Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on April 18 vetoed a law passed by that state’s lawmakers which would have allowed the carrying of guns on certain college right-of-ways.
Brewer, a Republican, said in a veto message that she struck down the law because it was “poorly written” and did not properly define what constituted a “right-of-way.” According to NPR, the language in the bill was so vague that it might have been applicable to K-12 schools as well.
According to the Associated Press, the bill originally would have allowed weapons to be brought into buildings and classrooms, but the state Senate modified the bill during the legislative process to apply only to outdoor right-of-ways.
The bill was backed by gun rights groups, who saw it as a way to prevent law-abiding citizens from facing problems for driving through larger college campuses with a weapon, according to Fox News.
But a wide variety of college and university groups, including Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, took issue with the proposal, saying it created a major safety hazard.
Texas lawmakers are considering a similar measure, but opposition has stalled the bill in that state’s senate.