Progress on ending the gun free zones on college campuses

The inaccurate predictions by gun control groups about what would happen with right-to-carry laws is finally coming back to haunt them. This from the Dallas Morning News:

Concealed handgun license holders could carry weapons into Texas public college classrooms and dorms under a bill given preliminary approval Tuesday by the state Senate.

Supporters say the bill reinforces the constitutional right to bear arms and could prevent mass murders such as the 2007 shootings at Virginia Tech.

Opponents say it would make campuses more dangerous — adding the potential for typical college disputes over grades, romances and fraternity rivalries to become deadly — and also could lead to more suicides.

Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, said similar dire warnings were made in 1995 when Texas passed its concealed weapons law.

"Opponents predicted it would be the wild, wild west; there would be blood on the streets," Wentworth said. "None of that has happened."

The bill still faces significant hurdles to become law before the June 1 end of the legislative session.

It still needs a final Senate vote — which could come as early as Wednesday — before it goes to the House. A similar House bill died when it ran up against a legislative deadline.

According to a legislative analysis, 23 states with concealed weapons permits do not ban license holders from carrying weapons on campus. Even so, only 12 colleges and universities allow them.

The Texas bill allows private schools to ban weapons from campus. But the Senate rejected several attempts to make the ban optional for public schools and to create gun-free dorm rooms.

A ban on taking weapons to college sports events would not change.

Here is an interview with some legislators with the Austin American-Statesman: