Texas guns-on-campus bill holstered
AUSTIN, TX (AP) - The sponsor of a bill to allow guns on college campuses abruptly withdrew the bill.
More than an hour into the debate on allowing concealed handguns into college buildings and classrooms, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth asked that debate resume on Monday. He apparently did not have enough votes to move it forward. Several Republicans asked for amendments to the bill.
The bill lets Texas concealed handgun license holders, who must be 21 years old and pass a training course, bring their weapons on campus.
Texas would become the second state, following Utah, to pass such a broad-based law. Colorado gives colleges the option and several have allowed handguns.
The measure has met stiff resistance from higher education officials. Supporters call it a key gun rights issue and critical self-defense measure.
Coming up tonight at 5 and 6, KCBD NewsChannel 11 talks to students at Texas Tech about their thoughts on carrying concealed weapons on campus.
It happens that I was a student at Texas Tech when former TTU student John Hinckley shot President Reagan in 1981. In analyzing Hinckley’s background, one especially snide member of the national media described Tech as a place “where students pack guns to class and carry whiskey flasks in their back pockets.” This was news to me and to many others. In particular, I was wondering where the so-called journalist had gotten this information. I also tried to find out who was holding out on the whiskey.
One of my professors took more positive steps: He put two boxes outside his classroom. These were labeled “Deposit guns here,” and “Deposit alcoholic beverage containers here.” Legend has it that a half-full bottle of tequila and a couple of those airline liquor miniatures actually showed up in the box.