Campus Carry On Campus

Houston Community College’s governing board approved the campus carry policy fleshing out the details of where weapons are allowed on campus.

Passed in 2015, Texas Senate Bill 11 allows handgun license holders to carry a concealed or hidden gun in particular areas on college campuses. The campus carry law went into effect for Texas public four-year institutions on Aug. 1, 2016, and it will go in on the campuses of public two-year institutions like HCC on Aug. 1 of this year.

HCC’s policy passed at the Feb. 23 board meeting with the votes of seven trustees, Adriana Tamez abstained and Zeph Capo was not present for the vote.

Now that the college’s governing board has approved it, the policy must be approved by the state’s Special Legislative

1, no firearms are allowed at HCC. If you see anyone carrying a firearm on campus, call the HCC Police Department emergency number at 713-718-8888.

When campus carry goes into effect at HCC, the illegal use, possession or display of any handgun, firearm, illegal knife, club, or other weapons will still be prohibited and illegal. The policy requires that the HCC Police Department maintain a list of handgun-related incidents and will provide quarterly reports.

The controversy around HCC’s campus carry policy centered around dual-credit students and the trustees themselves.

By law, high school or collegiate sporting events are weapon-free zones, and so are any area where a K12 school-sponsored activity occurs.

HCC has many high school students on campus through Early College High School like Challenger at the West Loop campus. Currently, these college-high schools are segregated from the general campus area and will be designated as a weapons-free zone.

However, many high school students are taking college classes at HCC by enrolling in regular courses on campus with other college students. The best campus carry does for these students is mandate that all dual credit student and their parents receive a copy of the school’s new weapon

Also, designated conference areas used for discussion of grievances or disciplinary hearings or meetings can also be designated as weapon-free.

Addressing the trustees, United Student Council President Josue Rodriguez noted that "it is imperative to keep students' interests as we finalize the HCC campus carry policy."

In April 2016, HCC’s Faculty Senate passed a resolution stating instructors collective opposition to having firearms on campus. The resolution also asked the chancellor to develop compensated training for both legal conceal carry gun licensees and faculty and staff regarding both de-escalation of potentially stressful situations and appropriate expectations of behaviors in classroom situations.

Trustee John Hansen said that while he is unhappy with Texas campus carry bill, the college has no choice but to follow the law. "There really is no serious choice on our part, except to adopt the policy as originally proposed in compliance with state