MONTANA KAIMIN In the Crosshairs - A legal tug-of-war over guns at universities leaves campuses
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MONTANA KAIMIN A legal tug-of-war over guns at universities leaves campuses In the Crosshairs 10 Holstered 14 Scoping out HB 102 22 Welcome to gun country Cover design by MaKayla O’Neil Fall 2021 | Special Issue
Note from the Editor
Last spring, the 67th Montana Legislature passed House Bill 102 — legislation that would allow students to carry
firearms on campus, openly or concealed, without a permit. In May, the Board of Regents sued the state, claiming the
Legislature overstepped its bounds by trying to control policy at state universities.
Article II, Section 12 of the state’s constitution gives Montanans the right to bear arms, while Article X, Section 9 gives
the Board of Regents full “power, responsibilities, and authority” to regulate the Montana University System. The court
must decide which weighs more.
Three days before the bill was supposed to be implemented, a Helena judge stopped the law from going into effect
until the court decides on an answer.
But the MUS lawsuit brings up a larger constitutional question: Who controls Montana’s universities?
That question is a big one that legal experts say could take years to decide in the state’s courts. And it could set the
precedent for more than just guns on campus. If the court decides the Legislature can control guns policy at universities,
that means it has a foothold for more control.
While we wait for a decision, the Kaimin wanted to know how we got to this point. Guns have always had a strong
presence in Montana, but how were our elected officials able to pass one of the most unrestricted and unregulated gun
bills in the nation through the Legislature to be signed by our governor? And why now?
The Kaimin partnered with the Poynter Institute — a nonprofit journalism education and research organization — to
look into the factors that led to HB 102. We worked with Poynter’s College Media Project initiative to produce a semester-
long examination of the bill, and more broadly, the culture of the state that has fostered it. Ultimately, our goal was to
provide a service to people across Montana who could be affected by this legislation.
We examined Montana’s relationship with guns and how it led to the tipping point of HB 102. We dove into the cultural
and political influence behind the legislation through guns’ impact on individuals. We spoke with gun advocates and
opponents, including the bill’s sponsor and those who testified at its original hearing.
This special edition is the culmination of the Kaimin’s reporting: A thorough deconstruction of HB 102, the reasons it’s
held up in court and the cultural and historical factors that led to this consitutional question.
Addie Slanger, Editor-in-Chief
Sean Anderson, a senior at the University of Montana, loads an AR-15 magazine for his gun at a shooting range outside of Missoula. Currently, students are able to bring their firearms to school and store them at UMPD’s
gun locker. RIDLEY HUDSON | MONTANA KAIMIN
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NEWSROOM STAFF
The Montana Kaimin is a weekly independent student
newspaper at the University of Montana. The Kaimin office
and the University of Montana are located on land originally
inhabited by the Salish People. Kaimin is a derivative of a Salish
language word, “Qe‘ymin,” that is pronounced kay-MEEN and NEWS REPORTERS COPY EDITORS
means “book,” “message” or “paper that brings news.” Grace Carr Rebecca Bryan
EDITORIAL STAFF
Jacob Owens Alicia McAlpine
Andy Tallman Andy Tallman
Emily Tschetter
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MULTIMEDIA EDITOR DESIGNERS
Addie Slanger Antonio Ibarra SPORTS REPORTERS McKenna Johnson
Tye Brown Mariah Karis
SPORTS EDITOR DESIGN EDITOR Holly Malkowski Isabella Musgrove
Jack Marshall MaKayla O’Neil Asa Metcalfe
Max Dupras CARTOONIST
NEWS EDITORS DIGITAL EDITOR/COPY CHIEF Walter Medcraft
Mazana Boerboom Andrea Halland ARTS & CULTURE REPORTERS
Griffen Smith Josh Moyar OFFICE ASSISTANTS
AUDIO EDITOR Haley Yarborough Danielle Airola
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Austin Amestoy
Clarise Larson MULTIMEDIA AD SALES
Kennedy Delap Mariah Karis
FEATURES EDITOR Ridley Hudson
Mariah Thomas Shanna Madison ADVISERS
Lukas Prinos Jule Banville The University of Montana is caught in the crosshairs of HB 102. Once it becomes a law,
This project was made possible through funding from the Olivia Swant-Johnson Jan Winburn the concept of open carry would become a reality not just at UM, but at campuses
Poynter Institute’s College Media Project. across the Montana University System ANTONIO IBARRA | MONTANA KAIMIN
Featured Stories
FIND U S O N SO C I AL MED IA
10 Holstered 22 Welcome to gun country
@Montanakaimin New state law puts campus carry in limbo Where a ranching culture, suicide rates and an urban campus
For comments, corrections or letters to Griffen Smith blur the meaning of safety
@Montanakaimin the editor, contact Clarise Larson
@Montanakaiminsports
editor@montanakaimin.com
or call (406) 243-4310.
@Montanakaimin For advertising opportunities, contact
14 Scoping out HB 102 27 A look ahead
@Kaiminsports ads@montanakaimin.com What open-carry on campus means to one UM gun-owning
or call (406) 243-6541.
In the war for control of Montana’s universities, a lawsuit over
student guns is the first battle
@Montanakaimin Antonio Ibarra
Addie Slanger
4 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 5
News | Governing guns News | Governing guns
Who controls the politics of guns in Montana?
