Looks like there will be another effort to push campus carry again in Texas:
Simpson said he wants to file a substitute to his bill to allow private universities and colleges to opt out of the campus-carry law. Otherwise, any university or college in Texas could not stop “license holders from carrying handguns on the campus.â€
However, students would not be able to store handguns in their dorm rooms. Schools would not be held liable for any damages caused by the guns. If it passes, the law would go into effect Sept. 1, 2011.
This would be welcome, though, I’d want to know how they implement the opt-out practice. Will we need to carry a list of colleges and universities that opt out? It would seem to be that it’s perfectly within a private school’s right to expel someone for violating their rules, or to ask a person to leave their property. I’m not sure why the law needs to be involved.
The currently proposed bill says “An institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education in this state may not adopt any rule, regulation, or other provision prohibiting license holders from carrying handguns on the campus of the institution.” I think this is the section he wants to changes.
Schools in Texas can currently allow weapons through “written regulations or written authorization”. I would imagine that the requirement to prohibit carrying would the same, hopefully with the additional requirement of signs.
It would seem to me that private universities could “opt out” the same way any other business does. With a 30.06 sign posted at every building entrance. Any other “opt out” language would only add confusion to an already too complicated legal minefield.