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Conceal and Carry Changes
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JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri House voted to lift a ban on carrying concealed weapons at state colleges and universities in the state.

Yesterday the House voted 106 to 41 to lift the ban. The nation is currently split on the issue. Twenty-five states prohibit concealed carry on campus. The MU Police Department does not support firearms on campus.

"It's not appropriate," said MUPD Police Chief Jack Watring. "Our personal approach is if you look at the training issue, conceal and carry folks are required a one eight-hour training session. That's not to say they can't shoot well but again it's an eight-hour session. Our officers are required twenty four hours each year."

Watring says the change could cause confusions among officers.

"If two people are shooting, how are we supposed to know who the good guy is and who the bad guy is?" said Watring. 

Rep. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, says laws won't stop criminals. 

"Criminals don't obey laws," Munzlinger said. "And that's what we've had in a lot of cases, criminals. What do they want to do? They want to go to a gun free zone, which is what our educational institutions are is gun free zones right now." 

Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, worries the firearms could get out of hand. 

"College boys love things that go boom," Kelly said. "What we don't need is beer and college boys and firearms."

The conceal and carry on campus is an addition to an amendment that would change the age for a conceal and carry permit from 23 to 21. The bill needs to pass one more time in the House with the recent revisions before it  can move to the Senate. 

Written by: Adrienne Pedersen
Posted by: Stephanie Stouffer

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