New round looms in gun fight

Leave the issue of whether guns should be allowed on college campuses up to the people who run higher education in Utah.

That's the response from education leaders to a bill being sponsored by Sen. Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville. His bill, SB48, says that only the Legislature has the right to enact gun laws in Utah — the only exceptions would be those authorized by state statute.

In a statement to be released today, the State Board of Regents and the Utah System of Higher Education request that the Legislature delegate authority to Utah's 10 public colleges and universities to set policy on firearms.

Waddoups opposes that idea.

"They have proven not to understand the legislative intent behind concealed weapons nor the value that the Legislature has found to rest with permit holders," Waddoups said.

The timing of the statement coincides with a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting to discuss the bill at 2 p.m. today.

The statement reads that each school's policy would reflect regents' long-standing rule that each institution should have its own policy to meet its own circumstances and that campuses should remain as "safe havens or sanctuaries." Waddoups said he agrees with the last part of that statement but not with how higher education wants to achieve it.

Higher education, the statement adds, should be afforded the same policies allowed for religious organizations.

One target of Waddoups' bill is the University of Utah's 30-year-old firearms policy that bans Utah's 50,000-plus concealed weapons permit holders from bringing guns on campus.

"I'm hopeful there's going to be many more voices on this now, and it's not just a state versus U. of U. issue," said interim U. President Dr. A. Lorris Betz. "It's a state versus a lot of businesses and places that involve the citizens of this state."

Last year 3rd District Judge Robert Hilder ruled that the U.'s policy does not run afoul of state law. The Attorney General's Office has appealed the ruling to the Utah Supreme Court.

Betz said his opposition to SB48 reflects the wishes of faculty, students and staff to have a safe campus, which means no guns. He said the U. is now in a position to build a broad coalition of support from other institutions.