House panel approves concealed weapons on campus

Two young women from Florida State and Florida A&M Universities told a House committee Thursday allowing concealed weapons on college campuses will be a particular threat to black students.

Several students, however, said the hotly debated proposal won't change much – that students with concealed-weapons permits already have guns in many different business and social gatherings off campus. Supporters of the bill by Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, said it would improve campus safety if potential killers or robbers know an armed student or faculty member might be nearby.

After prolonged and heated testimony, the House Judiciary Committee approved the bill (HB 4005).

"Universities are known to be soft targets," said Erek Culbreath, an FSU graduate student supporting the proposal..

But FSU sophomore Kaitlyn Hamby noted that university police chiefs at all 12 state universities are opposed to the measure, and asked, "If they are the people who dedicate their lives to protecting us, why are we going against them?

"You may be arming the victims," she added, "But you'll also be arming the perpetrators."

The committee's approval marked the last committee stop for Steube's bill, clearing it for debate on the House floor. A companion bill (SB 176) by Sen. Greg Evers, R-Crestview, is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Jamecia Gray of FSU and Florida A&M student Melanie Andrade told the committee guns on campus could be dangerous for black students. The women said they deal every day with racial stereotypes, which could be aggravated by the ready presence of weapons.

"My family, we love guns, we own guns, but I do not feel safe with guns on campus," said Gray. "I have to worry about my black counterparts, my brothers. When we receive FSU alerts – 'Male, 20 years old, African-American, with a hoodie' – that's almost every single black male at our school."

Andrade cited the death of Trayvon Martin and the state's "Stand Your Ground" law, which shields gun owners from prosecution if they use force in response to a threat to their safety.

"What this bill does is expand 'Stand Your Ground' to our campuses," said Andrade. "We have a subconscious here in America to associate 'criminal' with 'black.' Even the way you walk can be 'menacing.' Under the Stand Your Ground law, you can kill somebody and get away with it for 'looking threatening.'"

Rebekah Hargrove, another FSU student, said studies have shown concealed-weapon permit holders to be far less likely to commit crimes than the average citizen. She said students over 21 with permits carry their guns safely in many settings off campus.

"It's not us you have to worry about. Criminals are going to be criminals anywhere," Hargrove said. "Laws need to be based on facts, not emotions."

Steube also won committee approval of a bill (HB 19) allowing school districts to designate an armed safety officer for schools — possibly assigning a veteran or former police officer to carry a gun on campus. Steube said the murders of students and some staff members at the Sandy Hook school in New Town, Conn., took only four minutes — while the usual time for police to respond to an alarm is five to 11 minutes.

State Rep. Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, D-Tallahassee, voted for both bills in the Judiciary Committee.