Can you conceal carry on a college campus

To learn about legislation that is currently being considered at the state level to legalize guns on campus—and what you can do to fight it—visit the The Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus website.

A Guide for Students, Parents, Policy Makers and Journalists The overwhelming majority of the 4, colleges and universities in the United States prohibit the carrying of firearms on their campuses. Tell a Friend! Over the last five years, campus safety legislation has been a hot issue across the country.

In , at least 19 states introduced legislation to allow concealed carry on campus in some regard and in the legislative session, at least 14 states introduced similar legislation. Tennessee passed a bill in , which permits higher education faculty to carry handguns after notifying local law enforcement. In , Texas became the eigth state to allow concealed carry weapons on college campuses.

In December , Governor Kasich of Ohio signed into law SB which lifts the ban on firearms on college campuses and leaves the decision to individual institutions. On the other hand, recent shootings also have encouraged some legislators to strengthen existing firearm regulations. In , five states introduced legislation to prohibit concealed carry weapons on campus. None of these bills passed. All 50 states allow citizens to carry concealed weapons if they meet certain state requirements.

Because of recent state legislation and court rulings, 10 states now have provisions allowing the carrying of concealed weapons on public postsecondary campuses.

So far in , campus carry bills have been introduced in at least 16 other states. As scholars of higher education law, we have both been following campus carry legislation quite closely. As a professor of leadership and counselor education, Kerry published an analysis of campus carry laws and policies , and Neal, a professor of higher education, has worked with an advocacy group that opposes guns on campus. While state laws and campus policies vary widely across the U.

One key argument in favor of campus carry laws comes from the idea that arming students and faculty will protect the community in the case of a violent incident, such as the deadly mass shooting at Virginia Tech University in This campaign is also part of a larger effort — led by the National Rifle Association — to expand rights for individuals to carry guns in public places, including at colleges and universities.

In , such sentiments helped propel Utah to become the first state to allow guns on campus. Utah Republican State Sen. Since Utah passed its law, other states have followed, with legislative interest picking up notably in the last five years.

In May , Georgia joined the ranks as the 11th state to allow some form of concealed carry on public campuses. For some states, firearms are regularly permitted.

Public colleges and universities in Utah and Arkansas must allow any individual with an appropriate permit to carry a concealed gun on campus, including inside campus buildings. In Tennessee, full-time employees , but not students, may carry concealed weapons.

A handful of states have given schools some measure of autonomy. In Wisconsin and Kansas , public institutions may choose to prohibit guns in specific buildings, but guns must be allowed elsewhere on campus. In Kansas, such an action requires the school to put in place certain security measures , like metal detectors and armed security guards in the buildings where guns have been banned.