Campus carry close to becoming law

A controversial bill that would allow people to carry weapons on public college and university campuses passed the Georgia General Assembly on Friday.

If Gov. Nathan Deal signs the legislation, it would go into law.

The bill permits anyone 21 or older with a weapons license to carry a gun anywhere on a public college or university campus, except for inside dormitories, fraternities and sorority houses, and at athletic events.

Columbus State University Faculty Senate Executive Officer Brian Tyo is concerned about the possibility of students carrying guns on campus.

“I am against it for the all of the same reasons that they don’t want guns in government buildings,” said Tyo, an associate professor of exercise science. “Would they feel comfortable having guns in their press conferences or on the floor of the Senate?”

The university’s faculty senate passed a resolution on Monday urging lawmakers not to support any change in the law that would permit guns on college campuses.

“From the perspective of the faculty on our campus and the rest of the campuses in the state, we don’t want guns in our classrooms,” Tyo said.

The bill passed overwhelmingly with Sen. Josh McKoon, R-Columbus, voting for it and Sen. Ed Harbison, D-Columbus, against it.

McKoon is the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee which considered House Bill 859 before it reached the floor for a vote. McKoon said he weighed his vote carefully, noting that there are no assurances guns are not already on campus in the same way that alcohol is on campuses despite a ban.

“A criminal can unlawfully carry a gun onto a campus, but at the same time, you are disarming a law-abiding citizen who would be in a position to protect himself,” McKoon said.

The fact that Deal has said he supported the legislation was a factor in his vote, McKoon said.

“Gov. Deal had been against similar legislation in 2014 and said he had reconsidered,” McKoon said. “That was important in my decision.

Columbus State University had no official response, but referred to the University System of Georgia statement.

“We appreciate the opportunity to have been heard,” the statement read. “We expressed our opposition on behalf of our Board, 29 presidents, campus police chiefs, faculty and many students and their parents. We are disappointed because we feel current law strikes the right balance between creating a safe environment on our campuses while affording those individuals who are carry users a safeguard location.

“We are committed to providing our students, faculty and staff a safe environment, which is a responsibility that the University System takes very seriously.”

The Georgia House approved it last month with the vote falling along party lines. Democrats Calvin Smyre, Carolyn Hugley and Debbie Buckner voted against it and Republicans Richard Smith and John Pezold voted for it.

This story was originally published March 11, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Campus carry close to becoming law."