The chairman for the Senate’s Criminal Jurisprudence Committee said lawmakers need a cooling off period when it comes to the debate over a full campus-carry gun bill.
Earlier this week, Sen. JohnWhitmire, R-Houston, allowed his colleague, Sen. GlennHegar, R-Katy, to submit a late-day bill for the committee consideration. It allows students the right to keep their guns stored in their cars while attending classes.
"It's not a campus carry, it’s a campus store your gun in your trunk while you are going to school. So it’s a complete different concept than the concept of going to class with it," Whitmire said.
Whitmire said Grandbury Republican Sen. BrianBirdwell’s bill to allow for a full campus carry is steeped in emotion and not as well thought out.
"I don’t think there is any question the tragedies around the country put a chilling effect on the broadening of the right to carry, certainly on campuses or any other venue. I personally think we need a cooling off period before we extend the right to carry on campuses or any other venues," Whitmire said.
Whitmire said Birdwell’s bill to allow students and professors with concealed handgun licenses to carry will not receive a hearing in committee and will likely die there.
The Hegar bill will extend a student's legal protection if a university decides to impose a rule that prohibits students from storing a weapon in their car.
