(Long Island, NY) New York parents may want to think twice about sending their children to college in the Lone Star state. Over the weekend, Texas became the ninth state to approve legislation allowing the concealed carrying of guns on publicly funded college campuses, joining Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia and Wisconsin. Private higher education institutions in Texas are exempt from the law.
Backed by the National Rifle Association, the bill (SB11) faced strong opposition from the majority of students, parents, administrators, faculty and law enforcement representatives who testified during public hearings. The law will require public universities throughout the state to allow Concealed Handgun Licensees to carry guns into campus buildings, allowing for narrow exemptions for “sensitive areas” as specified by the administrators. The law will take effect in August, 2016.
“Texas legislators ignored the concerns of parents, students, university administrators and law enforcement and went ahead and passed a law making it legal to carry a concealed weapon on college campuses. New York parents need to be aware of this law so they can make an informed decision about whether their child will be safe at a Texas public university,” said Leah Gunn Barrett, NYAGV Executive Director.
“New York legislators, unlike their Texas counterparts, haven’t been bought and paid for by the corporate gun lobby. Rather, they know they have a duty to protect public safety which is why New York college campuses are gun free. Parents want to know that when their children leave home for college they will be safe. And students need a safe environment in order to learn and grow. The last thing they should have to worry about is dodging bullets,” Barrett said.
New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is a statewide advocacy group working to reduce gun violence through advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, the organization also advocates at the local and national levels for sensible gun laws, policies and practices that protect New York State residents from gun violence.
- Web: www.nyagv.org
- Twitter: @NYAGV1
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
nyagv