EMILY TSCHETTER
Montana Senate 2021
Party breakdown out of 50 senators
emily.tschetter@umontana.edu
and the attorney general. Despite blocks
in the courts, HB 102 passed its readings
no significant voice or place in gun politics
in Montana anymore, with Marbut even
McRae, a UM student, co-founder of
HYAGV and organizer of the Helena March “HB 102 could definitely tana, which is a huge reason why HB 102
got passed so efficiently,” Durnell of ASUM
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Oct. 7, 2021 and votes quickly, partially due to cohesive
lobbying efforts in support of it and a lack
stating that MSSA has not needed to spend
a lot of its resources in lieu of the shifted
For Our Lives, felt troubled by recent polit-
ical culture developments in both the state
have dangerous conse- said. “The bill went through the legislature
very fast, which was intentional to avoid
During any given election cycle,
campaign ads with gun-toting politicians
of pro-gun control legislators.
“The anti-gun side of this debate in
political climate.
“We have chosen not to spend money in
and nationwide.
“There has been a recent hardcore
quences on college cam- massive public backlash on behalf of the
sponsors.”
donning hunting vests and poised to
shoot a target out of frame bombard every
Montana has no contenders. They have
no traction,” Gary Marbut, president of
the last couple of election cycles because
it has not been necessary. Montana voters
ideological shift in the past five years to the
right, and interest groups are capitalizing
puses, and it is not sup- Activists against HB 102 are concerned
with the culture the bill could create on
television viewer in Montana. Unlike in
most states, Montanans can’t assume these
the Montana Shooting Sports Association no longer want to elect people who are on it to spread rhetorical arguments and ported by any evidence. college campuses, as well as the possibility
(MSSA), said. “We’ve had many bills with anti-gun,” Marbut said. “We can spend our generally find ways to deregulate all levels of an increased rate of suicide by firearm
politicians have an “R” by their name when popular support over the years, but until money more effectively than the candidates of government,” McRae said. Lax gun restrictions on with greater gun availability.
they get to the ballot box. 2020, we had Steve Bullock vetoing many of can anyways.” It’s been three years since the mass “HB 102 could definitely have dangerous
According to the World Population Re- them despite their majority support in the Despite the relaxation of several gun shooting in Parkland, Florida, that sparked college campuses have consequences on college campuses, and it
view, two-thirds of Montanans own at least legislature. That’s not the case anymore.” control provisions passed under Democrat- a national student movement for sweeping is not supported by any evidence,” McRae
one firearm, making it the state with the Gun politics are, in short, Marbut’s bread ic governorships in past legislative sessions, gun control reforms. McRae said she is not had mixed results, but it said. “Lax gun restrictions on college cam-
highest gun ownership rate in the nation.
Guns manifest in the political culture with
and butter. He is the head of the largest gun
rights interest group in the state, the author
multiple smaller committees and govern-
ment bodies resolved to oppose HB 102.
satisfied with the results of their efforts and
is losing faith in the room for gun control sets a bad cultural prec- puses have had mixed results, but it sets
a bad cultural precedent that could make
19 Democrats 31 Republicans
House Bill 102, which would allow for con-
cealed carry of firearms without a permit
of multiple books on gun politics. He claims
he authored much of the pro-gun legislation
The Associated Students of the University
of Montana voted almost unanimously in its
expansion under the current government
electoral system. edent that could make students feel unsafe.”
“We are mostly concerned with the
on college campuses.
It is one of the most right-leaning, dereg-
ulatory pieces of legislation to come out of
of the past few decades, including HB 102.
His organization, MSSA, has seen 70 of
its legislative initiatives passed and enacted
resolution to oppose the bill in a 22-1 vote
count.
“ASUM has taken the position that HB
“Since the March For Our Lives, noth-
ing has really changed for the better, and
some things have changed for the worse,
students feel unsafe.” enabling of more firearm suicides, but there
is no evidence that introducing more guns
into a space would prevent any mass shoot-
Montana House of Representatives 2021
the past legislative session, and passed on into law, with many others falling victim to 102 is not a well-informed policy, and it is especially over the past legislative session,” Clara McRae ings,” Sprigg said. “By allowing for wide Party breakdown out of 100 representatives
party lines before being temporarily halted former Governor Steve Bullock’s veto pen, not the right way to ensure safety on our McRae said. “[Student activists] should just access to guns in public spaces like HB 102,
by a judge in a lawsuit as well as Brian Schweitzer’s, his Demo- campus,” ASUM President Noah Durnell continue what we’re doing, but we might we definitely lost a lot of ground and our we could see increased suicide rates among
between the Board cratic predecessor. The Democratic party’s said. “The bill could foster a culture on need even larger reforms before we have a voices were not heard during the legislative students, who have already dealt with a lot
of Regents 16-year reign on the Montana governor- campus that could make students feel un- chance to turn the tides.” session, but we are still here and working,” mentally with COVID-19.”
