HB 4005, Passed by Florida House Criminal Justice Subcommittee Today, Would Force Colleges and Universities to Allow Concealed Handguns on Campus
In response to the Florida House Criminal Justice Subcommittee’s passage of H.B. 4005 – legislation that would force public colleges and universities to allow concealed handguns on campus – the Florida Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America released the following statement:
“Forcing our institutions of higher educations to allow guns on campus is the wrong answer for our college communities,” said Chryl Anderson, a volunteer with the Florida Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “We side with the vast majority of students, college presidents, faculty, and university police chiefs in opposing this type of reckless legislation. College life is already rife with academic pressures, alcohol, and drug abuse; forcing schools to introduce guns into the mix is dangerous and doesn’t make sense.”
Further Information on Guns and College Campuses
- Two independent 2014 national surveys of college presidents—one of more than 400 and one of 900 — found that 94 percent opposed concealed weapons on campus.
- Florida State’s President John Thrasher opposes HB 4005, saying “When it comes to guns on campus, the consequences far outweigh the positives.”
- A 2009 poll of university police chiefs found that only five percent believed that allowing students to carry guns on campus would prevent shootings.
- A 2013 poll of students at 15 Midwest colleges found that 78 percent opposed allowing concealed handguns on campus.
About Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of American mothers fighting for public safety measures that respect the Second Amendment and protect people from gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of our children and families. Since its inception after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Moms Demand Action has established a chapter in every state of the country and along with Mayors Against Illegal Guns is part of Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 2.5 million members and more than 40,000 donors. For more information or to get involved visit www.momsdemandaction.org. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MomsDemandAction or on Twitter at @MomsDemand