College Campus Concealed Carry Bill Fails To Advance From Committee

A bill that would have allowed a college or university employee who is a concealed carry permit holder to possess a concealed handgun on campus was one vote short of passage in committee Thursday.

The House Education Committee tied at 10-10 on House Bill 1077, filed by Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville. The vote was split along party lines with Republicans supporting the bill and Democrats opposing it.

“It is not about shooting people, but deterring people from shooting our loved ones,” Collins told the committee at the start of a nearly three-hour long hearing at the Capitol.

Collins filed the bill, which would involve the possession of concealed handguns in a university, college or community college building, earlier in the session.

“A licensee may possess a concealed handgun in the buildings or on the grounds, whether owned or leased by the public university, public college or public community college, of the public university, public college or public community college where he or she is employed unless otherwise prohibited by Arkansas Code 5-73-306 if he or she is a staff member,” the bill notes.

The bill would also not change state law that currently bans the storage of a handgun in a university student dorm or residence hall and would not be expanded to elementary and high schools due to federal law on the issue, Collins told the committee.

Collins also amended the bill Thursday morning to add exemptions for land around UAMS and the Clinton School in downtown Little Rock as well as faculty members who are not nine or 12-month employees.

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Collins cited several media reports of shootings on college campuses in the past several years as a reason for the measure. He said many of the shootings cited involved planning and forethought, with some suspects keeping detailed notes about their crimes.

Collins called the issue “an emotional issue” and that the bill would “create a right balance to protect our students.”

Several legislators questioned Collins about his bill, ranging from mental illness and state governments dictating the decision over weapons to “boards and trustees” as well a lack of specifics.

Rep. Charles Armstrong, D-Little Rock, asked about the mental illness issue and whether the concealed carry law would handle such issues.

“Is there a behavioral pattern of these serial shooters,” Armstrong asked Collins.

Collins countered the state’s concealed carry law prohibits people with mental disease or defect from having a concealed weapon.

Also, Collins said while there have been studies that show there is no breakdown on race, height or other factors, there has been some behavioral linkage like attitude.

Rep. Mark McElroy, D-Tillar, asked about the dictating issue, asking Collins if we “are overreaching our authority.”

“We have for umpteen years been dictating to colleges and universities,” Collins responded.

Rep. Charlotte Douglas, R-Alma, said the issue for her was a matter of safety.

“Sometimes, I think we miss the female point of view,” Douglas said. “There are 25 students in the classroom with one door and no way out (if a shooting were to occur.)”

Douglas, who has a concealed permit, said she would feel comfortable if someone else with a concealed carry permit were also in the classroom.

Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, said he thought the bill was lacking.

“The outline (of the bill) is full of holes,” Walker told Collins on the issue of studies.

The committee also heard from several witnesses, speaking for or against the bill.

Rep. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, asked one of the witnesses – Dan Greenberg with the Advance Arkansas Institute – about the infringement of rights issue.

Greenberg told Leding that he did not believe the bill infringed anyone’s rights and that it was the government’s responsibility to support the constitutional rights of individuals, including free speech and the 2nd Amendment.

UALR Chancellor Joel Anderson also spoke against the bill, citing safety concerns as well as a 2013 law that gives college boards and trustees the authority on the issue.