ship ended in 2020, and Republicans and safe and even have unthinkable, destructive Moms Demand Action, a pro-gun control Sherri Sprigg, a volunteer with the Mon- In contrast, advocates for HB 102 ques-
pro-gun advocates are pleased with their outcomes.” lobbying group that emerged in the wake of tana chapter of Moms Demand Action, said. tion gun-free zones and champion the abil-
leverage in the legislature. Moms Demand Action and Helena Youth the Sandy Hook Elementary School shoot- “Moms Demand Action is not an anti-gun ity for people to possess guns as a means of
“This was our first unified Republican Against Gun Violence (HYAGV), activist ing in 2012, continued its advocacy through group. We just promote common sense and defense.
government in 16 years and our legis- groups that advocate for more restric- the last legislative session. Volunteers with safe gun legislation, which a lot of voters do “HB 102 would eliminate dangerous
lators rightly took advantage of that,” tions on gun access and the Montana chapter see the gun policy not understand.” gun-free zones where, statistically, mostly
the UM College Republicans stated in an ownership, are situation as regressive and damaging to Sprigg also recognized the ideological criminals possess guns,” Marbut said.
email. concerned for their past advocacy and legislation shift that McRae noted, yet the UM College The UM College Republicans expanded
Marbut and the UM College Republicans their future roles efforts. Republicans asserted that although gun this in the context of UM’s campus, saying
agreed that after the 2020 election, the in gun legislation “In Montana, we had pretty control advocates do not have a lot of students shouldn’t have to call Griz Walk
left and gun control advocates have negotiations. Clara good common sense gun traction in Montana, they still have an ad- when walking on campus at night.
laws up until this legisla- vantage in the media and public gun rights “They should be allowed to know that
tive session. I’ll say that messaging. they are able to protect themselves when
“We feel many students are ill-informed, the need arises,” the group said.
both about gun rights generally and HB 102 Despite gains made by the Republican
specifically, because they’ve been misin- Party and gun rights groups, advocates for
formed by the media and anti-gun individ- gun control have not given up a future with
uals,” the UM College Republicans said. their policies being enacted in Montana.
“If students were more informed about the “I have not lost all hope. There are still
gun purchasing process and why we have plenty of people that have political power
a right to bear arms, they would be more in that are reasonable, Democrats and Repub-
support of HB 102.” licans alike,” McRae said.
Marbut said Gov. Greg Gianforte wanted In the past, members from either side of
HB 102 to be the first bill on his desk to the political aisle have made agreements
sign, so supporters for the bill in the legisla- on gun legislation. State Rep. Seth Berglee,
ture hurried it through all the readings and the primary sponsor of HB 102, signed on
votes. Gun control advocates claimed this as a sponsor to a gun control bill authored
was a deliberate strategy on behalf of the by Helena Youth Against Gun Violence in
bill sponsors and gun rights interest groups 2019.
to limit the opportunity for opposing voices “If we work with people like Berglee 33 Democrats 67 Republicans
to be heard. on common sense gun legislation, we will
“National and statewide interest groups always be able to find some sort of compro-
have a huge role in gun politics in Mon- mise,” McRae said. MAKAYLA O’NEIL | MONTANA KAIMIN
6 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com MAKAYLA O’NEIL | MONTANA KAIMIN montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 7
Q&A
News | Firearms policy News | Firearms policy
the Capitol Building, because when you’re sive position. And the idea behind defense carry concealed without a permit, but peo- SB: It definitely took a big swath. And I
up there you’re spending a minimum of six is to provide one a lethal means of protec- ple will always carry concealed without think it did clean up a lot of the laws and
or eight hours on some of the easy days. A tion, or up to a lethal means of protection permits. Just a reality. make them more congruent with modern
lot of times you are there 12 to 16 hours. and preventing someone from harming So what are the chances of an accidental realities and statistics. There’s probably a
So yeah, it’s a big chunk of life. It’s a very you. You can never tell how many people’s shooting happening? Once again, extreme- few things that could still be adjusted. So
unique experience, and I’m super honored lives could have been saved if there would ly low. The last time somebody was killed we’ve looked at sort of the public K-12 edu-
to be able to do it. have been someone with their gun. in a school shooting in Montana, that was cation and I didn’t touch that with my bill.
The other side of that equation is the in 1990, at Montana State, where a teen Essentially, the school board could give
GS: In your eight years, tell me about some safety factor. If you look at something like who was angry shot two other students on permission to a teacher or administrator
of the goals that you had in mind going the Virginia Tech shooting, when you have campus with a shotgun. And so we have to carry a firearm concealed. But there’s
into Helena. a guy that gets a couple pistols, goes into a 200,000 students in Montana. We haven’t no training requirements. It’s sort of at the
school building with several classrooms, had a shooting in 30 years; hopefully you discretion of the school board. I think it
SB: I would say the two major areas I have chains the door shut, and could choose to never do. But kids that have been killed in would be a better idea to have a state law
worked on have been [the] Second Amend- kill over 30 people. No one in that building a school shooting are essentially zero. that outlined the process, or allowed for
ment, firearms, related bills, and then a lot was armed, they had no way of essentially It’s like but we don’t we don’t wrap more opportunities for people to be able to
of education stuff. My last three sessions effectively defending themselves. If you our lives around and alter laws based on carry in K-12. But for the most part, I think
I was the chair of the House Education had somebody in those classrooms, with our fear of being killed by a grizzly bear a lot of it has been pretty well received.
