Campus carry added to another gun bill, clears Assembly panel

CARSON CITY — A “campus carry” bill that failed to get a hearing in the Senate was resurrected Friday in the Assembly Judiciary Committee in a bit of legislative sleight of hand that keeps the proposal alive, at least for the time being.

Assembly Judiciary Chairman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, had many of the provisions of Assemblywoman Michele Fiore’s Assembly Bill 148 incorporated into a separate Senate Second Amendment bill that was in front of the committee.

Not included was language in AB148 that would have allowed concealed weapons to be carried in unsecured areas of airports.

The amendment was made to Senate Bill 175, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, which would expand and clarify Nevada’s justifiable homicide law and prohibit people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from possessing firearms.

It further would prohibit anyone under an extended protection order from acquiring weapons during the time the order is in effect and abolish Clark County’s “blue card” ordinance requiring registration of firearms, a local law that has been on the books for more than six decades.

Those provisions remain in the bill.

Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, D-Las Vegas, argued against the amendment, saying lawmakers should listen to the many students and higher education officials who do not want guns carried on campuses.

But the amended bill was approved by a majority of the committee and now goes to the Assembly floor, where passage is likely.

Hansen said earlier this week he would incorporate campus carry into AB148 because Senate Judiciary Chairman Greg Brower, R-Reno, would not hear the measure pushed by Fiore, R-Las Vegas, on behalf of Amanda Collins, a concealed weapons permit holder who was unarmed when she was raped by James Biela in a University of Nevada, Reno parking garage in 2007.

The bill would allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry their weapons on college campuses.

There has been widespread, but by no means unanimous, opposition to the bill from students, faculty and administrators of the Nevada System of Higher Education.

It passed the Assembly on a 24-15 vote April 6.

Brower said there was not enough support in the Senate to pass the bill so he decided not to hear it.

Currently, concealed weapons are prohibited on campuses unless an individual obtains permission from the college president. Permission is rarely granted. Nevadans must be at least age 21 to have a concealed weapons permit.

By amending AB148 into the Senate bill, the Senate would have to concur in the new version of SB175 for it to take effect. If the Senate does not agree, the measure could end up in a conference committee. If agreement could not be reached between the Assembly and Senate in conference, the measure with all its provisions would die.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.