update SC

[gopher0]

Mark

http://www.thestate.com/312/story/65787.html

Posted on Wed, May. 16, 2007

S.C. House panel approves concealed weapons on campuses

By SEANNA ADCOX
Associated Press Writer

To prevent school shootings, South Carolina legislators want more guns on
campuses.

Staff and older students would be allowed to carry concealed weapons to
school under a proposal approved Wednesday by a House subcommittee.
Legislators said they believe having trained, armed gun owners in schools
could prevent massacres like the shootings at Virginia Tech.

If signed in to law, South Carolina would join Utah as the only states that
have laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons on campuses. Current
law bans weapons on campuses in South Carolina.

Supporters say people who carry concealed weapons could stop shootings in
part because they have to undergo training, criminal and mental background
checks, and must be at least 21.

"We're not talking about kids. We're talking about responsible adults," said
Republican Rep. Jeff Duncan, the bill's chief sponsor. The measure doesn't
specify who would be allowed to carry concealed weapons, but Duncan said
he's willing to limit permit holders on campuses to school staff.

Opponents said they fear accidental killings and pleaded against the
measure, which passed by a 2-1 vote. The bill now heads to the House
Judiciary Committee.

"You can't call a bullet back," said Democratic Rep. Seth Whipper. "It's a
bad idea."

College police chiefs across South Carolina said that if the law were
passed, it would be difficult for officers to pick out a criminal. "Today,
if we respond, we know the person with the weapon is the bad guy," said
Ernest Ellis, the law enforcement director at the University of South
Carolina.

Nationwide, 37 states - including Virginia - ban weapons at schools. Of
those, 16 explicitly prohibit weapons on college campuses, according to the
National Conference of State Legislatures.

To obtain a concealed weapon permit in South Carolina, a resident must be at
least 21, undergo at least eight hours of handgun training, and pass
criminal and mental background checks. By law, the permit holder must keep
the gun on their body or within arm's reach.

 

[El Tejon]

The remedy for bad speech is more speech. Whitney v. California.

The remedy for bad gun use is more gun use.

 

[GTSteve03]

College police chiefs across South Carolina said that if the law were
passed, it would be difficult for officers to pick out a criminal. "Today,
if we respond, we know the person with the weapon is the bad guy," said
Ernest Ellis, the law enforcement director at the University of South
Carolina.

I'm sorry your job isn't easy, Mr. LEO. You know, if it's really so hard, I hear there are plenty of openings at fast-food restaurants where you really don't have to do any sort of critical thinking and it's pretty low-stress.

Maybe they would like laws that make all bad-guys lay down and drop their guns as soon as they see the LEOs too, right? That'll sure make it easier for them.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Nationwide, 37 states - including Virginia - ban weapons at schools. Of those, 16 explicitly prohibit weapons on college campuses, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

I really hate it when they combine (primary) schools with colleges. One has underage kids and the other has (supposedly) adults in attendance.

 

[RealGun]

Duncan said
he's willing to limit permit holders on campuses to school staff

I think that comment is unfortunate. What "school staff" is going to want responsibility, expressed or implied, for anything but their own self defense. This thing needs to acknowledge "self defense", not making it sound like school officials are protecting the students.

 

[ScottsGT]

We had a discussion with one of the officers here on campus. I simply told him that by the time they responded, the threat would be over and my weapon would be reholstered. It would be easy to identify the dead, bleeding perp.

 

[Correia]

Bravo South Carolina!

SC residents, you really need to contact your legislators that are pushing this and congratulate them. Give attaboys to every good politician, and rain fury down on the heads of those against it.

The camel's nose is in the tent. Now we need to push. Two states down, 48 to go.

I'm teaching CCW for free to faculty, staff, and students of Utah colleges. The goal is raise awareness. And it has been working. I've taught almost a hundred people so far, this month alone, because of this, and since I'm not getting paid, it is kicking my butt!

But I would challenge some South Carolina instructors to do the same. Please get these people armed. That way when there are attempts by administrators or politicians to stifle CCW on campus, there will already be plenty of armed students to be outraged. Get some skin in the game.

 

[cpaspr]

ScottsGT has it right. By the time the cops could respond, the threat would be ended. So telling the good guys from the bad would be easy. And they could arrive with their own weapons holstered, as there would be no threats to encounter.

 

[ChestyP]

When seconds count, the police will be there in minutes.

 

[jrfoxx]

If signed in to law, South Carolina would join Utah as the only states that
have laws allowing people to carry concealed weapons on campuses. Current
law bans weapons on campuses in South Carolina

Guess they forgot about us in Oregon.We can legally carry in scools and colleges/universities too.....

 

[Correia]

Question about Oregon. It is legal to carry, but can a state school prempt that and expel a student, or fire a staff member for carrying?