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Red Raiders who literally like to get their guns up should beware of doing so on campus.
The Texas Legislature passed a new law June 15 prohibiting firearms in school parking lots and on school buses, even if the owner has a handgun license. The law took effect Sept. 1.
The new law states that a person commits an offense if, "in a manner intended to cause alarm or personal injury to another person or to damage school property, the person intentionally exhibits, uses or threatens to exhibit or use a firearm in or on any property, including a parking lot, parking garage, or other parking area, that is owned by a private or public school."
The law was designed to close a loophole in the existing version of the law, said state Rep. Diane Patrick, the author of the original bill.
"I wrote that because of an incident that happened at an Arlington school a few years ago," Patrick said. "The DA didn't prosecute because there was dispute about whether or not the person was within certain boundaries. This bill removed ambiguity regarding whether or not he was. It's very narrowly crafted to close that loophole."
Patrick said the Arlington School District, which is within her district and constituency, asked her to write House Bill 2112, which was the original proposition for amending the law, so district attorneys could have more latitude in prosecuting threatening persons near schools.
"I can assure you that the situation as it occurred in Arlington will not happen again," she said. "It's a situation that, fortunately, is rare and that is important to realize. The school district now has the means to be sure it is prosecuted. We worked very closely with Texas State Rifle Association to be sure it would provide a balance between constitutional rights and educational safety."
Gordon Hoffman, the deputy chief of the Texas Tech Police Department, said it is important to obey the laws because they are in place to prevent people from getting hurt, citing the incident that occurred at Virginia Tech last year.
"We realize there is a need for training to address those types of situations," he said. "With additional training and additional weapons we're able to better meet that challenge and know a little more about what we're doing. It's good to have the training."
Hoffman said he is ambivalent about people needing to have weapons on them at all times, even if it is legal because they have a license to carry firearms.
"Irresponsible people don't have any business with firearms," he said. "Most of the time I carry one off duty. It's not often you'll need it, but it's one of those things that's important to have when you do need it."
There is rarely an incident where a licensed firearm carrier uses his gun in an inappropriate manner, Hoffman said, because those who are license typically know better than to make mistakes with a loaded gun.
"You don't hear that much involving licensed people getting into stuff," he said. "Criminals, though, will carry what they want to anyhow, but the people who are truly licensed and trained in carrying one, well, this gives them the opportunity to feel like they're protected. I'm sure there are a lot of people carrying them. We have no idea."
Kenneth Mendenhall, a sophomore restaurant and hotel management major from Mansfield, said he owns a handgun but does not have a concealed handgun license.
He said he likes having his gun at home, but would not even consider taking it out of the house or to school.
"I can't imagine anybody taking a gun to school for any reason at all," he said. "People take that stuff seriously nowadays. There have been so many school shootings in the last few years, and there is absolutely no way you can justify having a gun while you're at school. I just don't know how people would even want to bring it with them to class."