Committee, which is interesting, because I your firearm that was even moderately because it’s statistically so low as to be And I think it makes things clearer for a lot
was actually homeschooled through high competent, it likely would have changed irrelevant. That’s kind of where I get to, of people in Montana.
school ... I had developed some expertise the outcome. it’s like, “Is it a rational fear?” No, I don’t
on the firearm side because of my compet- As lawmakers, I think two things: One, think so. GS: Going to House Bill 102, tell me your
itive shooting background. We have a lot the government shouldn’t be regulating thought process on why you think the state
of laws on the books that aren’t really con- anything unless it has a compelling inter- GS: That brings up an interesting point Legislature should control guns rather
gruent with the realities of firearms. So for est. We should have the ability to essential- about Montana specifically. You mention than the Montana Board of Regents.
instance, this last session I carried House ly move and act and do things freely from this in your closing speech in the Senate
Bill 102, but I have carried or worked on government intervention, unless there’s Judiciary Committee. Do you think that SB: It’s not so much that we want to control
legislation for teachers to carry in schools, a compelling need. And to me, I don’t see Montana is unique in that we have a lot of firearms, it’s that we want to establish a
campus carry before allowing concealed the compelling need to regulate firearms. guns compared to an East Coast state like hierarchy of rights. To say the Board of
carry ... kind of across the board, firearms I could take my .45 in my leather holster, New Jersey? Regents has absolute totalitarian control
reform. House Bill 102 addressed a big walk around downtown completely legally. over any aspect of the university system,
chunk of that, actually. That was probably I could even walk into a bar legally with SB: The point that I was making is that in like its own private state within a state, is
one of the things that I was most involved an open carry in just a leather holster. So New York, or New Jersey, or Maryland, or an overreach. I don’t see how they have
in. In terms of education, I was trying that’s where the permitless carry aspect even California, they’re very regulated. the ability to regulate firearms or the Sec-
to give parents more control over their of my bill came in saying, “Look, we don’t In New York you have to have a permit to ond Amendment or the First Amendment
Seth Berglee, Montana’s gun bill sponsor
children’s education. We have some great require a permit for someone to carry a own a firearm. Whereas here, if I’m 17, my based on their ability to run the university
schools in the state. But we also know that gun openly. Why are we requiring a permit dad could just give me one. You go to some system.
not every school always fits every kid ... for them to carry concealed?” We want to one of these more-regulated states that And so the argument they’re essentially
So just trying to give parents more options encourage people, in my mind, to carry don’t allow high capacity rounds, you have making is that they have to pay taxes, they
GRIFFEN SMITH upbringing. I … ended up going to Ohio
has been a pretty big push. concealed because I think — in my profes- to have a permit. They don’t allow owner- have to fall under a broad swath of other
griffen.smith@umontana.edu State on a shooting scholarship, and shot
sional opinion from having trained people ship under 21, some of them for pistols. regulations that the Legislature sets, and
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ONLINE: Sept. 24, 2021 for them for a couple years. My junior
GS: And focusing more on guns, I would around as, you know, multiple branches of There’s more people around Montana cam- they abide by those. There are arguments
[and] senior year I was competitive on the
As House Bill 102, a law proposing say everyone has a different view on guns. the military, federal law enforcement, local puses that own guns and carry guns and with this as well. This is like a specific
pistol team. And from there, I enlisted in
sweeping firearms law changes in Mon- Everyone has a unique view, some quite law enforcement, SWAT teams — that’s the have guns in their houses or their vehicles reach of rights. So if it’s a general man-
the army marksmanship unit as a com-
opposite to each other. I think it’d be im- smart way to do it. No one knows you have than there would be in a state like that. date that applies to the university system,
tana, is being argued over in district court, petitive shooter on the army team. Then MONTANA STATE LEGISLATURE | CONTRIBUTED
its sponsor watches from the sidelines. portant to just explain your view on guns. it, they can’t target you, they can’t target Our culture is different, many upbring- the university system has to follow it like
I wanted to be involved in politics ... I Okay, they could say I’m afraid that carry person pulling out their gun getting
Montana State Representative Seth the gun. So let’s encourage people to do ings make us familiar with guns. And I everybody else.
ended up getting a lot more involved than someone’s going to get angry, they’re angry. The other argument I’ve heard is it
Berglee, a Republican from Joliet, intro- SB: Sure. To me, firearms are a tool. Ul- that. think too, at some point, we have to ask, But in the case of firearms, the univer-
I intended and running for the Legislature. going to pull out a gun, and they’re going could be accidental. Someone accidentally
duced the bill in the 2021 session, but And that was seven years ago. timately, they’re an inanimate object. So is this an education problem? Or is this a sity system argues that it doesn’t apply to
GS: There’s a lot of students on campus to shoot. Now that’s a viable reason. If pulls out the gun themselves, shoots some-
has worked to expand gun rights during they are essentially an extension of who- reality problem? As a citizen in America, them. To me, it seems like a counterintu-
that kind of have the exact opposite view that’s a real possibility, then it should be body. And there are a few instances, if you
his four terms in Helena. He spoke to the GS: Yeah. And now you’re kind of at the ever’s utilizing them or using them. The you could carry on that side of the street itive argument, because adults have the
on guns that you do. They don’t like them. addressed. And so you start looking at sta- look around you can find some of them. In
Montana Kaimin in a phone interview, end of your Legislature experience, cor- guns themselves are not good. They are a across campus. We could allow the same ability to carry a firearm in the state, that’s
They don’t want them on campus. What tistics like, OK, statistically, what are the Utah, even a professor shot himself in the
detailing his four terms in the Legislature rect? reflection of the purpose behind them. So thing here; there’s no difference, there’s no already a right afforded to them. But they
would you say to them? chances of X or Y happening? And it’s just foot. I think he had a gun in his office, it
and his thoughts on guns and the Montana that leads us into a discussion of the idea statistical difference between kids off cam- can’t carry on college campuses. So it ap-
so low. I mean, you look at it [and] there’s discharged itself.
