By JONATHAN BAGLEY
After President of the Utah Senate Lane Beattie quashed legislation concerning guns, BYU issued a statement stating they would support any bill that banned concealed weapons on university campuses.
“We concluded (the statement) would not have made a difference or we would have used it,” Steve Gunn, spokesman for Utahns Against Gun Violence said.
Utahns Against Gun Violence was lobbying for a bill sponsored by Senator Robert Steiner. The bill would have banned carrying concealed weapons at churches, public schools and universities.
Steiner said he suspects house and senate leadership was influenced by former House Speaker Rob Bishop. Bishop lobbies for the Utah Shooting Sports Council.
Bishop said he will lobby for the Shooting Sports Council when anti-gun legislation is proposed again. He said their philosophy is to preserve the integrity of the Second Amendment, guaranteeing Americans the right to bare arms.
Gunn said the BYU statement will help Utahn’s Against Gun Violence defeat Bishop’s opposition.
Steiner also cited Beattie’s concern to pass legislation to ensure I-15 construction would begin in April. He says he believes Beattie didn’t want to distract the legislature with controversial gun bills and had the motions tabled until the next session.
Steiner said BYU’s statement would have helped had it been issued two weeks earlier. Steiner said BYU’s statement will impact the vote when concealed weapons legislation is proposed next year.
H. Hal Visick, BYU associate general counsel issued the statement. He said BYU was responding to agitation from organizations represented by public schools and store owners.
“BYU is mindful of the importance Utah citizens place on the rights conferred on them by the Second Amendment, but feel that even these rights must yield to the right of property owners to provide for the safety and protection of those who enter their property or reside there,” the statement says. “BYU urges that the legislature adopt legislation to safeguard students, faculty, employees and visitors of all ages to our campus.”
Gunn, a part-time BYU law professor, said such statements cannot be made without approval of the LDS Church. He said LDS Church backing will carry weight with Beattie and the Senate. He said their regard for BYU and the LDS Church will sway legislative opinion into banning concealed weapons on college campuses, churches and private property.
Current Utah law states concealed weapons can be carried anywhere, including other’s private property.
Gunn said he is to meet with Beattie this week to discuss the issue. He said he will use the BYU statement as leverage, but he does not feel that will surprise Beattie.
“The statement was very helpful and we are very grateful to Hal Visick for obtaining a statement from administration,” Gunn said.
Last summer the LDS Church declared that guns should not be allowed in churches. That sentiment was echoed by Senator Orrin Hatch on Saturday as he spoke to an audience at the BYU law school.
Bill Nasch, Chairman of the Board for Utahn’s Against Gun Violence listed several organizations that support BYU’s statement and have issued statements of their own.
Gunn said Utahn’s Against Gun Violence welcomes BYU students’ assistance. Gunn or Nasch can be contacted at 328-4930.
