Saturday January 26, 2013, 4:50 pm
Five Days Before Latest College Shooting, TX Legislator Introduced ALEC/NRA Bill to Allow Guns on Campus
by Brendan Fischer — January 23, 2013 - 7:58am
Topics: Lobbying, Politics
Projects: ALEC Exposed
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Just days before three people were shot in an altercation on a college campus in Texas, fourteen Texas State Senators co-sponsored a National Rifle Association-backed bill to prohibit colleges from restricting concealed handguns on campuses. The legislation closely resembles a "model" adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

On January 22, an altercation at the Lone Star College campus in Houston led to gunfire. According to initial reports, one man involved in the fight was shot, and two bystanders were caught in the crossfire. Both suspects have been apprehended; one of the men had a student identification card.

On January 17, five days before the shooting, Texas State Senator Brian Birdwell (R) introduced SB 182, the "Campus Personal Protection Act," to require all colleges and technical schools to allow concealed handguns on campus for permit holders. The NRA promptly issued a release applauding Birdwell and the bill's thirteen co-sponsors, and urging Texans to contact their legislators in support of the bill.

ALEC-NRA Campus Personal ProtectionSB 182 closely resembles the ALEC "model" Campus Personal Protection Act. See CMD's side-by-side comparison of the bills here.

In 2008, the ALEC Criminal Justice Task Force unanimously approved the Campus Personal Protection Act as a model for introduction in other states. The NRA pushed the legislation after the Virginia Tech massacre.

"This Act will officially become ALEC 'Model Legislation' in 30 days if there is no objection from ALEC's Board of Directors," the NRA noted in its press release. Koch Industries was on the ALEC Board of Directors in 2008 (and remains on the board today); despite this, the company has publicly declared it "has had no role in any ALEC-sponsored legislation concerning gun laws."

ALEC claims only the public sector board members give the final approval to model bills, but board documents indicate the public and private sector are treated as members of a single board; all board members see the bills ALEC adopts and promotes. CMD has documented how the NRA's agenda has thrived while Koch has sat on the ALEC board, with ALEC approving "Stand Your Ground" legislation and bills to thwart gun buyback programs, among other "model" bills.

The ALEC board officially adopted the Campus Personal Protection Act as a template for state law 30 days later.
More Guns Make Students Safer?

Versions of the legislation were introduced in Texas in 2009 and 2011 but failed to pass.

When Sen. Birdwell again introduced the Campus Personal Protection Act last Thursday, he said the bill "isn't just about the firearm. It's about trusting citizens with their God-given, constitutional rights."

"We've seen the tragedies that occur when law-abiding citizens are forced to disarm while violent offenders break the law," said Sen. Donna Campbell, another sponsor of the bill.

But the Lone Star College shooting provides another example of the tragedies that can occur in places like schools when individuals are armed and tensions rise. The tragedy in Houston appeared to have resulted from a fight between two people. Because the individuals involved in the altercation were armed, two other innocent bystanders have been shot.

This article has been updated.

If you want to hear a digital-voiced "Lego-like" figure express the NRA's perspective on Texas' proposed Campus Personal Protection Act, this very odd "public service announcement" can tell you more.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:22 pm
More Guns make students safer Where did they get this moronic saying from More guns kill more people !

noted

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:24 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Carol because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:29 pm
Isn't that special? The NRA patted their patsies on the back! ALEC is smiling. You know, the kind of person you are is not just determined by the things you do, perhaps with this legislation (and who knows what else, in the case of these clowns) but by the friends you make. Nuff said!

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:34 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Mitchell because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:54 pm
One of the evil's root : ALEC, this phony legislation dictating organisation must be fought! Same goes for most TX officials and get Perry out as well.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 5:56 pm
ALEC has so much to answer for indeed. You cannot currently send a star to Angelika because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 7:18 pm

Get Perry out, how long have we been saying this? Though it goes much deeper than just Perry, it goes right down the heart of crazy evangelic thinking. There will be more incidents on colleges. No one needs a crystal ball to foresee that colleges, youth, some drinking and guns do not mix. Look beyond Perry to our insane legislature in Austin, though Perry is remarkably stupid, even for a republican.

The cure for climate change? Massive Prayer. Humans put themselves in this, prayer will not get us out.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 7:28 pm
Thanks for sharing the view from 'deep in the heart of Texas' Kit! You cannot currently send a star to Kit because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 8:57 pm
When will these people learn? When someone walks into one of the Texas legislature's chambers an opens fire? Alec and the NRA are lobbyist organizations and should loose their tax exempt status. Read and noted.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 8:58 pm
Those are truly questions deserving of answers John. You cannot currently send a star to John because you have done so within the last week.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 9:25 pm
Noted.

Saturday January 26, 2013, 11:49 pm
Thanks, J.L.

I searched ALEC, Koch Industries on the web (since Koch bros. seemed to have a big hand in starting ALEC), and I'm still thinking about this. Sure -- business does have a legitimate interest in government legislation, but ALEC seems like a thinly-veiled lobbying group; and Koch Industries were one of the employers who sent memos to their employees at Georgia Pacific threatening unemployment if Obama were re-elected, which seems like intimidation.

I'm glad that ALEC are having the spotlight shone on them now, though!

Sunday January 27, 2013, 7:38 am

Business may have an interest in legislation but should they also have the ability to write and purchase that legislation? I think not.

Like cockroaches scurrying about in the dark, once the light is on they simply hide under the counters, the same is true of these lobby groups. They will only go away with a demand for complete legislation to stop their interference in the government of the people.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 7:49 am
Excellent expose' of the grounds for concern on this issue Kit! You cannot currently send a star to Kit because you have done so within the last week.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 3:02 pm
Thanks for posting, J.L. Yes, ALEC & Koch Bros. say, "JUMP" and GOP legislatures say, "How High?" Even though this article just proves that guns on campus is the recipe for chaos, violence and death...do you think they're going to admit they're wrong? It will take massive amounts of sane people to wake up the sleeping majority to this treacherous group. Their job is to permeate our society with their absolute lies so they can keep on making profits off us, while we kill each other off....unless they poison us first by deregulating industries.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 3:15 pm
Yes, I thought it was a wonderful idea when I first heard it--GUNS on campus, in the hands of college students! What could possibly go wrong? Because all the college students that have ever lived in my neighborhood have ALL been just such fine, upstanding citizens, and let's not forget considerate and respectful of others' rights and property, and would never even CONSIDER, say, driving around the city and shooting out other people's car windows.

It's not bad enough that we have to pick up the trash (much of which are booze bottles) tossed out of their cars as they drove by, with their stereos cranked up so loud you can hear it two blocks away (three if you're outside), rake our yards smooth again where mommy and daddy's precious little darlings DROVE ACROSS MY PROPERTY, clean all the eggs off our cars, and of course, better set that pretty solar light in cement before you put it outside, otherwise it won't be there tomorrow--yes, let's give them GUNS.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 3:44 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Lois because you have done so within the last week.
You cannot currently send a star to Dianna because you have done so within the last week.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 4:38 pm
Seems that there is no shortage of stupid in Texas as well as a few other states.

Sunday January 27, 2013, 5:33 pm
Pack heat, go to a frat drinking party...no problem there.
Better to start training college medical centers on how to treat gunshot wounds.
required course 101= Gun Safety?

Sunday January 27, 2013, 6:12 pm
You cannot currently send a star to Gloria because you have done so within the last week.