Is campus carry dead?

[Codename46]

It seems like the bills are just SITTING in the House Calendars and Senate Affairs committees. Do you think campus carry won't make it this year?

I'm going to be mad if it gets killed because it means John Woods won.

[TrueFlog]

According to this article in the Daily Texan (dated April 9), it's already passed the Senate.

The House Committee on Public Safety approved a bill Wednesday that would allow concealed-handgun-license holders to carry guns onto college campuses.

The bill, authored by state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, passed the committee by a 5-to-3 vote. It has 77 co-sponsors, which makes its passage likely when it is debated on the House floor. A similar bill has already passed in the Texas Senate.

I don't know what bill they're referring to, but it sure ain't campus carry. (Probably the parking lot bill.)

[CWOOD]

True flog is true that the Daily Texan confused their evaluation of gun related bills.

I would not be to concerned about the status just yet. You may have read that they passed the budget unanimously. They probably have been working pretty hard on that. With a lot of common ground and good feelings developed in the budget negotiations, it MIGHT be that that time spent might make passage of our bills easier.

There was a lot of delay due to the hostile atmosphere in the last session and a lot of good bills died simply due to lost time with all the turmoil and hard feelings.

With about 79 sponsors in the House (over half the body) movement looks promising. In the Senate, nearly half of the Senators are signed on as Author/co-author.

[hirundo82]

I got this alert from the NRA yesterday; I'm not sure if it went out to everybody or just those of us whose senators are on the Senate State Affairs committee. There is nothing on the legislature web site about a hearing.

On Monday, April 27, the Senate State Affairs Committee will consider Senate Bill 1164, NRA-backed legislation that would enable Concealed Handgun Licensees to protect themselves on college campuses.

Campuses are NOT "crime-free" zones; law-abiding ADULT students, faculty and staff should not be denied the right of self-defense just because they study, work or live on one.

Your State Senator, Rodney Ellis, is a key member of the committee. Please contact him at (512) 463-0113 and urge him to continue supporting SB 1164 in committee.

I called Sen. Ellis's office this morning, told them I am a voter from his district calling about SB1164, allowing CHL holders to carry on college campuses, and said "I am a graduate student and CHL holder, and I strongly support Senate Bill 1164."

I'm not sure if it will help any since Senator Ellis is one of the most consistently anti-gun members of the Texas Legislature but he did vote for the employee parking lot bill (both in the Criminal Justice committee and in the full Senate) so maybe there is some hope.

[Keith B]

SB 1164 (Campus Carry) is scheduled for a public hearing tomorrow in the State Affairs Committee. Here is the link for live video http://www.senate.state.tx.us/ram/helix/ch1.ram" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Greybeard]

Keith - Thanks for posting, but for me anyway, it's a bum link.

This http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the closest I've been able to find just now - for what may start at 8:30 a.m.? The House hearing on Campus Carry lasted over 8 hours - and the schedule on this appears to indicate the Senate Committee must be done by 11:00 a.m. ... ?

[Keith B]

Keith - Thanks for posting, but for me anyway, it's a bum link.

This http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is the closest I've been able to find just now - for what may start at 8:30 a.m.? The House hearing on Campus Carry lasted over 8 hours - and the schedule on this appears to indicate the Senate Committee must be done by 11:00 a.m. ... ?

You link is one step shy of what I posted. The only difference is my link is when you click on the 1st committee link. You will need Real Player to view the hearings.

[BrianSW99]

The link won't work until the hearing actually starts. It won't be able to connect if you try clicking on it before that time.

Does this perhaps mean Senator Duncan has been persuaded not to let campus carry die in committee?

[Greybeard]

It's right at 9:00 and the link is working (although no sound yet). Thanks, Keith. I guess we'll see shortly what Sen. Duncan's going to do with it ...

[Codename46]

ANY OTHER UPDATES???

[Keith B]

It is currently live discussion at the link above.

[Codename46]

That NRA spokeswoman isn't the most articulate speaker in the universe :P

[Keith B]

Marsha 'Brady' McCartney is getting hammered by the questions from Sen. Deuell!!

[Codename46]

Keshav is an idiot. I had to deal with him in Student Government when they passed their "resolution"

[Keith B]

I have a new sig line courtesy of Sen. Deuell and Keshav.