Senator Flippo speaks about campus carry bill

House Bill 1249, requiring colleges and universities to allow concealed handguns on campus, is currently in the Senate and is expected to be voted on soon after several amendments. As the proposal stands now the revised bill would require 16 hours of training on active-shooter situations and allow anyone 25 and older to carry a concealed handgun on campus after the training.
Local Senator Scott Flippo says there has been some contention among legislators, however he is in support of the amended version.

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Flippo goes on to cite the 2007 campus shootings at Virginia Tech, The 2000 murder suicide of Dr. John R. Locke at the University of Arkansas in Fayeteville and the Jonesboro shootings of 1998 ,which killed five, as some of the arguments in favor of the bill.
Flippo believes the new measure would serve as a deterrent.

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Administrators of the state’s largest university systems have opposed the bill and have said the decision should remain with the schools.
Arkansas State University System President Dr. Charles Welch says the ASU system prefers only licensed law enforcement, and all similar decisions, should be made at the local level.
Flippo says he understands opposing views.

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House Bill 1249 was approved to be referred back to the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday, by a vote of 21 to ten, with all local Senators voting in favor.

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