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Since the 2007
shooting deaths of 32 people by a student at Virginia Tech, a
university in southwestern Virginia, state legislatures have
grappled with the question of allowing licensed gun owners to
bring their weapons on college campuses.
Deal said in a statement that he believed that people licensed
to carry guns could help increase safety on college campuses. He
said students at campuses where guns are known to be disallowed
are easy prey for assailants.
"At the present time, assailants can, and do, target these
students knowing full well that their victims are not permitted
to carry protection," said Deal.
On March 31, the Republican-controlled Georgia Senate and House
of Representatives approved the guns-on-campus measure and sent
it to Deal, a Republican.
Laura Cutilletta, legal director for the Law Center to Prevent
Gun Violence, said her group was disappointed in Deal's action.
"Colleges and universities are safe havens from gun violence,
largely because guns are prohibited on the vast majority of
campuses. Allowing guns on campus will jeopardize students,
faculty and staff and likely lead to more campus homicides and
suicides," Cutilletta said in an email.
The new Georgia law will prohibit firearms in some campus areas
with large crowds, including football stadiums and basketball
arenas.
Guns will remain prohibited in campus housing, including
fraternity and sorority houses; any rooms where high school
students are taking classes; rooms where disciplinary hearings
are held; preschool or child care areas; and faculty, staff and
administrative offices.
The American Journal of Public Health found that 23 percent of
Americans in a recent survey supported guns on college campuses.
(http://in.reuters.com/article/us-health-guns-public-opinion-idINKBN17N28Y)
(Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Richard Chang)
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