Texas bill would allow guns at colleges

AUSTIN, Texas, March 29 (UPI) -- Officials at three Texas universities say they have serious concerns about a bill to let students carry guns on campus.

"As one faculty person told me, 'Do you think I want to pass out those Fs and Ds with somebody in the classroom having a gun?' " state Rep. Lon Burnam, D-Fort Worth, was quoted as saying in Sunday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

The bill, backed by the National Rifle Association, would be limited to students 21 and older, said the bill's sponsor, state Rep. Joe Driver, R-Garland, who argues such a law would make campuses safer.

Texas Christian University, Baylor University and Southern Methodist University oppose the bill or have serious concerns, the newspaper said.

Having guns in a "high-density" environment would create a "potentially dangerous situation," especially when combined with college-age drinking, said Don Mills, TCU's vice chancellor for student affairs.

More than 70 Texas House members have signed on as co-sponsors to the bill, Driver said, noting 76 are needed to pass the legislation.