A piece of legislation under consideration in Kentucky would prohibit public colleges and universities from banning anyone over 21 from carrying a concealed weapon on campus.
Republican state Rep. Savannah Maddox, who sponsored the bill, told the House Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection that the legislation would allow Kentucky residents to exercise their Second Amendment rights and not be left defenseless in the event of the “unthinkable,” WKYT reported.
College campuses are known as “gun-free zones,” though this has not prevented shootings from occurring. Last month, Townhall reported how a shooting at Michigan State University, resulted in the deaths of three students and five others who were injured.
“The only difference between a law abiding citizen on a university campus and most any other place in the Commonwealth is that the citizen has been stripped of the ability to defend himself or herself from the lawless,” Maddox wrote of the legislation on Twitter.
“Not only are so-called 'Gun Free”'zones ineffective, they create an environment where violent criminals know they can prey on innocent victims and cause mass casualties,” she added.
I am pleased to report that HB 542, an act relating to firearms, has passed 16-3 in VMAPP committee.
— Savannah Maddox (@SavannahLMaddox) March 7, 2023
The only difference between a law abiding citizen on a university campus and most any other place in the Commonwealth is that the citizen has been stripped of the ability to… https://t.co/PhuqW6mvY5 pic.twitter.com/HZkZAmP5ev
“The human cost of so-called ‘Gun Free’ zones is astounding, although these tragedies are just the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “Every time one of these tragedies occurs, public authorities issue a statement (often a text) telling every person on campus to ‘RUN, HIDE, or FIGHT’, but it’s impossible to fight when your own institution of higher learning has rendered you utterly defenseless.”
Maddox added that gun-free zones “[force] law-abiding citizens to put themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis.”
According to WTVQ, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said he would oppose the bill.
“In a campus-wide email Tuesday night, Capilouto said he’s speaking with legislators regarding the “serious concerns about – and opposition to – legislation that, if passed, would allow concealed firearms on our campus,” the report said.