Allowing concealed-carry weapons on campus was a bad idea in 2013. It is just as bad an idea now.
Yet, state Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, is trying again to require the state's public universities and colleges to let staff members bring their guns to school.
He tried to get a law like that two years ago, but had to amend the bill to permit the governing boards of the various institutions to opt out.
Guess what? The colleges and universities independently told Collins and his fellow legislators, "Thanks, but no thanks." They preferred leaving the protection of their campuses to their respective trained law enforcement officers.
Every two-year and four-year college or university in Arkansas jumped through the necessary hoops to prohibit concealed carry on campus.
The amendment required the schools to opt out annually, so they've actually done it twice since the original law was passed.
Again, it was the governing boards for the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University and every other public institution in this state that determined it was in the best interests of their respective students, faculty and staff not to have anyone other than certified law enforcement officers carrying weapons on campus.
It is plain what these responsible parties think of Collins' law.
In fact, their collective lobbyists and supporters decided two years ago not to try to kill Collins' original bill but instead pushed the amendment to give the campuses a way not to have to comply.
It was a sort of face-saving approach to defang the bill. Collins got to pass his law but it came with an opt-out to protect the interests of the colleges and universities.
Collins went along with the amendment then because he knew he would lose without it.
Now, he's back with House Bill 1077, making the argument again that the campuses for higher education would be safer if faculty and staff who have concealed-carry permits were packing on campus.
For the record, he's picking this fight with the public schools. Private colleges and universities would still be able to opt out under the new bill.
We'll see how the public campuses play the issue this time around, but it is doubtful they will want to give up the opt-out provision.
Even if there is a campus out there that might reconsider allowing employees to carry weapons, none of them should want to give up the choice. The existing law lets any campus, public or private, allow concealed carry by employees.
Collins is trying to rewrite the law now because the makeup of the Legislature has changed. It is decidedly more Republican than it was, presumably more conservative and, according to Collins, more receptive to forcing the colleges and universities to allow staff to carry weapons.
In an interview published a few days back, Collins laid out his thinking.
These new legislators are "stronger gun owners' rights advocates," he said. "I think more of the people that are here now see this issue more like I do."
He acknowledged similar efforts in other states haven't been all that successful and wants Arkansas to be a "beacon" to the nation for concealed carry.
Collins obviously expects the colleges and universities to object to his new proposal but asserted that the states' schools are subject to the will of the people and their elected officials.
Seriously, if his arguments are so good and opinion has so changed, he could be making the case to the different trustees rather than trying to bully them from Little Rock.
What's next? Budget ramifications for institutions that don't do things his way?
Collins is, of course, couching this as a Second Amendment issue. To his way of thinking, the rights of those state employees who hold concealed-carry permits must be paramount to the rights of anyone else on campus.
He's effectively saying that people who have been appointed by governors to sit as trustees of these institutions, the same people who oversee spending millions upon millions of taxpayer dollars and who monitor the educational missions of the schools, aren't to be trusted to know what's best when it comes to guns on campus.
Maybe Collins is right about his legislative colleagues. Some may get caught up in the Second Amendment argument and believe anything goes when it comes to guns.
Hopefully, there are wiser heads among lawmakers and the Legislature won't follow Collins' lead.
Brenda Blagg is a freelance columnist and longtime journalist in Northwest Arkansas. Email her at [email protected].
Commentary on 01/21/2015