CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A public hearing for the Campus Self-Defense Act will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Charleston. Those who plan to speak should sign in at the state Capitol Complex beginning at 8:30 a.m.
If signed into law, college students, faculty, and staff would be allowed to carry concealed weapons on campuses.
The bill has already passed the Senate. It’s currently in front of the House Judiciary Commission which will host the public hearing.
WVU graduate student Keeley Wildman was part of a group protesting the proposal in front of the WVU Mountainlair Monday. Wildman made it clear the group does not oppose guns but rather allows them freely on college campuses.
“There is a lot of debate around issues like this and other social issues,” Wildman said. “Some people may be afraid to come out and share their views if something like this were to pass.”
West Virginia Citizens Defense League President Ian Masters is in favor of SB 10 and said policies in higher education institutions shouldn’t infringe on the rights of society.
“Universities can and have punished students, faculty, and staff as they exercise their right to keep and bear arms,” Masters said. “Given that these are public institutions and receive a substantial amount of taxpayer money, that’s something we have long sought to change.”
Particularly concerning for Wildman would be the Provisional Concealed Handgun License, which allows people as young as 18 to legally carry a firearm. She said that means those as young as 18 could have guns in dorms, Greek organizations, and classroom areas.
“As early as the age of 18, you can get a provisional license to carry, and I think that’s kind of frightening for a lot of people,” Wildman said. “There’s really no place that is off limits on a college campus.”
Masters said that with the legislation, people with guns have the potential to create a silent layer of security that could save lives when a violent act occurs. With schools in the position to negatively encourage conceal carry, the state legislation would bring the immediate security that may not be seen otherwise.
“There’s a chilling effect to it,” Masters said. “Where now some of your most responsible, law-abiding folks are not carrying because of the fear of being fired from a job or expelled from school.”
State institutions such as Marshall University and West Virginia University have each expressed concern with the bill.