Post your pictures and videos, add events to the calendar and update your blog. Post your pictures, add events to the calendar and more.
More
|
|
|
Bill to permit guns in schools passes panel
Another bill would exempt Wyoming from any federal crackdown on assault weapons
AP
State Rep. Kendell Kroeker looks back across the House floor Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 during the joint session of the Wyoming Legislature at the Capitol in Cheyenne, Wyo. Kroeker has introduced a bill that would make it a state felony to enforce a federal ban on assault weapons or high-capacity gun magazines. (AP Photo/Casper Star-Tribune, Alan Rogers)
Posted 1/29/13
CHEYENNE — A bill that would allow Wyoming citizens who hold concealed weapons permits to carry guns on public school and college campuses has cleared its first committee hearing.
The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday advanced the bill, sponsored by Rep. Allen Jaggi, R-Lyman. He says the bill is intended to increase school safety.
Jaggi and other witnesses testified that the only solution for mounting school violence is to have trained, armed people in schools ready to defend themselves and helpless students.
The committee also voted to advance another bill that would strengthen the state law that prohibits local governments and public officials from imposing their own gun control measures.
The committee later Tuesday is set to consider a bill that seeks to pre-empt any federal crackdown on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
It will consider a bill that would specify that any federal limitation on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines would be unenforceable in the state. The bill would make it a state felony for federal agents to try to enforce restrictions.
President Barack Obama has called on Congress to reinstitute the federal assault weapons ban that expired in 2004. Obama’s call for action on assault weapons was prompted by the mass killing of students and teachers at a Connecticut elementary school last month.
1 comment on this story
|
Add your comment
I have been an educator for over 30 years. I am a gun owner and enjoy shooting and do a little hunting, as well. I also have my concealed weapons permit. The tragedies that have taken place have involved some very sick individuals harming perfectly innocent men, women, and children. Most recently, they chose to invade a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado and Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conneticut. I wish that I had the solution to these tragic situations, but I do not. I would like to share some information and thoughts and do not intend to offend anyone, simply point out some facts.
On the day that Sandy Hook Elementary was involved in such a horrible situation, we need to remember that over 65,000 other elementary schools had a perfectly normal day. On the day that the Aurora theater was involved in their horrific situation, over 6800 other theaters had a normal evening of movies. When it is suggested that an armed guard be placed into every elementary school... using the same logic, would we not also place an armed guard in every theater? My point is that we need to be aware that these incidents, even though horrific, were an incredibly rare occurrence.
I am all for making our schools as safe as we possibly can, but the media frenzy has turned this situation into a nightmare where we are all jumping at a variety of suggestions to make schools safe, even though they are already doing a pretty good job of providing a safe place for children and adults. Our nation loses over 10,000 people, every year, to death caused by drunk drivers, and we don’t see nearly the media attention or political uproar over this. Tuesday, January 29|Report this