Gun bills may not see House vote
By Michael McNutt
Capitol Bureau
House members may not have the opportunity to vote on a bill that would allow 18-year-olds to carry a concealed handgun and another measure that would allow eligible students to carry concealed weapons on college campuses.

House Speaker Chris Benge said members of the House Republican caucus have been getting many calls about both proposals. Thursday is the deadline for bills that have passed out of House committees to be acted on in the House of Representatives.

Firearms at college
College and university officials are "very concerned” about House Bill 2513, which would allow students to carry firearms on campus if they are at least 21 and are licensed to carry a concealed weapon, said Benge, R-Tulsa.
"They would like for it not to go forward,” Benge said.

"Like any other measure out there that creates a lot of stir and a lot of input from people outside the Capitol, we're listening and trying to gauge whether we should hear those measures or not,” he said. "We're talking to members about it.”

Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, said he filed the bill after the Feb. 14 shootings that left six dead, including the gunman, at Northern Illinois University, as well as an attack in April at Virginia Tech University, where a gunman killed 32 people.

Benge said higher education officials are worried about security in classrooms if the bill would become law.

"Someone who is in the classroom said: ‘Sometimes I give bad grades. I'm not sure I want to give out bad grades to somebody who might be carrying a weapon,'” Benge said.

Guns for 18-year-olds
HB 2232 would lower the age to 18 from 21 when Oklahomans could get a concealed handgun license.
Asked if that bill would advance, Benge said, "Not at this time. There's some concern out there with the bill.”

Rep. Jerry Ellis, D-Valliant, said he filed the measure, which won committee approval this week, because 18-year-olds are allowed to serve in the military and may be activated to defend their country.

"The difference there, though, is that you have somebody who's gone through 16 weeks or whatever basic training is,” Benge said.

Benge said the bill also could make it possible for high school students to get a permit to carry a concealed handgun.

"There are a lot of 18-year-olds that are still in high school, and that's a big concern by many,” Benge said.

House Democratic leader Danny Morgan, D-Prague, said it is appropriate to be cautious.

"Those are two issues that we want to be very diligent in the study of,” Morgan said.