University System. SB: Yep. So I’m termed out, this last session behind firearms or weapons in general, pus or kids on campus. So we shouldn’t plies to everyone in the state except on the
SB: I think two things. One, the rationale of like 14 or 16 states that allow concealed Those instances occasionally do happen.
Editor’s note: This interview has been was my fourth session. So next November, not just firearms. And to me, firearms are be denying a right that’s available to them campuses. The judge in the lawsuit spe-
“I don’t like it” is not a viable argument to carry on campuses ... And so the argu- If you look at accidental firing, or acciden-
edited for length and clarity. when they elect somebody else to my posi- an extension of your right to either be on everywhere else. cifically stated that it isn’t about firearms,
me. And I don’t think that’s what should be ment that, well, someone’s gonna get mad, tal discharges, they’re a limited number of
tion, that’ll be the end of my term. defense or offense. it’s about specific authority of the Legis-
a viable argument for any of the laws that they’re gonna shoot somebody, it hasn’t people. But then you look at the numbers
Griffen Smith (GS): Let’s get right on to the You can use it one of two ways and
ever happened that I’ve been able to find. of people that conceal-carry [in] Montana GS: For House Bill 102, and kind of your lature to override the Board of Regents’
first question. Tell me about yourself and generally when you’re carrying a firearm, you make. What it comes down to is, what work on guns, there’s a lot of changes that decisions. If this was tax law, that’s very
GS: So tell me your experience in the So to me, just from a likelihood stand- [and it] is like 35,000 people. And that
how you got to the state Legislature. unless you’re in the military or some law are the realities of it? We need to have a you were involved with there. Is House Bill different from first or second amendment
house. Eight years seems like a lot of time point, more people are killed by mass number has been climbing. So it’s probably
enforcement agencies, you’re not carrying worldview that’s congruent with reality. 102 the ultimatum to gun law change, or rights. I think we are afforded a higher de-
to be in there. shooters. A concealed carry permit holder about 40,000 now. So we’ve got a million
Seth Berglee (SB): I grew up in Montana, a gun offensively to enforce your directives And so the question I asked is “I get where do you think more needs to happen with gree of protection under the Constitution
you’re coming from, let’s have a conversa- is likely to run the numbers, your chances people. So if you’re looking at percent-
northeast Montana. My family farmed and on somebody else. That’s war. And so the gun laws? for these specific purchases, which is why
SB: I was just thinking about that. I spent are many times greater of the mass shoot- age-wise, you got a couple percent out of
ranched. It was a pretty normal Montana idea behind self-defense is that it’s a defen- tion about what it is that you’re afraid of.” I called it out in the bill.
essentially 16 months of my life living in ing incident than some random concealed 100 people in the state. There’s people that
8 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 9
than obtaining a concealed carry permit
from a county sheriff’s office. The bill
“If I can boil it down, also allows concealed guns in banks and
bars, which usually only allow firearms
anyone can physically on their premises when people are open
carrying.
bring a gun into a space. Most notably for the state’s universi-
ties, HB 102 stipulated that the Montana
I should legally be able University System couldn’t ban guns on
campus, and in setting gun policy, it can
to bring one, too.” only follow the guidelines from the legis-
lature. The bill would also allow permit-
less concealed carry on campus.
Sen. Seth Berglee Berglee cited several examples of states
that allowed guns at universities.
Campus carry exists in more than a
ture this spring. dozen states, but only Utah matches HB
The bill would allow anyone to carry a 102 in explicitly requiring guns be al-
gun on campus, openly or concealed. It lowed on every college campus. That Utah
would overrule UM’s current policy — one legislation, and most other gun-friendly
that has been on the books since 1987 campuses, still mandate that gun carriers
and requires students who want to bring have a concealed carry permit, though —
guns onto campus to check them into a differing from HB 102’s proposed permit-
gun locker. The policy says nobody except less concealed carry.
law enforcement may carry on campus. “If I can boil it down, anyone can
In May, the Board of Regents was physically bring a gun into a space,” Rep.
preparing to implement HB 102 by its Berglee said in a recent interview with
original June 1 deadline. But after two the Kaimin. “I should legally be able to
meetings seeking public comment — most bring one, too.”
of which urged the board to fight against Under HB 102, MUS could mandate hol-
the legislation — the regents sued the stering guns on campus, restrict firearms
legislature on May 19, arguing it had over- at controlled events and allow students in
stepped its bounds. residence halls to object to their room-
On May 28, three days before the law mate bringing their gun.
would have gone into effect, a Lewis and At the January hearing, the National
Clark County judge temporarily barred it Rifle Association, along with interest
from going into effect. Ten days later, on groups from around the country, testi-
June 7, the judge indefinitely extended fied in favor of HB 102. But most of the
the order to prohibit enactment of HB 102 hearing consisted of opposition speeches.
until the lawsuit could be heard in court. Many were from students and educators.
