Concealed-weapons bill amended to exclude schools

Thursday, April 29, 1999 | 11:16 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A bill to expand the places where concealed guns can be carried has been amended to specifically prohibit them on school campuses, Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said Wednesday.

James said his Judiciary Committee had approved Assembly Bill 166 with the amendment before the school shooting in Littleton, Colo.

The amendment has just been drafted and is being reviewed before the bill is sent to the floor of the Senate, James said.

It is already illegal to carry firearms onto school grounds. James said his committee merely made sure that provision in the law continues.

The present law specifies the public facilities that a concealed firearm is prohibited, such as court houses, police stations, prisons, schools and state and federal buildings. The bill changes that to ban the carrying of a concealed weapon into any building with a metal detector at each public entrance or has a signed posted at each entrance indicating no firearms are allowed.

The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, passed the Assembly without a dissenting vote and was considered by James' Judiciary Committee on March 25.

James and Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks, who is chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee said there has been no shift in the mood of the Legislature about firearms since the killings in Colorado.

Nevada law prohibits juveniles from buying guns or carrying concealed weapons.

"The right of law-abiding citizen to go through a background check and an extensive review of any criminal activity and then to possess a concealed weapon to protect himself ... I haven't sensed any mood to change that," James said.

Anderson said there are two concealed weapons before his committee but no hearing has been held.

Senate Bill 449, by Sen. Bob Coffin, requires a sheriff to provide notice to a victim of a violent crime if the assailant is applying for a concealed weapons permit. The victim must be notified even if the weapons permit is denied.

Senate Bill 420 by Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, would require a non-resident who had a concealed weapons license in another state with laws similar to Nevada, to report to the local sheriff before he or she could carry one in Nevada. The sheriff would issue a sticker to the out-of-state permit and the individual would pay a fee.