Gov. Otter signs bill to allow guns on Idaho college campuses

KTVB ^ | 3/12/2014 | ktvb staff

[Domandred]

BOISE -- A controversial bill to allow guns on Idaho college campuses has been signed into law by Gov. Butch Otter.

The legislation allows a limited group of people to carry concealed weapons on college and university campuses. Supporters say the bill protects people's Second Amendment rights.

In his approval letter, Otter stated that he has a sworn responsibility to protect and defend the U.S. Constitution, and this legislation fulfills that charge. He vowed to carefully monitor the situation to alleviate any safety concerns.

Senate Bill 1254 garnered a lot of opposition from college professors, university administrators and students. Multiple Idaho police chiefs and the heads of all of Idaho's colleges and universities oppose the bill. However, the Idaho Sheriff's Association is supporting this legislation that would allow retired law enforcement officers and people with enhanced concealed carry permits to bring a gun on campus.

The bill does not allow concealed carry inside a dorm or residence hall, or inside an auditorium or stadium with seating for at least 1,000 people.

Nampa Sen. Curt McKenzie sponsored the bill. He says there's language in the bill that allows college and university leaders to ban open carry.

The bill easily won approval in the Idaho House and Senate. It becomes law on July 1.

[Domandred]

Idaho becomes the eighth State to allow concealed carry on college campuses, albeit with Idaho's enhanced carry permit

[nickcarraway]

Otter Mounts Bloody Rampage in Burger Bar

[ExCTCitizen]

Thank you, Gov. Otter!

[Billthedrill]

The usual hyperventilating on campus. Somebody - I can't guess how they know I like guns - asked me about it and I pointed out that it's the same law that's in force 10 feet off campus, and if they don't see bodies in the street, shootouts at stoplights, and a hail of lead in the air on Main Street, what the heck is different? There are students and professors out there all over the place. Is there a problem with state law applying on campus?

Silence ensued. Honest to God, some people like terrifying themselves.

[marktwain]

It was incredible to watch the old media lie about this bill and come up with weird possibilities for problems. Amazing how much pressure was applied to stop it.

There are over 100,000 people with the concealed carry license in Idaho. There are less than 1,200 that have the enhanced carry permit.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2014/03/idgovernor-otter-signs-campus-carry.html