LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe says he'll likely sign a bill allowing faculty and staff to carry concealed handguns on college campuses if the Legislature sends it to his desk.
The House is scheduled to vote Friday on the bill by Republican Rep. Charlie Collins of Fayetteville. The bill passed a House committee this week after Collins amended the measure to allow public colleges and universities the ability to opt out.
Beebe told reporters he's more comfortable with the measure now that it contains an opt-out provision for public schools. The bill already included an opt-out provision for private colleges and universities.
The measure is among several aimed at loosening state gun laws that legislators are considering after Republicans won the House and Senate last year.
Comments (5)
Add commentChurches. Now colleges.
College faculty, if you are packing, be sure to watch out for those non-trads with their Glocks in their rollie backpacks.
wait...what?
There are now guns on campus?
Sincerely,
Virginia Tech and University of Texas and Lone Star College and Oikos University, etc etc
No change
Actually I am disappointed in this legislation because the changes made over the last few days made it totally ineffective. If both public and private colleges have an opt-out option, then there will be no change. All in all, a total waste of time and nothing accomplished. Charlie Collins can pat himself on the back, for having worked so hard on this legislation, for nothing gained.
If the universities all opt out
Doesn't it tell you they don't want/support this legislation anyway?
Doesn't prevent guns on campus
My concern is for the students, who now will either have a college with a hired police force, or who will be targets in a gun-free zone. There will be guns on campus regardless of what the law says. Now the ONLY ones on campus will be the people who don't obey laws.
" or who will be targets in a gun-free zone."
So will people with guns. Not only by a criminal, but by police in the event of a shooting.