A bill passed by the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott in 2015 permits concealed handguns on Texas public university campuses. The law took effect Aug. 1, 2016.
Former University of Texas System Chancellor William H. McRaven directed each of the UT System institutions to establish campus-specific policies for implementing the law, and UTMB’s Campus Carry Committee — which included faculty, staff, student and community representatives — worked several months to develop recommendations based on input from the university community. This was accomplished through a Town Hall meeting, several small-group meetings on the Galveston Campus with various stakeholders, and suggestions submitted to the Campus Carry website. The committee completed its report and draft recommendations in December 2015, which were based on the nature of UTMB's student and patient population, specific safety considerations, and the uniqueness of our campus environments.
The committee report, including the list of recommended handgun exclusion zones, is available on this website. It was reviewed by the UTMB president, and a final report on behalf of UTMB was submitted to Chancellor McRaven. The plan was reviewed and approved by the UT System Board of Regents, and the law was implemented August 1, 2016.
UTMB extends its thanks to members of the Campus Carry Committee for their efforts to listen to the university community and develop a comprehensive set of recommendations to guide UTMB in safely implementing the new law. University leadership is also very appreciative of the many individuals — on both sides of this issue — who provided respectful discussion and valuable input during this process.
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