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Idaho Students Make Last-Ditch Effort To Kill Guns-On-Campus Bill

Laura Gilmore
/
Flickr
File photo of the campus of Boise State University

Idaho university students are making a last-minute attempt to stop a measure that would allow people to carry concealed weapons on campus.

A delegation of students met for an hour Monday with the governor's staff in Boise. But the governor still appears to be leaning toward signing the bill.

The measure sailed through both the Idaho House and Senate amid objections from university presidents, trustees, faculty, and many students. The bill would allow people with a certain permit to carry guns most places on campus, including in classrooms.

Idaho lawmakers argued the change in law would both make campuses safer and strengthen 2nd amendment rights. Now, it all comes down to the governor.

Bryan Vlok, Boise State University's student body president, expected to meet with the governor -- instead it was the governor’s legal counsel.

“All the right people that need to be opposed to this bill are opposed to this bill and we feel like we're not being listened to,” says Vlok.

Vlok says the governor's staff did listen.

Gov. Otter, a Republican, has not said what he plans to do, but he has said that he doesn't believe 2nd amendment rights end where campus borders begin.

Once Otter’s office receives the bill, the governor will have five days to veto it, sign it, or do nothing and allow it to become law.