Budget and Guns for College?

                The article “Texas Senate to Tackle Budget, Concealed Carry,” by Melissa Ayala, which I found on the thedailytexan.com, is about a budget bill, for the 2012-2013 biennial, and how the legislatures are “looking for methods of easing the $15 billion to $27 billion budget deficit for the 2012-13 biennium.” The article also covers a bill filed by Sen. Jeff Wentworth “that would allow concealed-handgun license holders to carry on campus.” These two bills will affect the lives of many Texans, particularly Texan students.

                The article state last month, the House passed the budget bill, “which included major cuts to education and health care,” and that “last week, the Senate Committee on Finance passed its version, which restores some of that funding.” I hope that the Senate is coming to their senses and realizing that education for Texans is very important. The Senate bill version will decrease the funding cut by about $12 million less than the House version of the bill. The bill is likely to pass, but the only debate is that it will reach into the Rainy Day Fund to fill the $12 million funding that is not going to be cut. I understand that they would like the money to stay in the Rainy Day Fund, for something that is really important, but what is that saying about Texas higher education?

                Now, switching over the Concealed Carry on campus issue the article covers. “Wentworth surprised senators when he proposed an amendment to allow concealed carry on campus during debate for the higher education bill.” The higher education bill would lower tuition fees, but apparently Sen. Judith Zaffirini, who introduced the bill, does not agree with Wentworth’s Concealed Carry amendment bill, and will kill her bill “if he is able to successfully pass his amendment.”  I would like to see the Concealed Carry on campus bill pass; there are only about 2% of Texans who have Concealed Carry licenses and I do not believe that it would make higher education institutions more dangerous. I would also like to see the Higher Education bill pass, because lower tuition fees would really help out the millions of college student in Texas.  I hope that they will consider what is best for the students, and not their personal views.