Will Florida pass campus carry?

Matthew Bruner writes at FSU News:

Concealed carry bill pending in higher education committee

Gun control is an issue that never seems to leave the spotlight, both on a national and local platform. All 50 states allow citizens to carry concealed weapons, if they meet certain state requirements. Currently, there are 20 states that ban carrying a concealed weapon on a college campus, one of which being Florida.

SB0176 is a bill currently making its way through Florida legislation that allows concealed carry holders to bring their weapons into a college or university facility. If passed, the effective date will be July 1.

Students for Concealed Carry at FSU is a student organization that advocates for the bill’s passing. Their president, Erek Culbreath, believes in this bill as it corresponds with our Second Amendment rights, but more so as a means of protection. “It’s always important for people to be able to defend themselves,” Culbreath said. “Especially when they’re lawfully disarmed because violent criminals know and use that as a platform to commit violent crimes.”

One of the arguments against the bill stems from maturity. Florida State University boasts a reputation as a party school, and the implication that comes along with a title like that creates a certain perception of the student body from an outside perspective.

The off-campus accidental shooting that happened back in 2011 is a point of reference for critics against the bill, but the circumstances were very different than what SB0176 stipulates. That incident took place off-campus and the weapon involved wasn’t a concealed carry weapon.

“This bill affects university housing for one, and the only people living there are typically 18 or 19 year olds, who the bill doesn’t apply to because they can’t get a concealed carry license anyway,” Culbreath said. University policy prohibits firearms in the dorms as well.