Concealed Carry on Campus Has a Chance in the Senate

Check out this story I put together for the Texas Insider:

The cutoff for bills in the Texas House left many upset about how the 81st Legislature is turning out.  One measure, HB 1893, authored by Representative Joe Driver (R-Garland) would allow concealed carry license holders to carry on colleges and universities in Texas.

“We have a lot of important legislation and this would have been a big distraction,” said Rep. Joe Heflin (D-Crosbyton), who has a concealed carry license, in an interview with the Lubbock Online, commenting on HB 1893 not going up for a house vote.

“It’s disturbing that a Texas legislator finds the safety of individuals on college campuses as a distraction.  This mentality is what we have faced from day one.  This emotional ploy by opposition is used as a fear mongering technique aimed at individuals who fail to interpret the facts and statistics supporting concealed carry and the benefits it has.  The handful of legislators in the House who caused HB1893 to die did an injustice to their constituents and fellow Texans,” said Katie Kasprzak, spokesman for the Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.

The Texas House has taken the time to debate various important matters such as restricting political free speech with the Texas version of McCain-Feingold Legislation (HB 2511), the “pork choppers” bill to hunt feral hogs from helicopters and even legislation that protects journalists from revealing confidential sources.

“I am not comfortable knowing that I have no means to protect myself if I am attacked,” wrote Jackie Ackner, a Daily Texan Guest Columnist in April of 2009.

Gun rights are respected in Texas and the state is home to gun friendly legislation, despite this, HB 1893 did not go up for a vote.

“With the majority of the House signed on as joint authors and co authors, a vote should not have even been questioned.  This bill was not voted on because the select few, who coincidentally were able to make decisions in jeopardy of the bill, knew it would pass,” concluded Kasprzak.

Senate Bill 1164, authored by Senator Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio), will be on the Intent Calendar Monday, May 18, 2009.

“We still have a chance in Senate to pass CHL on campus,” announced State Senator Dan Patrick (R-Houston) at 2:57AM on May 16, 2009 via his Twitter page.