Utah: "Bill allowing concealed guns in schools heads for final vote"

[cuchulainn]

from the Herald, Utah County

http://www.harktheherald.com/article.php?sid=74898&mode=thread&order=0

Bill allowing concealed guns in schools heads for final vote

PAUL FOY Associated Press Writer on Wednesday, February 26

SALT LAKE CITY -- A Senate-approved bill that would let people licensed to carry concealed weapons bring their guns inside public schools without violating weapons laws passed a House committee Tuesday, setting it up for final legislative approval.

The law-enforcement committee voted 7-3 to resolve a conflict in state law.

The conflict pits a school code that prohibits dangerous weapons against a more recent concealed-weapons law that omits schools from a list of secure places such as airports and courthouses where only law enforcers can pack guns.

The conflict could just as easily be resolved by adding schools to the list of protected places, educators said. The House committee acted over the objection of the state Board of Education.

The Statewide Association of Prosecutors supports Senate Bill 108 not because it favors guns in schools but to clean up the law, association director Paul Boyden testified.

S.B. 108 has been amended to give churches and homeowners the legal right to bar anyone carrying guns. Some legislators wanted to know why schools shouldn't keep the same right.

Schools are public property while churches and homes are not, Senate Republican Majority Leader Michael Waddoups said.

Until all schools are operating metal detectors to ensure gun-wielding criminals can't get inside, they should welcome concealed-weapons holders to level the playing field, Waddoups said.

He said law-abiding gun owners make schools more safe -- an argument ridiculed by Marla Kennedy of Gun Violence Protection, who said no concealed-weapons holder ever "saved the day" in a school shooting.

"They are not there to save the day," concealed-weapons instructor W. Clark Aposhian said. "They are there to protect themselves."

Nelson Clayton of the 820-member Gun Owners of Utah opposed the bill because it gives churches the right to block guns at the door. Waddoups said the LDS and Catholic churches asked for that right.

"We consider this to be an anti-gun bill as long as that amendment is attached," Clayton said.

© 2002 by HarkTheHerald.com

 

[P95Carry]

He said law-abiding gun owners make schools more safe

I agree. And the other comment made that .... "no concealed-weapons holder ever "saved the day" in a school shooting" ..... I would venture to suggest that due to restrictions there was in fact no one available carrying anyway, to ''save the day''.

In the Columbine incident, the situation could IMO have been greatly ''moderated'' had a person or persons been available within the premises. The cops turned out to be of little use.

 

[TheOtherOne]

S.B. 108 has been amended to give churches and homeowners the legal right to bar anyone carrying guns. Some legislators wanted to know why schools shouldn't keep the same right.

Does this mean I can get in trouble legally for carrying on someones property or church that doesn't want guns? As it stands now, I'm violating no laws by carrying in such a place. They have the right to kick me off the property but other than trespassing, I would be violating no laws. If this is the case, I'm no longer in favor of this bill that "cleans up the state code". I can carry a gun at schools already without it.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Who should I contact?

Does anyone know who I should contact to oppose this? Would it be my House Representative or has it already passed the house? I can't tell from the article.

Anyways, here's what I wrote to her anyways. It's probably too late to stop the boulder now... but what else to do?

Dear Representative:

S.B. 108 has been amended to give churches and homeowners legal grounds to bar anyone from carrying a gun. As private property owners, churches and homeowners already have legal rights to ban whomever they wish for trespassing and is sufficient to keep guns off their property if they wish. Making it a crime to carry a gun is unconstitutional.

Please oppose this bill and all gun control in whatever guise it may come.

 

[ctdonath]

an argument ridiculed by Marla Kennedy of Gun Violence Protection, who said no concealed-weapons holder ever "saved the day" in a school shooting.

NONSENSE. There have been several such cases - which did not turn out better precisely because the legitimate gunowner had to run so far to retrieve his weapon. One school dance (a school-sponsored event) shooting was ended when the proprietor of the dance pulled a shotgun and threatened to blow the perp away. One law school shooting ended when someone ran to their car and brought back a legal handgun & threatened to shoot the perp. One highschool shooting ended when a teacher ran to his off-campus car and brought back a gun and threatened to shoot the perp.

(Or do these anti-gun dweebs thing a gun is "used" only when fired and someone dies?)

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'm glad to see the state of Utah not only values the lives of school children, but respects the fact that people's civil rights don't stop at school house doors.

Well done, Utah!