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Texas Campus Carry Law for Junior Colleges Takes Effect on August 1

Monday, July 31, 2017

Texas Campus Carry Law for Junior Colleges Takes Effect on August 1

On Tuesday, August 1, Texas’ campus carry law goes into effect for community colleges around the state.  As previously reported, Senate Bill 11 – legislation prioritized by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick during the 2015 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott – took effect for four-year public colleges and universities one year ago.  The law set the implementation date for public junior colleges as August 1, 2017.

As expected, adult faculty, staff and student License to Carry holders have behaved in the same law-abiding, responsible manner on public college and university campuses as they have everywhere else in the State of Texas for the more than twenty years the carry law has been in effect.  Naysayers’ predictions of increased crimes involving firearms at these institutions have, unsurprisingly, not come to pass.  In a recent article in the Austin American Statesman (“Campus Carry: No problems so far at UT-Austin”), SB 11 author Sen. Brian Birdwell stated: “After decades of resounding success with the concealed handgun license program in Texas, I’m not the least bit surprised to see the campus carry law being implemented successfully and without incident.  It’s a testament both to the irrationality of the original prohibition and the law-abiding nature of handgun license holders.”

But the positive track record that licensees have built on campus has not deterred three University of Texas professors, backed by gun control activists, from continuing to file misguided legal challenges to the law.  In a victory earlier this month for Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office has staunchly defended the law, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel dismissed the professors’ initial lawsuit to block implementation of the law in part because the plaintiffs did not present “concrete evidence to substantiate their fears” that guns in the classroom would have a chilling effect on free speech.  The trio quickly filed an appeal of his decision to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, claiming that the federal judge’s ruling only addressed First Amendment – and not other – claims.

So while the anti-gun lawsuits continue, campus carry rolls right on.  In 2017, two more states – Georgia and Arkansas – followed Texas in amending their statutes to allow law-abiding, adult college faculty, staff and student License to Carry holders to legally possess handguns at public institutions of higher education.  And now those same categories of individuals will be able to protect themselves at community colleges throughout the Lone Star State.

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U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

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Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Gun Law Effective Dates: It’s Not Just What but When that Counts

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Monday, June 16, 2025

Gun Law Effective Dates: It’s Not Just What but When that Counts

The gun owning community is often saddled with a larger responsibility than most in knowing the many laws that govern gun ownership throughout the states.

Intrepid Journalist Tracks Down Truth About “Children” and Firearms, While Public Health Researchers Downplay Inconvenient Realities

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Monday, June 16, 2025

Intrepid Journalist Tracks Down Truth About “Children” and Firearms, While Public Health Researchers Downplay Inconvenient Realities

For decades, gun control advocates and their allies in “public health” have pushed a misleading factoid about children and firearms.

Senate Finance Committee Releases Text of Reconciliation Bill

News  

Monday, June 16, 2025

Senate Finance Committee Releases Text of Reconciliation Bill

Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance released its portion of the Senate version of the Reconciliation Bill. Late last month, the U.S. House passed a version of the Reconciliation Bill which included Section 2 of the ...

Hogg Gone from DNC

News  

Monday, June 16, 2025

Hogg Gone from DNC

Gun prohibition activist David Hogg’s time in leadership with the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has come to an end.

Gun-Control Window Dressing: Chicago Inspector-General Calls Out Futility of Gun Offender Registry

News  

Monday, June 16, 2025

Gun-Control Window Dressing: Chicago Inspector-General Calls Out Futility of Gun Offender Registry

Fifteen years ago, the City of Chicago adopted a “gun offender registry” ordinance that requires convicted gun offenders to register with the police and have police monitor anyone listed in the registry. 

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Bill Headed to Governor Stein

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

North Carolina: Permitless Carry Bill Headed to Governor Stein

Today, the House of Representatives voted 59-48 to pass Senate Bill 50 (S50), Freedom to Carry NC. The bill now heads to Governor Josh Stein for consideration.

New York: Numerous Anti-Gun Bills Still Moving in Final Days of Session

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

New York: Numerous Anti-Gun Bills Still Moving in Final Days of Session

New York lawmakers are tentatively scheduled to end their 2025 Regular Session this week, which means they are feverishly pushing through hundreds of bills at lightning pace with little or no discussion.  Gun owners are ...

California: Anti-Gun Bills Advance in Legislature Ahead of Deadline

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

California: Anti-Gun Bills Advance in Legislature Ahead of Deadline

Friday June 6 marked the deadline for all bills to pass out of the chamber of origin. Below find an update on notable firearm related bills from this session. Legislation that passed the chamber of ...

Minnesota: Removal of Shotgun-Only Hunting Zones Added to Environmental Omnibus Bill

Friday, June 6, 2025

Minnesota: Removal of Shotgun-Only Hunting Zones Added to Environmental Omnibus Bill

This week outside of regular session, the Environment Omnibus bill was agreed upon. This omnibus bill would remove shotgun-only hunting zones in the state. A special session has been scheduled for Monday, June 9th, for the ...

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Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.