Testimony: Confidence in college heads, ‘Crazy roommate,’ ‘A movement’

Mark Browning, spokesman for the Idaho State Board of Education, testified against HB 222, and said the board has confidence in the presidents of its state colleges and universities to regulate firearms on campus.

Mark Goddard, a University of Idaho student, told the committee that he owns a pistol, but said, “I don’t feel that a college campus is the right place to carry a weapon.” As for storing weapons in on-campus housing, he noted that a student could have a “crazy roommate,” or the weapon could be accessed during a party or in a burglary. “Every time I’ve been on the campus I’ve felt extremely safe,” he told lawmakers.

Parrish Miller told the lawmakers, “The issue to me is an issue of personal rights.” He said, “As a young person who possesses a firearm and a concealed carry permit, I can assure everyone here that that firearm is either on my person or locked inside a safe.” He said, “This is a trend, this is a movement to protect the people’s right to bear firearms. ”