SWTJC prepares for concealed campus carry

(Press Release) – Uvalde, TX, – Come September 1, 2017, SWTJC will allow concealed handguns to be carried on any of the colleges’ sites with the exceptions of the Pearsall and Hondo campuses.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 11 during the 84th Legislative Session in 2015, which was signed into law in June of the same year by Governor Greg Abbott.

The Pearsall and Hondo campuses are exempt due to those buildings being leased by entities which are not required to adhere to the new law. The building in Hondo is leased from the City of Hondo, while the Pearsall building is leased from the Pearsall Independent School District.

SWTJC President, Dr. Hector Gonzales formed the Campus Concealed Carry Committee to obtain input and feedback from the SWTJC community regarding the implementation of the new law.

The committee submitted a report containing implementation recommendations to President Gonzales.

Exclusionary Zones areas on campus where the concealed carry of a firearm is not permitted, which include child care facilities located on campus, nursing and radiology laboratories, testing rooms, libraries, cafeterias and snack bars. For a complete list of exclusionary zones visit swtjc.edu for a frequently asked questions page has been published.