KU Student Senate bill would formally oppose concealed carry on campus

We told you earlier this month that KU’s student government was set to oppose any effort to allow for concealed carry on Kansas college campuses, and a bill in the works would do that in a formal way.

Among the bills KU’s Student Senate will be considering over the next couple weeks will be a resolution that would formally oppose concealed carry on university campuses. The bill says concealed carry would threaten the safety of students, staff and others at KU and that university administration and local law enforcement agencies should be making the call on what’s allowed.

A bill that would have allowed for concealed carry of handguns on Kansas college campuses passed a state House committee last year, but the bill that ultimately passed the house exempted university buildings (it concerned public buildings in general). That bill never made it out of the Senate.

A similar bill has been filed for this year’s session, and it also allows for higher-educational officials to make their own decisions when it comes to their campuses. But in December, Kansas Board of Regents chairman Tim Emert said he was expecting another fight on the issue this year. The Regents also oppose on-campus concealed carry.

We’ll see what happens. In the meantime, do please continue to send your KU news tips to merickson@ljworld.com.