Phase Two of Campus Carry in Texas Begins

Phase Two of Campus Carry in Texas Begins

Community college campuses across the state are now allowing students to carry firearms on campus, as part of phase two of the campus carry law.

  • August 02, 2017

Community colleges, which had an extra year to comply with the Texas Senate Bill 11, will now be allowing students to carry on campus effective August 1. This law went into effect for public universities last year. Private institutions have the choice of opting out of campus carry altogether.

As part of their compliance, community colleges will post signs where firearms are not allowed inside; all gun-free zones must be properly designated so that all students who have firearms will be aware of it before entering the building.

In order for students to carry their guns on campus, they must have a valid Texas Concealed Handgun License or License to carry, and Texas also requires students to be 21 years of age in order to obtain such licenses. Students must also have a clear criminal record, no record of mental illness, and passed all requirements of training and proficiency.

In the year that public universities have had open carry, no incidents have been reported, and according to UTA spokeswoman Sana Syed, “We believe our extensive education efforts and feedback from the campus were instrumental in a smooth implementation of campus carry at UTA,” said Sana Syed, a UTA spokeswoman.

In order for students to carry their guns on campus, they must have a valid Texas Concealed Handgun License or License to carry, and Texas also requires students to be 21 years of age in order to obtain such licenses. Students must also have a clear criminal record, no record of mental illness, and must pass all requirements of training and proficiency.

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