Keep Guns Off Campus
What does it solve?
Guns have no place on college campuses. Campuses have unique risk factors, such as high rates of mental illness and an increased use of alcohol and drugs, that make the presence of guns potentially deadly.
The vast majority of states and colleges prohibit guns from being carried on campus either by law or choice. However, in recent years the gun lobby has pushed legislation to force guns onto college campuses against the wishes of most students, staff, and campus law enforcement. There is no evidence that allowing guns on campuses reduces crime or makes campuses safer. In fact, campuses are already incredibly safe and adding guns to the mix only makes them less so.
No Gun Mandate on College Campuses
Which states don’t force colleges and universities to allow concealed guns on campus?
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Alabama has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Alaska has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Arizona has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders with enhanced certification must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
California has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Colorado has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Connecticut has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Delaware has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Florida has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Georgia has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Hawaii has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Idaho has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Enhanced carry permit holders must be allowed to carry in certain buildings and on campuses of public colleges.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Illinois has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Indiana has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Iowa has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Kansas has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Anyone 21+ must be allowed to carry on public campuses, so long as there are not adequate security measures. No permit is required. Limited restrictions on who may carry.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Kentucky has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Louisiana has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Maine has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Maryland has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Michigan has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Enhanced carry permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses. Students and employees are not included in the mandate.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Missouri has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Montana has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses. No permit is required; limited restrictions on who may carry.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Nebraska has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Nevada has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
New Hampshire has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
New Jersey has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
New Mexico has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
New York has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
North Carolina has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
North Dakota has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Ohio has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Oklahoma has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Oregon has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Pennsylvania has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Rhode Island has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
South Carolina has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
South Dakota has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Full-time employees with permits must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Texas has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Utah has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
- —
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Vermont has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Virginia has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Washington has adopted this policy
No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses.
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
- If not, where and to whom does the mandate apply?
- Permit holders must be allowed to carry on public campuses
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No Guns Mandate on College Campuses
Wyoming has adopted this policy
Myth & Fact
Myth
Fact
How it works
Keep guns off of college campuses.
Colleges are places of learning and students should be free to express their opinions and learn without the fear of another student carrying a gun to a lecture or at a tailgate. Colleges also have unique risk factors—increased rates of mental illness, and prevalent drug and alcohol abuse—which make the presence of guns potentially deadly.
In the states that have already passed legislation to force colleges to allow guns on campus there have been unintentional shootings. For example, in Idaho, a professor with an ”enhanced” carry permit unintentionally shot himself in the leg during a chemistry lab following the passage of a 2014 law that forced Idaho colleges to allow enhanced permit-holders to carry guns on campus. And in 2012, a 24-year-old permitted student in Utah unintentionally shot himself while walking on campus. In 2019, a University of Georgia student shot himself in the leg in a student lounge on campus. There have also been guns left unattended, widespread opposition from professors, administrators, and students, fear amongst LGBTQ and Black students, and lawsuits. Guns on campus laws also cost universities significant amounts for security upgrades.
By the numbers
1/10
Nearly 1 out of 10 undergraduates reported “seriously considering attempting suicide.”
$2M
Three Kansas universities estimated that it would cost nearly $2 million to secure their athletic facilities in order to comply with the Kansas law that forces colleges to allow guns on campus if they don’t implement adequate security.
50%