Because Montana’s constitution explic- Some, like Montana State University
itly gives the Board of Regents authority student Daisy Khoury, had seen the dark
over affairs on campus, the legal battle side of guns.
will determine more than just whether “When I was 13 years old, one of my
guns should be on campus. Instead, a best friends committed suicide right in
Holstered?
larger question is at stake: Who has the front of me. He shot himself in the head
right to control the Montana University with a handgun,” Khoury said. “Guns
Sean Anderson, a senior at the University of Montana, fires some rounds at a shooting range using his personal AR-15. Anderson is one of many gun-owning students at UM who is paying close attention to what the System? have no place on a college campus, or
near any school.”
H
school policy will be involving HB 102 and guns on campus. In Montana, you have to be 18 years old to purchase a long gun and 21 to legally purchase a handgun. RIDLEY HUDSON | MONTANA KAIMIN
Despite almost an hour of opposing
ALSTON WITT is a A long-standing policy testimony, the bill passed the Senate
Judiciary Committee on Jan. 20. And after
gun owner. Halston Witt, a freshman at the University of Montana, left her hand gun at home in South Dakota. Witt it ran through the state House and Senate
The freshman carries a gun for safety reasons. She plans to bring it back to school when she goes home after learning that on party lines, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed
biology major from For years, gun advocates in Montana
she can store her firearm with UMPD. RIDLEY HUDSON | MONTANA KAIMIN HB 102 into law before the legislative
South Dakota says her have sought to loosen restrictions. The
session was even halfway over.
desire to carry a gun cousin got an iPod.” campus: the current policy, which re- political climate in 2021 gave them the
for self-protection was Now, nearly a decade later, Witt hasn’t quires her to check her gun into a police window of opportunity they were looking
sparked by an incident that occurred at turned away from guns. She wanted to locker, and a new law being challenged for: a majority Republican legislature,
her home when she was young. A man
pounded on the door over and over, de-
bring her pistol, purchased legally by her in court that would have meant she could with a Republican governor at the helm
for the first time in 16 years. “Guns have no place on
father, to campus this year, but left it at carry it anywhere on campus, out in the
manding entry, until finally giving up and
leaving Witt and her mother alone.
home in Watertown, South Dakota. She open or concealed. At a Senate Judiciary Committee
hearing in January, Sen. Seth Berglee, a
a college campus, or near
did not know the rules in Montana, and For UM administration and the Mon-
any school.”
New state law puts campus carry in limbo
Witt grew up around firearms and hunt- didn’t feel comfortable bringing her gun tana University System, the issue of Republican state senator from Joliet, Mon-
ing. She recalled a Christmas when her into the dorms. guns on campus has become more than tana, introduced HB 102, legislation he
dad gave her a .22-gauge shotgun with her As Witt started her first day at the a theoretical debate. House Bill 102, one has been trying to pass for eight years.
name engraved on the side. She was in University of Montana, she was caught of the most unrestrictive gun laws in the Berglee’s bill changed Montana’s con- Daisy Khoury
cealed carry laws to allow permitless car-
Story by Griffen Smith ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Sept. 9, 2021 elementary school.
“It was kind of jarring,” she said. “My
between two realities involving guns on country, passed in the Montana legisla-
ry anywhere one can open carry, rather
10 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 11
Ask the Oval: HB 102
their guns are possibly bringing them
Gun Ownership by State 2021
on campus,” he said. “We recommend
Caught in court people check the gun in, but they are also
allowed to store them in their cars as long
as it is unloaded, secured and the car is
locked.”
Because of the injunction, HB 102 This may be the answer for students
won’t be implemented until it is worked
Top 5 States
like Witt, who feels protected having a
out in court, a process that could take gun.
years, according to UM law professor “As an 18-year-old woman who isn’t
Anthony Johnstone. So the bill changes large, I use it for self protection,” Witt
nothing for students while it remains
Sophia Mathena | Junior | Integrative Physiology embroiled in court.
said. “When I stop alone in Baker, Mon-
tana, while driving home, I feel more
“In this case, the Board of Regents comfortable being armed.”
really felt like we needed some clarity on
“If it were a law, I would be okay with it. I grew up with what roles the board has and what the
legislative role is,” said Helen Thigpen, ex-
guns. But I have mixed feelings for campus. Bad apples ecutive director of government relations
and public affairs for the Commissioner
Sixty percent of all
would probably ruin it for people.” of Higher Education. “This suit is to find Montana gun deaths are
where that line is, which is sometimes
described as murky.” suicides, and 72% of the
The murky line has been tested before.
