Dive Brief:
- The governor of Idaho has signed into law a controversial measure to allow concealed guns to be carried on public college campuses in the state.
- Effective July 1, retired law enforcement officers and people with permits to carry concealed weapons will be allowed to carry guns on campuses, except for dormitories and some other restricted venues.
- All eight of Idaho’s public college and university presidents and the state Board of Education voiced strong objections to the bill. Guns have previously been banned on their campuses.
Dive Insight:
This can’t be good for Idaho public college recruiting efforts in the blue states. Gov. C.L. (Butch) Otter said he supported the law, backed by the National Rifle Association, on Second Amendment grounds. Besides the objections of the colleges, Otter was lobbied to veto the measure by student leaders and the mothers of shooting victims on college campuses across the country.