Friends,
Thank you for your overwhelming support of Assembly Bill 143, my legislation that would allow law-abiding adults to carry their concealed firearm on our Nevada System of Higher Education properties. We had a great hearing last Wednesday, and we can't let off the momentum. Please continue to contact the Assembly Judiciary Committee and ask them to support AB143 for a work session before Friday.
The hearing on AB143 was incredibly emotional, and Amanda Collin's testimony is always powerful. If you have never heard the story of her rape at the University of Nevada, Reno, you can watch a video here.
While I expected a lot of strong opinions about this bill, I was not prepared for some of the comments that were given, even after I had proposed amendments that would have fixed some of the concerns that were presented. Wednesday was a great opportunity to have a dialogue; instead the opposition told us that concealed guns are more distracting than a rapist who has assaulted more than one student, which is incredibly offensive to me.
When Assemblyman Hansen questioned a ASUN student senator if guns off campus are just as distracting, the student responded with, "I have no answer to that question." The leader of the UNR Residence Hall Association continued to oppose the bill, even after I proposed an amendment that would allow the Regents to restrict firearms in dormitories.
Even Chancellor Klaich in an answer to a question from Assemblyman Wheeler, informed the audience 13 sex offenders attending Truckee Meadows Community College wasn't a good enough reason to approve a request to carry a firearm on campus.
These comments show me that our fears for our loved ones safety are not being taken seriously.
This is our opportunity to give our loved ones their right protect themselves on campus. I proposed this legislation because our law enforcement officers cannot be stationed at every corner and between every car. Our campus police are opposing this bill, tooth and nail, that would allow our students to protect themselves when the officers can't.
We have to be responsible for our own safety, and that means allowing our trained, law-abiding concealed firearm permit holding adults to carry on college campuses.
So, I ask you the same question Amanda Collins asked our committee, "How does rendering me defenseless protect you against a violent crime?"
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Yours truly,
Michele Fiore
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