Laws Concerning Carrying Concealed Firearms on Campus in Texas
According to Texas Penal Code § 46.03(f) an individuals are prohibited from intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly possessing or going with a firearm on the physical premises of a school or educational institution, any grounds or building on which an activity sponsored by a school or educational institution is being conducted, or in a passenger transportation vehicle of a school or educational institution, whether the school or educational institution is public or private, unless pursuant to written regulations or written authorization of the institution. Concealed weapons permit holders are subject to this prohibition with the following exceptions.
Effective Dates: August 1, 2016 for all state 4-year colleges and universities; August 1, 2017 for all state 2-year and junior colleges.
The new Texas law will permit individuals who have obtained a concealed handgun license (CHL) to carry their loaded, concealed weapon in college and university buildings. Each college and university may determine certain sensitive areas and buildings* where concealed weapons will continue to be prohibited. Each college and university must publicly display campus policies on the official school website, as well as widely publicizing it among correspondence with the institution’s faculty, staff, and students. Previous laws permitting the concealed carry with a license on open campus grounds and in locked vehicles in parking lots will remain unchanged (see note 2 below).
*The sensitive areas will first be determined by the institution and will include representatives from the student body, faculty, and staff. Once the sensitive areas are approved by this committee, they will be sent to the Board of Regents for a 2/3 vote for approval.
Do you agree or disagree with allowing people to carry concealed handguns on public college and university campuses? Why or why not?
2. When it comes to “sensitive areas” according to the law above, identify at least one area where should handguns be prohibited on a public or university campus and explain why. You must identify at least one area.
- How is this topic related to the individualistic and traditionalistic political cultures in Texas?
- Do you agree with campus carry? Why or why not?
- Identify at least one area on campus that should be labeled as a “sensitive area” in accordance with the law. You must identify at least one area.
Your answer needs to be no less than 300 words. You must answer all questions completely.
https://youtu.be/xcYrmXoVS4E (video link)
Colleges Prepare for Start of Campus Carry
North Texas colleges and universities are preparing for the return of students to school and some of them will be packing more than books.
Kids are going back to college and for some they are packing more than just books. New campus carry law starts next week on August 1. We have a report from Arlington with how one campus is regulating where gun owners can carry. Tell us more.
Reporter: Well, all the campuses have to the same thing. They have to put up signs telling people where they can and can’t carry firearms and other campuses are doing things differently. At UTA, all their guidelines are online and all of this is trying to balance student rights and fears. I’m going to learn not to expect somebody to come and shoot you.
Campus carry is divisive among families. This UNT senior says, “It just scares you coming to school. Why would you want to know that the person sitting next to you has a gun?” Stephanie’s brother is about to start college. “For me, like, if I had a gun right now and I came here to UNT, like, that would make me feel safe because what if there was a shooting? I could probably do something about it.”
Reporter: State schools have struggled to make both sides comfortable as Monday’s deadline to start campus carry approaches. New signs on arenas, theaters, and stadiums restrict where guns are allowed. UNT restricts carriers living on campus to a single dormitory building with no roommates and a gun lock box provided in the room.
James Abbott goes to UT Austin where his brother will attend. “I have been in turmoil over it. It’s been on my mind as much as anything else. They send out emails all the time from the administration.”
Reporter: Campus carry hasn’t factored at all into his brother’s decision to attend UNT. It’s not something that he has brought up. Administrators say the reality is they don’t expect too many gun carriers on campus. The reasons? You have to be over 21 to get your license in the first place and there’s only a small percentage of Texans who actually have concealed carry licenses.
CBS 11 News
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