May 31 – Austin, Texas – As the Texas Legislative session draws to a close, Senate Bill 11, relating to campus carry, has passed the concurrence vote in the Texas House by a vote of 98-47. While the final version of the bill still allows the President or other chief officer of a college to ban carry in buildings on campus using 30.06 signs, it removes the blanket prohibition from the state level, which is an excellent first step. It also reduces the penalty for inadvertently carrying in a prohibited area from a 3rd degree felony to a 1st degree misdemeanor.
Students for Concealed Carry would like to thank everyone involved for their efforts to pass this bill including Senator Birdwell and Representative Fletcher for spearheading the bills, as well as the NRA, Texas State Rifle Association and Texas Carry for continuing to lobby for the right to self-defense for all Texans.
We are looking forward to the next few years as concerned students lobby their university administrators and regents to not ban carry on individual campuses, as well as the 2017 Legislative Session where we will work to finish the job and ensure licensed, law abiding adults are not prohibited from defending themselves simply because they choose to pursue higher education.
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ABOUT STUDENTS FOR CONCEALED CARRY — Students for Concealed Carry (SCC) is a national, non-partisan, grassroots organization comprising college students, faculty, staff, and concerned citizens who believe that holders of state-issued concealed handgun licenses should be allowed the same measure of personal protection on college campuses that current laws afford them virtually everywhere else. SCC is not affiliated with the NRA or any other organization. For more information on SCC, visit ConcealedCampus.org or Facebook.com/ConcealedCampus. For more information on the debate over campus carry in Texas, visit WhyCampusCarry.com.
