Simpson tells House guns can be openly carried on campuses now

Rep. Erik Simpson, R-Idaho Falls, just told the House that in his view, open carrying of guns on college and university campuses already is legal, and colleges can’t regulate it. That’s legal under the state Constitution, he said, so his bill wouldn’t change it.

Rep. Grant Burgoyne, D-Boise, said, “I am frankly quite confused at this point.” In committee testimony on the bill, Idaho college and law enforcement officials described an incident in which what appeared to be a shotgun was carried across campus and police responded, as guns are banned on campus.