Bill would let guns in AZ colleges

Arizona Daily Star - Capitol Media Services ^ | Howard Fischer

[SandRat]

PHOENIX — Saying it would protect students and staffers, a veteran state lawmaker wants to let some faculty members carry their weapons onto university and community college campuses.

Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said existing restrictions in state law keep everyone but police from legally having a gun on campuses. The problem, he said, is those who want to harm someone else are not going to be deterred by that restriction.

"It's a long-time goal of mine to make sure there are no defense-free zones where criminals know they can go into an establishment and there'll be no law-abiding citizens there that can legally protect themselves," Harper said. Harper has had some success in that regard. Most recently, he ushered a measure through the Legislature last year to allow guns in bars and restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages.

The Senate gave a similar proposal preliminary approval last year, though the final version never made it out of the House.

Harper said that if he had his way, anyone would be able to carry a gun pretty much anywhere.

Prior legislative efforts to move guns into schools also included public schools, but the proposals got little political traction.

This bill is limited to colleges and would apply only to holders of a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon. The permit requires a background check and some training in the law regarding when deadly force can be used, as well as showing the ability to handle the gun.

Harper's proposal also would apply only to faculty members. Existing restrictions would remain for everyone else, from administrators — including the university or college president — right through to the clerical and support staff.

He said the reason for the narrow exemption is political.

"It's important to start with a bill that you think you can get passed and signed into law, and negotiate it from there," Harper said. He said starting with broader legislation might please some gun-rights groups, but it could be "stigmatized early on."

Harper said that is precisely what happened when Karen Johnson, then a state senator from Mesa, tried broader legislation that included K-12 school campuses. The idea is getting a chilly reception from affected schools, which last year had to accept another change in state laws allowing anyone to drive onto a campus and leave a weapon in a locked vehicle, as long as it is out of sight.

Northern Arizona University spokeswoman Lisa Nelson said, "NAU continues to believe that a weapons-free campus constitutes a living and learning environment for a university."

Pima Community College Chancellor Roy Flores said he doubts that an armed faculty would make the campus safer.

"It seems to me that the likelihood of having a deranged person walk into a specific classroom and pull out a gun and aim it at a faculty member or other people is quite low," he said, "although it gets a lot of coverage and, of course, generates a lot of passion."

Paul Allvin, a University of Arizona spokesman, said that even if a faculty member is carrying a weapon in a "concealed" manner, it's likely to become known that person has a gun under a jacket or in a fanny pack. He questioned what would happen if someone bent on violence were to try to get that weapon.

And Nelson said the proposal would create greater problems for police who respond to a call.

"The more people that have guns on campus, the harder it is to determine who the shooter is," she said.

[wastedyears]

Like other FReepers do on here, you could choose to not give that place any of your business.

[ravenwolf]

No, I’m stating was is required for a permit in AZ. Doesn’t mean I like it. I like Vermont’s idea.

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Ok, i see what you mean.