Chad's Morning Brief: Campus Carry Won't Benefit Just Students, Jason Villalba Wants to Hurt Your Freedom to Film Police

Here is your Morning Brief for March 16, 2015.

Chad Hasty, KFYO.com

Campus Carry

The Dallas Morning News over the weekend had a story on Campus Carry and the lack of eligible students that would be able to carry on campus. The story is even complete with an idiotic quote from the Mayor of Dallas who obviously has no idea about CHL rules.

It’s often a young adult’s first time away from home. And the rigors of college classes, the stress of making new friends and the prospect of alcohol and drug use often contribute to bad decision-making.
“I just don’t need guns and 19-year-olds and alcohol all getting together on our campuses,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said last week.
But it’s not that simple.
Concealed handgun licenses in Texas are limited to those 21 and older, with underage exceptions made only for veterans or active-duty military.
There were nearly 826,000 active gun license holders in Texas at the end of last year, according to the state Department of Public Safety. That represents about 3 percent of the state’s population, estimated at 27 million by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Dallas Morning News sought an age breakdown of the active license holders, because some have said the ownership rates of such licenses are lower among younger Texans, but DPS has yet to provide the data.
But applying the 3 percent rate to the over-21 student population at Texas’ public universities offers a sense — albeit imperfect — of how many students would be eligible to campus carry under the proposed legislation.
At the University of Texas at Austin, for instance, it would mean about 840 students — about 1.7 percent of the student body. And that doesn’t take into account other students, such as foreign students or some out-of-staters, who also wouldn’t be allowed to carry.
The numbers are similar at other campuses. Even at the University of Texas at Dallas, where 74 percent of the student body is 21 or older, it would be about 2.2 percent of the school’s 21,800 students.
The likely group of students eligible to carry shrinks even more among those who live on campus.
Residence halls are a sensitive part of the debate; the bill would allow universities to determine how to store guns in those spaces.
At Texas A&M University, where about 14 percent of on-campus residents are 21 and older, it would be about 42 students. At the University of North Texas, maybe 20 students. And at the University of Texas at Dallas, perhaps just over 50 people.

The Dallas Morning News almost takes the tone that since only a small number of students would be able to carry on campus, a bill isn't needed. The fact is, Campus Carry helps not only students with CHL's, but the thousands of staff members, professors, and others who may be on campus.

Campus Carry allows citizens to protect themselves and that is something that is needed. Students, professors, and staff walk across campus when it is dark outside. Many have to park off-campus. They should be allowed to protect themselves if they want.

Villalba's No Good, Very Bad Proposal

According to the Dallas Morning News, State Rep. Jason Villalba is taking heat for a bill he filed that would make it a crime for some people to film the police.

That rep is none other than Dallas Republican Jason Villalba, who on Tuesday introduced House Bill 2918, which has to do with “the prosecution of the offense of interference with public duties.” Per the proposal, only (licensed?) embers of the Old-School, Mainstream Media could record police officers in action “within 25 feet” of the incident (or from 100 feet away if armed). Anyone else trying to record an officer in action would be hit with a misdemeanor and fine.
At least one Frisco resident isn’t having it: On Thursday Brett Sanders tweeted that Villalba “Defies US Supreme Court, Seeks To Make Filming Police Illegal.” The state rep responded: “My bill does no such thing. Just asks filmers to stand back a little so as not to interfere with law enforcement.” Earlier this morning, he took to Twitter, again, to insists that “it came about because my brothers/sisters in blue asked for my help to protect them. I did what I could to help.”

Villalba's bill is a disgrace. All American's should be able to film the police and any police action taken against them. Now, if they are getting in the way physically or attempting to block an officer from doing their job, then I'm sure we already have laws against that. There is no reason to require people to stand 25 feet away from an officer.

Terrible.

Other Must Read Links:

Abbott Speaks to SXSW

DFW Mayors Upset About Local Control

Perry Goes Small in New Hampshire

Walker Rising

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard on our KFYO YouTube page after the show and online at kfyo.com.