Laws for on-campus guns split Utah school

[Lodge2004]

More discussion about the University of Utah allowing CCW on campus. It will be interesting to see how all this media attention affects public sentiment.

http://media.www.dailyfreepress.com/med ... 5983.shtml

By: Michael O'Leary
Posted: 3/6/08
The University of Utah has been forced to reckon with changing state gun laws, student safety and legal rights, as gun control attitudes change to reflect concerns over recent college shootings.

Concealed weapons were banned on the University of Utah campus until the state Supreme Court ruled against the ban in 2006, declaring the school violated a 2004 Utah law that barred government bodies from outlawing concealed guns.

The university is now appealing that ruling with the backing of other public universities, even as the laws change. The Utah House of Representatives passed legislation allowing students to carry concealed weapons on Monday. An amendment to allow students to openly carry guns on campus was defeated.

University of Utah spokeswoman Coralie Alder said the school is complying with the existing laws and is fighting amendments that would allow students to carry weapons openly.

Universities in Utah have no way to know how many students carry concealed weapons because they have no legal way to inquire, Alder said, but lawmakers made one concession to gun-wary colleges.

"The one exception we have is that if you want to room with someone who does not have a permit then you can choose to do so," she said.

Gun Owners of America Executive Director Larry Pratt said under the proposed law, anyone 21 or older can qualify for a concealed carry permit. He said teachers with concealed gun permits cannot be fired and students cannot be expelled if they have guns on campus.

The bill also makes permits available to anyone on elementary and secondary school campuses, and other states are working on similar laws, Pratt said.

"When you're dealing with criminals, the only truly effective way to beat the criminal is with the use of force," Pratt said. "They really don't care about the laws that are passed. That's not going to affect their behavior. What can affect their behavior is looking at the business end of a gun or getting shot."

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence spokesman Ladd Everitt said keeping dangerous people from getting guns is the solution to prevent future school shootings.

"They want to die and they want to take as many people as they can with them," he said.

Concealed carry permit regulations vary from state to state, and some require no training with a weapon at all, Everitt said. Virginia Tech shooter Seung-Hui Cho would have qualified for a permit in Virginia even though he had been ordered by a court to seek mental health treatment, he said.

Everitt said the FBI maintains the National Instant Criminal Background Checks System, which tracks who cannot purchase a gun, but said the system has severe shortcomings.

A quarter of felony conviction records that should be in the system to disqualify purchasers are not, which lets those who should be kept away from guns fall through the cracks, he said.

"Nine out of 10 people who should be disqualified on mental health grounds don't have their records in the database," he said.

Everitt said confusion over the laws, a lack of manpower and privacy laws are keeping states from submitting all of the proper records for the database.

"America needs to take a serious look at our gun laws, understand that the gun lobby is basically running our Congress . . . and say, This is ridiculous," he said.

[Crossfire]

...teachers with concealed gun permits cannot be fired and students cannot be expelled if they have guns on campus.

Ya gotta love Utah! Maybe Texas lawmakers will see this and follow suit.

[HighVelocity]

A quarter of felony conviction records that should be in the system to disqualify purchasers are not, which lets those who should be kept away from guns fall through the cracks, he said.

What cracks? Convicted felons aren't concerned about buying guns through legal channels.


I agree with llwatson. I hope TX follows Utah's example.

[Kalrog]

University of Utah spokeswoman Coralie Alder said the school is complying with the existing laws and is fighting amendments that would allow students to carry weapons openly.

Why are they allowed to spend tax dollars lobbying for things that the citizens don't agree with? Why is any public institution anywhere allowed to do that?

The bill also makes permits available to anyone on elementary and secondary school campuses, and other states are working on similar laws, Pratt said.

I would go for that. No restrictions on ANY public location. Private schools still have the option of 30.06 if they choose to. GO UTAH!

[KC5AV]

A quarter of felony conviction records that should be in the system to disqualify purchasers are not, which lets those who should be kept away from guns fall through the cracks, he said.

What cracks? Convicted felons aren't concerned about buying guns through legal channels.


I agree with llwatson. I hope TX follows Utah's example.

Also, that's not the fault of the law-abiding citizen. The state should be more diligent in making sure their records are correct. It's also another reason that those who can carry legally should be allowed to do so. If there are that many felons walking around free that were never entered into the system....