from a certified instructor.

Oklahoma now has an open holster law, allowing those who have concealed carry permits to carry guns in their holsters.

Collins ran in a district that encompassed part of Fayetteville. He won reelection against Democrat Adella Gray, 54 percent to 46 percent. He ran on a message of lowering taxes and repeatedly saying he wanted to make the state a “good jobs magnet.”

 

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/UHCQZMLQ5ZZFQ3UODM24OGOGB4 Alessandro

    I am a visiting scholar from Italy and I’m used to weapons. But why it should be legal for staff and faculty to carry hadnguns on campus? What is the point in that? 

  • Kyle

    So they can protect themselves and others in the event of a wacko deciding that violent action is the only solution to their problems? That seems like a perfectly good reason to me…

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/UHCQZMLQ5ZZFQ3UODM24OGOGB4 Alessandro

    Or we can stop selling weapons at wall-mart so even the wacko can’t buy them.