Wentworth concedes campus-carry legislation may be dead this session
A controversial [bill](http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx? LegSess=82R&Bill=SB354) that would allow for the concealed carry of guns at Texas
public colleges and universities may be dead, says the bill’s author.
After a tense, but eventually successful, campaign to pass the legislation in the Senate earlier this month, state Sen. Jeff Wentworth (R-San Antonio) conceded this morning that passage looks unlikely, the Austin-American Statesman [reports](http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/ politics/entries20110520wentworth_campuscarry_dead.html).
Attempting to attach the campus-carry bill as an amendment to other, barely-related higher education legislation authored by state Sen. Judith Zaffirni (D-Laredo), Wentworth’s measure died after Zaffirni pulled her bill. The Republican lawmaker got a second shot when the campus-carry measure was tacked on to another higher education bill, pertaining to fiscal matters, from state Sen. Steven Ogden (R-Bryan). But yesterday the House sent the bill back to the Senate, removing the gun provisions and ruling they were “not germane.” Wentworth targeted Speaker Joe Straus for its failure in the House, saying to the Stateman:
“It’s an open secret that Speaker Straus did not support this legislation … I think (the House action late Thursday) is because undue influence was brought to bear by the presiding officer of the House.
“„“This is clear will of this Legislature and has been for two sessions.”
Straus’ office released a statement in response to the lawmaker’s assertion the move to block his legislation was politically influenced. Via the Texas Tribune:
“Having been a member of the Legislature for over 20 years, my good friend, Jeff should know the rules better. I understand he had difficulty in passing his bill in the Senate,
but as a former House member, I’m sure he is aware of how we enforce the two-subject rule against Senate bills.”
The bill, which has 14 Senate co-sponsors, has been met with resistance from university administration, including presidents at the state’s two largest public universities -– UT-Austin and Texas A&M University -– and various students groups, who argue the legislation poses a threat to campus safety. Members of Students for Concealed Carry
on Campus, the Texas College Republicans and Texas State University’s student government support the legislation, saying it is a logical expansion of Second Amendment
rights and a means of self-defense.
