campus carry

The AZ Citizens Defense League, the Arizona pro-gun rights organization, issued this response on their Facebook page to Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto of SB 1467.

SB 1467, the AzCDL-requested Campus Carry bill, was vetoed by Governor Brewer on April 18, 2011.

SB 1467 would simply have prevented the governing boards of colleges and universities from prohibiting the “lawful possession or carrying of a weapon on a public right-of-way.” That covers streets, sidewalks, etc. open to public use. Her press conference cited concerns about the lack of a definition of a “public right of way” that sounded suspiciously similar to the complaints of the anti-rights forces that have been bombarding the governor and urging her to veto the bill. Apparently, the fact that the term “public right of way” is used numerous times throughout Arizona law does not provide sufficient clarity, at least not when it comes to protecting the rights of the law abiding on our college and university campuses.

The anti-rights crowd has pulled out all the stops this year to prevent teachers, staff, and students in Arizona from having a safe learning environment. East Coast based national groups have beefed up their staff in Arizona. At the Capitol, they have spared no expense on lobbying, including holding a closed meeting with “freshmen” legislators in the House (AzCDL tried to attend but we were stopped at the door). On college and university campuses, they have conducted a series of fear-mongering indoctrination sessions, disguised as “forums,” to stop Campus Carry. Sadly, they have also exploited the victims of the January Tucson shooting tragedy in order to intimidate nervous legislators. Now, they appear to have succeeded in convincing an otherwise pro-rights governor to ensure that campuses remain safe havens for criminals and dangerous places for students.

Let’s make sure the governor doesn’t make any more mistakes because she listened to bad advice. SB 1201 is still awaiting action by the governor, and if we act now, we can make sure the anti-rights crowd isn’t the only voice heard.

SB 1201 is the AzCDL-requested bill that says that if a state or local government office (Public Establishment) is going to ban firearms, then security measures (metal detectors, armed guards, etc.) must be in place to ensure that no one is capable of bringing in a firearm without detection. Under current law, all that’s needed is a “No Firearms” sign and a place to lock up your firearm. This has had the perverse effect of disarming the law-abiding while allowing those with no respect for the law to remain armed at will.

It’s time to let the Governor know that you support the passage of SB 1201 and urge her to sign it into law.

FoxNews out of Phoenix and the AP are both reporting that Gov. Jan Brewer, the Republican Governor of Arizona, has vetoed SB 1467. This bill would have allowed concealed carry on public rights of way on university and community college campuses. The bill would not have allowed concealed carry in college buildings.

“This bill was very sloppily written and drafted, and I believe when it affects not only our education system, all the way from K-12 all the way through the university, and we can’t even find out a definition, what is a right of way? It just wasn’t defined to be able to tell the courts or the policeman how they are going to enforce a law like that,” Governor Brewer told us. (Fox News)

The bill was opposed by university presidents even though it had been gutted in the State Senate. The original bill would have allowed concealed carry in campus buildings. ABC 15 out of Phoenix said on this:

University presidents opposed the bill. They said allowing guns on campuses would endanger employees, students and visitors, and it would be difficult for officers responding to a shooting to quickly identify a wrongdoer.

There are no comments yet from gun rights organizations such as the Arizona Citizens Defense League nor the sponsors in the Arizona legislature. Surprisingly for the Brady Campaign and CSGV, they haven’t issued a press release crowing about Brewer’s veto…yet.

UPDATE: I have embedded Brewer’s veto message below. The chief sponsor of the bill, Sen. Ron Gould, R – Lake Havasu, was none too pleased by the veto nor the veto message.

Gould said he was surprised by the aggressive nature of the governor’s statement.

“I thought it was a very rude veto letter,” Gould said, adding that he thought “her spin on it … is a stretch.” He was referencing her remarks about how it could potentially affect K-12 schools.

The university presidents were all very pleased by Brewer’s veto.

Crow, University of Arizona President Robert Shelton and Northern Arizona University President John Haeger wrote a letter to the governor, asking her to veto the legislation.

Haeger on Monday said that if signed into law, the legislation would have had a “chilling effect” on the university’s intellectual climate. The veto helps protect the safety of faculty, staff and students.

“We are very grateful for the governor’s action,” he said. Crow and Shelton also released statements on Monday, thanking the governor for her veto.

Arizona Board of Regents Chairwoman Anne Mariucci expressed similar sentiments.
“Because of (the governor’s) veto, the universities can focus on their core mission of providing a high-quality education to students without the distraction of the increased opportunities for violence Senate Bill 1467 would have allowed.”

Chairwoman Anne Mariucci’s statement about “increased opportunities for violence” is utter bullshit but typical for what comes out of universities nowadays.

The Brady Campaign must keep banker’s hours because they haven’t responded yet. Ladd Everitt of CSGV who apparently has no social life didn’t waste much time in proclaiming the news on Twitter.

Great news from #Arizona tonight. Gov. Brewer vetoed insane #NRA guns on campus bill! #p2 #politics #congress #AZ http://fb.me/v0HTFNFJ

0418gun Veto
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