Oregon to rethink college campus gun ban

The Oregon Board of Higher Education is set to partner up with state Legislature to pursue a new option for keeping guns off the campuses of the state’s seven public universities. This week Democrat Senators passed on a vote to revive the campus weapons ban to the full state Senate. The Senate Rules Committee also approved a separate measure sought by gun-rights proponents that would protect the identity of people with a license to carry a concealed weapon, writes the Associated Press. While the Oregon Court of Appeals rejected a rule against guns on campus last fall, the court also said the Board of Higher Education has authority to control its property. Therefore, the board is expected to approve a requirement that people who have a reason to be on a campus agree not to carry a gun. This rule would apply to all students, professors, employees, contractors and visitors on campus – while the police, military programs such as the Reserve Officer Training Corps, residents in non-campus housing, and hunting or target shooting clubs are except. Higher Education board member Jim Francesconi said: “There is strong support for this policy on the board. “We believe this complies with the court decision.” Kevin Starrett, executive director of the Oregon Firearms Education Foundation, says that he isn’t surprised to hear of the ban. However, before taking legal action the foundation will see how the policy is enacted. He said he hopes students challenge the policy by choosing to attend school where guns are allowed, citing campus dangers such as rapes and shootings, writes the AP. While 25 states have ruled to allow each college to make its own rule on guns, another 22 states, including California, ban concealed weapons on all campuses. Proponents say that the appeals court ruling to allow the protection of the names of people who carry a concealed weapon is a victory for people who want to see individual gun-owning privacy maintained.