New Campus Carry Law takes effect today

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STEPHENVILLE (August 1, 2016) — Effective today, Aug. 1, Senate Bill 11 authorizes licensed handgun owners to carry their concealed handguns into buildings on the campus of Tarleton State University.

Concealed carry has been permitted on Tarleton grounds since 1995.

As part of the new Texas state law, the university was allowed to craft reasonable rules, regulations or other provisions related to the carrying of concealed handguns by license holders on campus after receiving input from students, staff and faculty, including the creation of gun-free zones.

Designated gun-free locations on the Tarleton campus are:
• Child Development Center (CDC) and playground;
• Student Counseling Center and Student Health Center;
• All premises where an NCAA sporting event, UIL high school sporting or interscholastic competition is taking place;
• Specific sites of formal hearings under university rules for employee disciplinary hearings, student conduct proceedings and academic grievances;
• Any space leased from a third party that prohibits concealed carry, which includes the Hickman Building in Fort Worth, McLennan Community College in Waco, Navarro College in Midlothian and Weatherford College; and
• Any campus premises leased by the university to a third party if the third party elects to ban concealed carry of handguns.

In accordance with SB 11, signs will be posted at entry points of Tarleton State University buildings that have been designated as gun-free zones.

Academic core facilities at Tarleton, including classrooms, offices and the university library, will all be accessible to licensed individuals carrying concealed handguns in accordance with the law.

To obtain a License to Carry (LTC) in the state of Texas, an individual must be at least 21 years of age, except for active duty military and veterans, and must complete state training requirements.

Open carry of handguns is not permitted at Tarleton.

Responsibilities of LTC holders on the Tarleton campus include:
• Concealment: The licensed carrier of a handgun must ensure that a casual observer be unable to notice or detect that a handgun is being carried. Open carry is not permitted on any public university campus in Texas.
• Security: The handgun must be on the licensee’s person, immediately accessible from a purse or other accessory, or stored appropriately.
• Safety: The handgun must be carried in a holster that completely covers the trigger and trigger guard area and provides sufficient adhesion on the gun.
• Storage: The university will make no provisions for storage of handguns. Individuals may store their guns in their locked vehicles. Any resident who is licensed to carry a concealed handgun and chooses to bring the handgun into their residence hall room/apartment must store their handgun and ammunition in a combination or electronic locking steel safe when the handgun is not on or about their person. Additional details about storage of handguns in Tarleton housing facilities are available atwww.tarleton.edu/finadminweb/safety/handgun-policy.html.

Tarleton is committed to providing a safe environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors as well as adhering to laws established by the state of Texas. Tarleton considers any violation of state law regulating firearms to be a violation of university rules. Accordingly, such a violation is subject to disciplinary action through the university’s student judicial process, which may include removal from campus housing.

Additionally, the handgun license holder must comply with Texas statutory law and Tarleton Rule 34.06.02.T1, Carrying Concealed Handguns on Campus at all times.

For more information about the new Campus Carry Law, including Frequently Asked Questions, visitwww.tarleton.edu/campuscarry.

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