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House panel OKs concealed weapons on college campuses
by Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune Thursday May 01, 2008, 1:45 PM
BATON ROUGE -- Despite opposition from student government leaders and top state education officials, a House committee Thursday took the first step toward allowing authorized concealed weapons on college campuses.
Members of the Committee on the Administration of Criminal heard emotional arguments on both sides for three hours before voting 11-3 for House Bill 199 by Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse, a former sheriff and the panel's chairman.
The panel rejected an amendment to exempt private colleges from the bill. The measure heads to the House floor for debate.
State law now bans guns from being carried onto college campuses as well as other sites, such as the State Capitol, police stations, courts, churches and governmental buildings.
"We are not going to have 20,000 students lining up tomorrow morning to get a concealed weapons permit" if this bill passes, Wooton said. He said it is designed to give student a more secure feeling in light of recent violence on campus. The bill requires that the gun holder be 21 years old and have a valid concealed weapons permit.
Joseph Savoie, president of the Board of Regents, the agency that oversees all higher educational institutions, said that similar bills have been killed in 15 states this year; only two states are still in play: Arizona and Louisiana.
"Colleges have a legal duty to provide a safe environment for their students, employees and visitors," Savoie said. "This legislation takes away our colleges' discretion over this crucial safety issue and greatly expands the state's liability."
"What are we opening up our colleges to?" asked Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, one of the three lawmakers who voted against the bill. "It looks to me like we are getting ready for war."
The panel also rejected a hostile amendment by Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, another opponent of the bill that would have allowed guns to be carried where state law now bans it, including elementary and high schools and churches. Burrell's amendment was rejected 10-2.
by Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune Thursday May 01, 2008, 1:45 PM
BATON ROUGE -- Despite opposition from student government leaders and top state education officials, a House committee Thursday took the first step toward allowing authorized concealed weapons on college campuses.
Members of the Committee on the Administration of Criminal heard emotional arguments on both sides for three hours before voting 11-3 for House Bill 199 by Rep. Ernest Wooton, R-Belle Chasse, a former sheriff and the panel's chairman.
The panel rejected an amendment to exempt private colleges from the bill. The measure heads to the House floor for debate.
State law now bans guns from being carried onto college campuses as well as other sites, such as the State Capitol, police stations, courts, churches and governmental buildings.
"We are not going to have 20,000 students lining up tomorrow morning to get a concealed weapons permit" if this bill passes, Wooton said. He said it is designed to give student a more secure feeling in light of recent violence on campus. The bill requires that the gun holder be 21 years old and have a valid concealed weapons permit.
Joseph Savoie, president of the Board of Regents, the agency that oversees all higher educational institutions, said that similar bills have been killed in 15 states this year; only two states are still in play: Arizona and Louisiana.
"Colleges have a legal duty to provide a safe environment for their students, employees and visitors," Savoie said. "This legislation takes away our colleges' discretion over this crucial safety issue and greatly expands the state's liability."
"What are we opening up our colleges to?" asked Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, one of the three lawmakers who voted against the bill. "It looks to me like we are getting ready for war."
The panel also rejected a hostile amendment by Rep. Roy Burrell, D-Shreveport, another opponent of the bill that would have allowed guns to be carried where state law now bans it, including elementary and high schools and churches. Burrell's amendment was rejected 10-2.