In 1975, the Montana Supreme Court state’s youth suicides
heard a case called Judge v. Board of
Noah Woodin | Freshman | Media Arts Regents, which centered around a bill al- are done with firearms.
lowing the legislature to regulate specific
budgets of college departments through Montana Department of
a committee. The court sided with the
“Everyone should be well versed on firearms. I defi- university system, strengthening its prec- Public Health and
nitely see both sides to guns. Maybe UM could issue edent of college campus control. Human Services
The Montana Federation of Public Em-
background checks for students bringing a gun to the ployees has also brought a suit against HB
102 in a Bozeman court.
dorm.” “Either court can rule the law is uncon-
stitutional or not, and that would be that,”
Witt does want to bring her pistol to
campus eventually. She could leave it in
Johnstone said. “But it is likely either
verdict will be appealed to the Montana
her car, or UM’s gun locker. Before orien- Montana Wyoming Alaska Idaho West Virginia National Average
tation on campus, Witt didn’t know either
Justin Miller | Transfer student | Diesel Equipment Supreme Court. It could be in the process
for a long time.”
was an option.
Technology While the amount of students who do
not follow university gun laws in Mon- Montana has the highest rate of gun ownership per capita in the U.S., according to data from the Rand Corporation. MCKENNA JOHNSON | MONTANA KAIMIN
Guns on campus today tana is uncountable, some say they exist.
State representative Braxton Mitchell, a coming into a new environment. But we tana State University, who set her up to
“A year ago I would have totally been for guns on cam- 20-year-old Republican from Columbia don’t know what will happen.” talk at the hearing.
Falls, published an opinion piece in the Long-lasting trauma The last gun death at UM reported by She raised concerns HB 102 would
pus, but now that I live on one, I know this isn’t the There have always been guns in and
around UM, as firearms are often consid-
Missoulian June 10 stating he knows
students who bring their guns on campus
the Kaimin was student Kole Swartz, who
died in 2015 after accidentally shooting
make students with gun trauma feel un-
safe at colleges and threaten their mental
place for them. There is a time and place for guns, and ered part of the state’s culture. Compared
to other states, Montana has the highest
because they feel an obligation to keep
others safe.
Roughly 200 people die from guns in himself at a home in Clinton, Montana.
Khoury, the MSU student who testified
health.
Montana each year, according to data “The bill just instilled fear in me,”
people on campus are not comfortable seeing a gun.” rate of gun ownership per capita, at 66.3%
of people, according to a 2020 report
“I can name countless friends in our from the Centers for Disease Control against the bill, has personal experience Khoury said. “Some people feel safer
university system who currently con- and Prevention. In 2019, the Montana losing a friend to suicide. It still affects being armed, but those like me feel safer
from the Rand Corporation. The national ceal carry on campus and have firearms her today. knowing there is not a gun in my area.”
Department of Public Health and Human
average is 48%. in their dorms, which is currently not Her parents were there for her. She had She followed the bill as it progressed
Services reported that 60% of the state’s
With the bill tied up in court, MUS allowed,” he wrote. “These students are a therapist. But Khoury explained that and landed on Gianforte’s desk. But like
suicides were by gun, and 72% of youth
policy still rules. Any student who wishes
Matt Hunter | Grad student | Accounting to bring a gun on campus must store it in
responsible and have the background
and knowledge to safely own and equip
suicides were done with firearms.
Tracee Anderson, interim director of
the process of coping with the loss of her
friend was deeply personal.
many other students, she did not know
about the lawsuit, or that it had stopped
a campus gun locker, or keep it unloaded firearms.” Khoury struggled. HB 102 from taking effect.
the Curry Health Center’s counseling
in their locked car. UM strategic communications director By the end of high school, she did not Her first week of school was filled with
program, said the easy accessibility to
“I don’t like the idea of guns on campus. I grew up with The number of students who keep their
guns in UM police lockers varies, but it is
Dave Kuntz said he has not heard about
cases of students violating gun policy,
firearms that could come if HB 102 be- have a plan for college or anything else.
But Khoury said she has grown since
thoughts of which passing student’s back-
pack could contain a firearm.
comes campus policy is a concern for her
them, my family owns guns. I think it could work for not more than a couple dozen, according
to Brad Giffin, chief of UMPD. The num-
and little is known about students with
firearms outside of UM’s campus.
office as well. her friend’s passing. She decided to apply
to MSU on a whim, and is studying to be a
Witt, the freshman biology major at
“Our fear is that easy accessibility UM, is a stark contrast to Khoury. She
hunting rifles, but that’s about it.” ber also changes often, as any student can
take their gun out of the locker.
Should HB 102 become campus policy,
Giffin said, a top concern for UMPD is
to firearms could mean more suicide forensic psychologist. said on her first day walking to class she
attempts,” Anderson said. “Look at the When she heard about HB 102 in Janu- felt comfortable at UM. She wasn’t car-
But Giffin also said many students are accidental discharge and easy access to ary, she reached out to her dean and MSU rying her gun, but UM’s campus seemed
experience students have when they are
not aware of UMPD’s gun locker, and guns. president Waded Cruzado. She talked to safe. Besides, she carries mace and a
in a new space. There’s trepidation, anx-
often break the rules. representatives in MSU’s student govern- knife.
iety, uncertainty — typical challenges to
“People who don’t want to store ment, the Associated Students of Mon-
RIDLEY HUDSON | MONTANA KAIMIN
12 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 13
ABOVE: Nicole Bealer, a University of Montana junior in wildlife biology, has mixed feelings about the Montana Legislature’s
passing of HB 102. Although she feels comfortable with the idea of open carry firearms, Bealer worries about the impact of
guns being in the hands of young college students and what that would look like in a campus setting.
