Gov. Nathan Deal has overcome his past opposition to allowing armed students and faculty on public university campuses. The governor now dismisses arguments that firearms and classrooms are a dangerous mix. From our AJC colleagues Laura Diaz and Aaron Gould Sheinin:
"We heard all the hype that we're now hearing about campus carry, all the predictions of tragedies. All the predictions that we were going to open our state up to a Wild West scenario," the governor said.
Those earlier fears don't appear to have come true, Deal said.
"So, therefore, to use those kind of arguments with the campus carry discussion, I think lacks validity," he said.
This is a shift from his 2014 re-election campaign, when he expressed opposition to campus-carry legislation.
The gun bill to allow concealed weaponry everywhere but dorms, fraternity and sorority houses, and athletic stadiums is HB 859. The bill has passed the House and is now in the Senate.
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