A Fairbanks state senator wants to remove restrictions for carrying concealed firearms on college campuses, which the University of Alaska opposes.
Republican Sen. Pete Kelly told the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday that his Senate Bill 174 would remove a Constitutional wet-blanket that UA policy puts on students, faculty and staff to bear concealed firearms on campus. Kelly reeled off a series of past shootings on campuses and suggested they might have ended without as much death if students and faculty were carrying.
“Bad guys with guns are stopped by good guys with guns,” Kelly said. “And if the university has made it so all the good guys can’t have guns, they are then at mercy of bad guys with the gun.”
In response to committee members’ questions, Kelly wasn’t able to name any situations on UA campuses where having a concealed firearm would have helped. He conceded state law bars concealed handguns from legislative chambers. But he offered that situation could be remedied with future legislation.
The education committee also heard from UA President Jim Johnsen, who outlined five broad objections to the bill. Johnsen likened the university to courts, the legislature and K-12 schools, where concealed firearms are barred.
“Such places have been recognized by the Alaska Legislature as sensitive places in which regulation of firearms is presumptively lawful,” said Johnsen.
Sen. Kelly told the committee he thought the university had some good points and was willing to amend the bill to accommodate them. The hearing was limited to an hour, so public testimony was truncated. More testimony was expected in committee Thursday.
