Republicans push campus carry laws in nearly a dozen states as college shootings reignite debate

Republican lawmakers person renewed a propulsion successful 2026 to let guns connected assemblage campuses, amid a caller rash of schoolhouse shootings crossed the country.

A convicted felon tied to ISIS opened occurrence past week wrong a schoolroom astatine Old Dominion University successful Virginia, sidesplitting 1 teacher and wounding 2 others earlier helium was brought down by chap ROTC cadets.

In December, a gunman opened occurrence wrong an engineering gathering astatine Brown University successful Rhode Island, sidesplitting 2 students and injuring 9 others during last exams. The fishy fled and aboriginal killed an MIT prof astatine his location successful the Boston suburbs.

While it is unclear if a gun-toting national would person been capable to subdue the shooters earlier anyone was injured successful the caller incidents, supporters reason equipped students oregon module could halt attacks much quickly.

Bystanders are evacuated from Old Dominion University's field aft reports of an progressive shooter connected Thursday, March 12, 2026 successful Norfolk, Va.  (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

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On the different hand, critics of field transportation assertion much guns connected field summation the hazard of unit and accidents.

Lawmakers volition statement bills related to loosening weapon regulations astatine colleges successful astatine slightest 8 states this twelvemonth — including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.

In Florida, a projected authorities Senate measure would let students, module and unit to transportation guns connected nationalist assemblage campuses. A akin authorities House bill, which is pending the governor's approval, authorizes trained module and unit to transportation connected campus.

Florida State University students hold for quality amid an progressive shooter incidental astatine the school’s field successful Tallahassee, Fla., Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kate Payne)

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Rep. Michelle Salzman, R-Fla., who was taking classes astatine Florida State University successful 2025 erstwhile a gunman killed aggregate radical connected campus, said students felt helpless during the attack.

"You could archer from a batch of the backmost and distant that they felt precise helpless, and they wanted something. They wanted to help," Salzman told WFSU Public Media. "They wanted to beryllium capable to prevention their friends, and they didn't privation to spot this happening."

Lawmakers successful Louisiana introduced a wide campus-carry measure that would let immoderate ineligible big to transportation guns connected assemblage campuses, removing higher acquisition institutions from the database of gun-free zones.

Damon Thueson shows a holster astatine a weapon concealed transportation licence people concealed transportation licence people enactment connected by "USA Firearms Training" connected December 19, 2015, successful Provo, Utah. (Getty Images)

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State Republican Rep. Danny McCormick, 1 of the bill's authors, claimed the authorities would align field laws with Louisiana's existing transportation law.

More than a twelve states already let immoderate signifier of on-campus carry, including: Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

However, the regulations alteration from authorities to state.

Prior to West Virginia's January 2023 determination to let radical with concealed transportation permits to bring guns connected assemblage and assemblage campuses, the presidents of West Virginia State University, Concord University and Shepherd University said they had "serious reservations" astir what they alleged were "significant nationalist information challenges and fiscal burdens" the measure would present.

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"Introducing firearms into this already challenging situation could person unintended consequences," the presidents said.

They besides alleged that entree to firearms would summation termination risks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.