The Texas senate is poised to approve a bill that would allow the state’s college students to carry concealed handguns on campus.



The measure, known as Senate Bill 11, is expected to pass a final vote on Thursday after overwhelmingly clearing its first procedural hurdle on Wednesday. If passed and signed by the Republican Texas governor, Greg Abbott, any individual with a concealed handgun license would be able to carry guns on public college and university campuses. Private schools could still prohibit students from doing so.

The senate gave preliminary approval to the bill despite concerns raised by students, faculty and law enforcement officials. The University of Houston Student Government Association and Faculty Senate told a local ABC affiliate in a statement that they had “been consistently opposed” to the legislation. Admiral William McRaven, the retired Navy Seal who led the Osama bin Laden raid and is the new chancellor at the University of Texas, also criticized the proposal.

The initial vote of 20-11 was divided along party lines, with support solely from Republicans. Democrats in the state senate voted against the bill after unsuccessfully trying to amend it to include annual background checks for license holders and more firearm training.

Earlier in the week, the state senate passed a bill allowing licensed gun permit holders to openly carry handguns in most public places. Open carry of shotguns and rifles is already permitted in Texas, and approximately 850,000 residents have a concealed handgun license.