Concealed-Weapons Bill Gets Legs [Good Gun News]

http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Feb/02082003/utah/27490.asp ^ | 2/8/2003 | KIRSTEN STEWART

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

A bill paving the way for concealed-weapon permit holders to carry guns onto school grounds walked away victorious from a Capitol showdown on how best to harmonize conflicting gun laws.

Senate Judiciary committee members advanced Senate Bill 108 in a 4-2 vote -- striking down substitute legislation to ban legally concealed weapons -- after testimonies from parents, educators and gun owners.

At the behest of the Statewide Prosectors Association, Senate Majority Leader Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville, sponsored the prevailing bill to clear up muddy statutes.

The legislation repeals a law that bans "dangerous" weapons from schools and reinforces a statute that says concealed-weapon permit holders can carry their weapons "without restriction" except in a large airport, prisons, jails and courtrooms.

"I don't want guns on school campuses; I believe we should have zero tolerance," said Waddoups. "However, we're doing nothing to keep the criminals off the campuses."

Backers of the legislation argued state law already is in their favor and that there is no evidence to suggest legally concealed weapons pose harm to Utah's schoolchildren.

Perhaps, suggested Marla Kennedy of the Gun Violence Prevention Center of Utah, that's because "we had the statute prohibiting guns from schools." Kennedy, along with the Utah Board of Education and PTA, supported a bill by Sen. Patrice Arent, D-Salt Lake City, that also clarified state law but banned weapons from schools with a few exceptions.

PTA member Gayle Ruzicka, also a member of the conservative Utah Eagle Forum, challenged the PTA's stand, saying it was not representative of the group's members.

Paul Ray, gun owner and a former lawmaker, accused Arent of pushing "a liberal agenda to infringe on our rights to bear arms."

"This is not a vendetta against gun owners," Arent said. "My husband has worked as an instructor for the NRA. The basic premise is that guns don't belong in schools even if a person has a concealed-weapon permit."

But lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Mike Dmitrich, D-Price, soundly rejected Arent's proposal.

Said Sen. James Evans, R-Salt Lake, "I think there is a false conclusion which states that safety equals no guns in schools. I wonder if a janitor or teacher at Columbine had a concealed weapon how many children's lives would have been saved."

Waddoups' bill now moves to the Senate floor with an amendment that would make it easier for churches to notify the public about their gun policies.

[2nd_Amendment_Defender]

One of the reasons I like living in Utah. A concealed weapon permit holder can actually protect his child at school legally.

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." -- C.S. Lewis

[AlabamaRebel]

This is a step in the right direction.

However, if one was to read the WHOLE law about firearms in schools, they would realize it is perfectly legal to do so in many schools.

There are exceptions to every rule, and most people read only the rule (if they read it at all), and not the exceptions.

What makes firearms in school illegal is if you are there with it for illegal purposes.

In Oregon it is shown in ORS 166.370(2)(d)

[Search4Truth]

Good quote.

[arthurus]

Some legislators with some sense.Off limits to legalguns makes a place more attractive to illegal guns.

[Shooter 2.5]

Any chance that water, or whatever it is you people are drinking, can be sent to other states?

[rllngrk33]

Any chance that water, or whatever it is you people are drinking, can be sent to other states?

Send lots of it to the state house in Annapolis Maryland. Enough of it to drown all the RAT legislators. Quickly please, I don't know how much longer we can live without our rights.

[Vic3O3]

ping!