CHARLESTON, W.Va. — College leaders across the state don’t like the idea of carrying concealed guns on campus in West Virginia, but the bill is now headed to the House of Delegates floor.
The House Finance Committee passed the bill Thursday evening after discussing its estimated $11 million financial impact to colleges.
The measure is backed by the National Rifle Association.
“We’re number four in the nation for gun ownership in the state of West Virginia. People are already carrying guns,” said Art Tohmm, state director for the NRA, the national lobbying organization for guns.
“People that are going to be carrying guns lawfully on campus are likely already carrying firearms for self defense now.”
State NRA Director, @athomm77, joins @HoppyKercheval at the Capitol to discuss the Campus Carry Bill. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIAoe1 pic.twitter.com/gic5yCB75s
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) February 21, 2019
West Virginia University has worked in conjunction with the backers of the legislation to allow for certain places on campus to still forbid firearms. Those are places like the Coliseum, football stadium and Creative Arts Center, along with dorm rooms and individual offices.
“We haven’t gotten everything that we want,” Alsop said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline” with Hoppy Kercheval. “But we have gotten a number of exemptions that will allow us to keep dangerous weapons off the most sensitive areas of campus where they have no business being.”
Tohmm characterizes the worry as overblown.
“We’ve seen gun-free zones across the country like at the Virginia Tech massacre,” he said “If there was someone who was able to defend the student base it could have ended a whole lot sooner.”
Marshall University President Jerome Gilbert is adamant in his opposition to the idea.
“Marshall University remains steadfast in its opposition to guns on college campuses. The safety and security of our students, faculty and staff is of paramount importance to us and this legislation threatens the very foundation of that responsibility. I am opposed and remain opposed to guns on campus.” Gilbert stated.
“This is a very serious issue and one that I believe should be made by our Board of Governors.”
Some of the most pressing questions come from those who worry about maturity levels, combined with stress and alcohol.
For the NRA, this isn’t the issue.
“College kids across the country party, it’s not just at WVU,” Tohmm said. “Texas, Kansas, Ohio and these other states and the hypersensitivity once it subsided, there were no problems. There were no shootings and crime has actually decreased. In Kansas it’s gone down 16 percent in the first year.”
The measure advanced on the House Floor from the Judiciary Committee and looked Thursday as though it would be up for first reading. However, Delegate John Shott of Mercer County motioned for the bill to be sent to the Finance Committee because of its $11 million fiscal note.
“If we deny the opportunity to fully explore the fiscal note and we pass that bill it sets a dangerous precedent,” Shott said. “It won’t take all that long and it won’t derail the bill for those who are die-hard Second Amendment people, but I think it’s a terrible idea to ignore this type of fiscal note.”
Shott’s motion to send the bill to the Fiance Committee was approved during Thursday’s floor session. The Finance Committee took up and then approved the bill later in the afternoon.