To: The Tennessee State House, The Tennessee State Senate, and Governor Bill Lee
Gov. Haslam and the Tennessee Legislature - Oppose Guns on Campus
I oppose HB1736 / SB2376, which would force Tennessee's public colleges and universities to allow their full time employees who possess handgun carry permits to carry loaded, concealed guns in many places on campus, including classrooms, libraries and dormitories.
Tennessee's colleges and universities should remain safe havens for learning and growth, where students, faculty, staff and visitors need not worry about the threat of gun violence on their campuses.
Please listen to Tennessee's higher education leaders and campus law enforcement officials who have voiced strong opposition to this wrongheaded policy.
Allowing full time employees to carry loaded, concealed handguns on campus will only create a volatile and unsafe environment for all Tennesseans.
For these reasons, I ask that you oppose HB1736/SB2376.
Why is this important?
The overwhelming majority of the 4,400 colleges and universities in the United States prohibit the carrying of firearms on their campuses. These gun-free policies have helped to make our post-secondary education institutions some of the safest places in the country. Tennessee is a state that specifically prohibits people from carrying concealed guns on public college campuses.
This legislation will force Tennessee’s public colleges and universities to allow the carrying of loaded, concealed handguns on public college and university campuses.
We believe that Tennessee’s college and university administrators and campus security experts are best equipped to evaluate and make policy decisions that affect their campus communities, not opportunistically motivated lawmakers.
Please sign this petition that says No to guns on campus in Tennessee and be sure to share it with a friend, too.
We will make sure to deliver all petition signatures to Governor Haslam and the Legislature.
Thank you.