After hours of debate, amendments and a last minute approval from the Texas House of Representatives, a bill to expand concealed carry rights at Texas colleges and universities was passed by the Legislature on May 31 and is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

Senate Bill 11, which requires public colleges to allow concealed handguns in campus buildings, dorms and classrooms, passed on a 98-47 vote. The law will go into effect August 2016 at universities and August 2017 at community colleges.

The modified SB 11, filed by state Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, includes House amendments exempting campus carry from health facilities and allows colleges to create gun-free zones. An amendment passed by the Senate allows schools to impose rules on the storage of weapons in dorms and residence halls.

Lone Star College System officials pushed for a local option amendment to the bill, which would have allowed local trustees and university regents to determine whether campus carry is permitted at individual institutions, said Ray Laughter, LSCS vice chancellor for external affairs.

“Every campus is different,” Laughter said. “Some have day care centers, dormitories and some have high school students taking classes. All of those different types of issues might affect having guns on campus.”

Before laws were expanded, individuals with a concealed handgun license  could bring handguns to campus but not into buildings. Residents are required to be 21 years of age or older to obtain a CHL, exempting a large portion of underclassmen university students across the state. However an estimated 59 percent of LSCS students are 21 years of age or older.

In preparation for the possible change in the law, LSCS held two public forums in late March at the CyFair and Kingwood campuses to provide information to the community and gather feedback.

The results of the poll and discussions from the public forum will be considered by the board in the formation of future policies, LSCS board Chairwoman Linda Good said.