West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice Signs Campus Gun Bill

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice on Wednesday signed a bill allowing people with concealed carry permits to carry firearms on public colleges and university campuses.

“A proud day for me,” Republican Gov. Jim Justice said as he signed the bill, surrounded by more than two dozen state legislators, members of the National Rifle Association and the West Virginia Citizens Defense League.

The law will come into force in July 2024. Similar laws have been passed in 11 other states.

Justice said guns were present on state campuses even without the new law.

“For screaming out loud, the doors are wide open,” he said. “It just goes to show that law-abiding people have the right to carry around if they want to. We just hope and pray that there will never be a problem. We can in no way guarantee that there will be no problems.” problem.”

He wants the law to “send a message to the world, I swear to God if you want to mess with us, we can object.”

The signing comes two weeks after a gunman shot and killed three students and wounded five others at Michigan State University.

At a public hearing last month at the West Virginia Capitol, nearly all of the 40 speakers spoke out against the bill.

The presidents of West Virginia’s largest institutions of higher learning have urged lawmakers to reconsider as the bill moves through the Legislature. They said that decisions about whether or not to allow guns on campus should be left to educational institutions and raised concerns about students struggling with mental health issues.

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee said Wednesday that the university will form a campus security team before the law’s effective date.

“Today, we must come together to clearly focus on what matters most to all of us — keeping our students, faculty, staff, visitors, and community members safe on our campuses,” Gee said in a statement. “That has always been and will remain our top priority.”

The bill bans the open carry of firearms on a college or university campus and allows institutions of higher learning to enforce exemptions. It also bans people from carrying guns into venues that can hold more than 1,000 spectators – such as stadiums for football matches – or to kindergartens on campus.

The bill allows for exceptions in premises where disciplinary proceedings are being conducted against a student or staff member. Weapons may be restricted in designated areas where patient care or psychological counseling is provided.

Schools will be allowed to regulate firearms in dorms, but not in common areas, including living rooms, dining areas, and classrooms. Colleges and universities will be required to provide safe storage for a handgun or revolver in at least one residence hall on campus, or make safes available in residence halls, which may incur fees.

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