AUSTIN, Texas — More than half of the members of the Texas House have coauthored a bill that would allow concealed handguns on university campuses. If the bill passes, Texas would be the second state after Utah to approve such a law.
Supporters of the bill say that giving students and professors the right to carry guns on campus will allow them to protect themselves during an active shooter incident, Boston.com reports. Prior to the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, the most significant college shooting in U.S. history occurred at the University of Texas in 1966. During the shooting, Charles Whitman killed 16 people from the university’s administrative tower.
Similar bills have been proposed in other states, but most have faced widespread opposition. In Oklahoma, all 25 public college presidents opposed the concealed-carry proposal.
University of Texas president William Powers has said that he opposes the bill, as the mix of students, guns and parties would be too volatile.
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