Texas colleges look to restrict campus carry

Texas colleges and universities are considering implementing gun-free zones to place restrictions on licensed concealed carriers’ ability to carry their firearms on college campuses.

Restrictions on the carrying of firearms are allowed so long as they do not “have the effect of generally prohibiting license holders from carrying concealed handguns on the campus.”

Businesses are already allowed to post signs prohibiting the open carrying of firearms in their stores, but many are looking at how the college campuses will implement the new law.

Sen. Brian Birdwell (R), the author of Senate Bill 11, which authorized concealed carry on college campuses, said, "[t]he bottom line is this: Senate Bill 11 makes concealed carry on Texas college campuses the law of the land, while allowing for very limited, reasonable prohibitions in unique campus locations."

The law has caused some controversy, even though the bill passed with a 98-47 vote in the House and a 20-11 in the Senate. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed the bill on June 13.

According to The Dallas Morning News, only five percent of Texans 21-and-over have a concealed handgun license.

Follow the author of this article on Twitter: @WesleyRule