Bill would allow guns on campus

By Amy Lester, NEWS 9

Lawmakers in 14 states want to allow students and faculty to carry guns on campus.

Right now, you cannot legally carry guns on college campuses in Oklahoma. A new bill would allow people with conceal carry licenses to pack heat at public universities.

Rep. Jason Murphey said recent college shootings prompted the bill.

"It's just so frustrating things keep happening and no one's doing anything about it, i thought this was just kind of a common sense step to try to do something about it," Murphey said.

Heath Flowers is drumming up support for the bill at OU.  He said armed students could eliminate threats before police even arrive.

"You give the power to a conceal carry permit holder who's in the classroom, you'll be able to respond immediately and hopefully save many lives and their own," Flowers said.

But not everyone agrees that this is the answer.

Rep. Bill Nations plans to vote against the bill. He worries it could make a violent situation more deadly.

"I don't think a gun battle between citizens, one deranged or one or more deranged and the rest normal, is a place we want to go; it's just not good," Nations said.

Right now, OSU is reviewing the legislation.

In a statement the university said: "We strongly believe that any changes in law that will increase the number of firearms on our campuses will make our campuses less safe." 

OU does not comment on pending legislation.

The bill already passed out of committee with a 14 to 2 vote.

Utah is the only state that allows students and faculty to carry guns on campus.