Texas college students at public universities will soon be allowed to carry firearms on campus.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbot said he will soon sign the “campus carry” bill passed by the Texas legislature over the weekend.

The Texas House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 11 on Sunday with a 98-47 vote. Private universities, however, are able to opt out of the bill’s requirements.

“I am duty-bound to protect Second Amendment rights parallel to private property rights. We must protect most private property rights equally, and not protect one or the other,” state Sen. Brian Birdwell, Granbury Republican, said during negotiations between the two chambers, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.

The bill that passed will require public universities to allow concealed handgun license holders the option to bring firearms on campus. Universities still have some leeway writing rules regarding where firearms are allowed and how they are stored, The Post reported.

Mr. Birdwell said Saturday that each college could craft “very limited, reasonable prohibitions,” on firearms as officials take all public safety needs into account, the newspaper reported.

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