By Ben Philpott, KUT Radio
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-828807.mp3
Dallas, TX –
Garland Republican Joe Driver wrote the bill. He says it's gained broad support in both chambers of the legislature - but at the same time picked up lots of negative publicity. Which he says comes from false assumptions like the belief that this bill would arm 18-year-olds.
Driver: "This bill primarily affects adult faculty/staff, visitors, parents. Not Students. Unless you are in the military - you must be 21 or older to obtain a CHL -concealed handgun license."
The bill would not allow guns in dorms. And Driver says based on overall concealed handgun statistics - concerns of increased violence haven't materialized. Some private colleges and universities don't like the bill because it takes away their ability to dictate campus environment. UT-Austin student Tori Lauterbach said allowing guns goes against what she and other students have been working for in campus safety.
Lauterbach: "We fight to have emergency call boxes on campus so that is someone's in trouble they can call for help. We fight for more police presence. We fight for better lighting. We fight constantly to get more and more safety on our campuses. And the idea that we would want to permit a concealed weapon on our campus is foreign to me."
The bill is expected to make the house floor in the next couple of weeks.
Ben Philpott KUT news.