Campus carry--what's in your bookbag?

• Author: Hultin, Suzanne
• Position: TRENDS - Brief article

In June, Texas became the eighth state to allow faculty and students to carry concealed handguns into buildings on public college campuses.

The bill, which was enacted over opposition from university officials, prevents schools from prohibiting firearms but allows administrators to establish "reasonable" regulations and ban guns from certain buildings. To carry a concealed weapon, students must be at least 21 and have a permit.

At least 15 other states introduced legislation this year to allow some degree of concealed carry on college campuses. Most bills failed, but legislation is still pending in Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Nineteen states have gone the opposite direction and have banned concealed weapons on college campuses, and in the other 23 states, the decision is left up to the college or university.

There are some variations in the laws. The Kansas...