Campus Carry

The 84th Session of the Texas Legislature passed two bills which relate to guns on the premises of college campuses:

Effective January 1, 2016, House Bill 910 (commonly referred to as the “Open Carry” bill) allows a Texas Concealed Handgun License holder to openly carry a holstered handgun, except on the campus of a higher education institution. The law remains unchanged that a firearm may be stored or transported in a locked privately owned or leased motor vehicle by a person who holds a license to carry.

Effective August 1, 2016, for four year Universities and Colleges, and August 1, 2017 for Junior Colleges Senate Bill 11 (commonly referred to as the “Campus Carry” bill) allows a license holder to carry a concealed handgun while on the campus of an institution of higher education. This bill provides that, after consulting with students, staff, and faculty regarding the nature of the population and safety considerations, the Chief Executive Officer of the institution of higher education shall establish reasonable rules, regulations, and provisions regarding carrying on the campus. The established rules and regulations may not generally prohibit license holders from carrying concealed handguns on campus. Information regarding the portions of the campus where license holders may not carry, referred to as Gun Free Zones, can be found within the Concealed Campus Carry Regulations.

It continues to be an offense if the license holder carries a partially or wholly visible handgun and intentionally/knowingly displays the handgun in plain view to another person on the premises of the campus to include driveways, streets, sidewalks, parking lot, parking garage, or parking area of the institution of higher learning.

Anyone with questions or concerns regarding the Campus Carry Policy can contact the President's Office at 806-874-4808