Concealed firearms could soon be legal on West Virginia college campuses
Legislation making firearms legal on college campuses is waiting to be signed into law by West Virginia’s Republican governor.
The state’s House of Delegates passed the Campus Self-Defense Act Tuesday. Thirteen Democrats argued that research from Johns Hopkins University indicated firearms make schools less safe. Eighty-four conservatives called the matter an individual rights issue.
According to NPR, Gov. Jim Justice hasn’t voiced a position on the proposal, also known as Senate Bill 10. However, the NRA has previously praised the governor for his support of pro-gun legislation.
If signed into law, students at West Virginia’s institutes of higher learning could be packing heat by July 2024. The bill doesn’t allow firearms in dorm rooms, according to West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Gun lockers would be permitted in common areas.
The deadliest school shooting in U.S. history took place at Virginia Tech University in 2007 when a student killed 32 people and injured 17 others. Virginia Tech is just 14 miles from West Virginia’s state line.
One West Virginia lawmaker, who worked as a state trooper in 2007, argued the bill would give students an opportunity to defend themselves.
“Years ago, I sat on the foot of my bed with Windex and paper towels, and I washed the blood of almost 30 kids off of my shoes because of an active shooter on a college campus,” Republican Del. Mike Honaker said.
As a lawmaker, Honaker said he’d have blood on his hands if he voted against the legislation.
Numerous universities in West Virginia urged lawmakers not to pass the bill. A joint letter from the presidents of West Virginia University and Marshall University argued that college is challenging enough without an abundance of guns.
“Whether it is mental health challenges facing some students, discussions about grades, recruitment of new students and faculty, or the protection of open and honest debates of ideas, we are concerned about inserting firearms into these types of situations,” the letter reads.
With News Wire Services