LEFT: Bealer looks down the shooting range through the scope of her .306 rifle as she sets to fire a couple of practice rounds.
Bealer, a proponent of firearm safety, believes more people need to take gun handling more seriously. After the passage of
HB 102, she said she’s concerned about the potential impacts of guns being around college campuses.
N
ICOLE BEALER doesn’t life biology junior from Houston, gun safety
see guns as toys. is something that she continuously practices,
As a gun owner, Bealer especially now that she’s a gun owner in a
sees guns beyond their state where there are more guns than people.
recreational use. She At UM and across the Montana University
thinks of them as tools, System, the issue of guns on college campuses
their primary purpose is becoming more of a reality, after House Bill
being to kill animals for food or for outdoor 102 — one of the most unrestricted firearm
sports like hunting. policies in the country — passed in the Mon-
“Firearms are very closely tied to being a tana Legislature earlier in the spring.
hunter for me,” she said. “I do enjoy going to The bill, as it stood after its passing, would
the range, but I shoot because I’m preparing allow for anyone on any Montana University
to hunt. I’m not quite recreational enough to System campus to to carry a gun, openly or
just go spend money on ammo for shits and concealed. It also would allow anyone to
giggles.” conceal carry without a permit anywhere
Before moving to Montana for college, someone can open carry. HB 102 overrules
Bealer didn’t have guns of her own. The only the University’s current policy, which holds
ones in her Texas household were her dad’s, that no one except law enforcement may
who owned a .22 rifle, a .22 pistol and a .357 carry weapons on campus, and requires
revolver. As an eight-year-old, she would students, faculty and staff who wish to bring
often go to the gun range with her dad and their firearms onto campus to store them with
Scoping out HB 102
brothers to shoot recreationally and learn UMPD.
What open carry on campus means
first-hand about gun safety. Now, the potential law is caught in legal
“Firearm safety was really big for my dad. limbo after the Montana Board of Regents
He just always took it very seriously,” Bealer sued the state last May, claiming the legis-
to one UM gun-owning student
said. “He was a big proponent of keeping guns lature overstepped its bounds by trying to
in a locked safe.” control the universities. A Lewis and Clark
For Bealer, a University of Montana wild- County judge filed an injunction on May 28,
Story and Photos by Antonio Ibarra
14 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ONLINE: Nov. 22, 2021 montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 15
ABOVE: Knealing in front of a shooting targets, Bealer congratulates Fintz on her
improved marksmanship shooting for the day. Bealer is helping Fintz prepare for her
first hunting expedition in the coming months. UM’s chapter of Backcountry Hunters
& Anglers provides its members with tools such as targets to practice firearm and
marksman skills.
Bealer helps University of Montana junior Zoe Fintz, right, from New York, with her 0.306 rifle marksmanship at Big Sky Practical
Shooting Club. One of the many tasks Bealer has as hunt coordinator for Backcountry Hunter & Anglers is helping members like
Fintz by taking them on practice shoots at gun ranges to improve their marksmanship to prepare for their first hunting trips.
which temporarily barred it from becoming If HB 102 escapes judicial hold-up, Giffin
a law. As it remains held in court, many have and UMPD would be in charge of enforcing
been left to figure out the potential implica- the law’s policy around campus. Giffin said
tions of an HB 102-campus. one of the most problematic parts of the bill
The passing of HB 102 affects concerned is the open carry component to it. Confusion Ammo and rifles like the .306 pictured above are sometimes provided by UM’s BHA officers and other chapter members. This facilitates hunting opportunities for those who don’t have access to firearms and ammo.
students like Bealer. While she feels comfort- could arise from students holstering guns on
able with the idea of concealed gun carry, she campus. LEFT: Fintz, right, walks down the
does worry about the impact of guns in the Giffin has recently been working with range with Bealer to place shooting
hands of college students in a campus setting. schools such as the University of Wyoming targets as they set to go through
“I don’t love it. I don’t know if I trust the and Texas A&M — who currently have cam- marksmanship training at the Big
general population that much, especially col- pus concealed-carry policies — to see how
Sky Practical Shooting Club range
lege students,” she said. “Mental health-wise, they’re enforcing firearms. One of the main
east of Missoula. Bealer said one
we’re all over the place.” issues Giffin said officers at Wyoming have
of the main barriers when she first
Apart from her college life and delving encountered is public negligence of where
into the hunting world of Montana, Bealer people can’t have firearms on campus. delved into the hunting world were
is the hunt coordinator at UM’s chapter of Currently, Montana Board of Regents pol- the ammo and firearm expenses.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, a nonprofit icy “prohibits carrying firearms on or at any
focusing on the outdoor heritage of hunting campus of the Montana University System.”
and fishing in North America. She helps However, UMPD has a weapons storage vault
educate students about hunting on Montana’s where students, staff and faculty can safely
public lands and hosts firearm workshops store and access their firearms at any given
LEFT: As a proponent of firearm
specializing in gun safety for members who time.
safety, Bealer ensures UM’s BHA
have never handled firearms. As the future of HB 102’s implementation
members learn the basics of safe
While students certainly have been dealing remains in question, Bealer said she doesn’t
with unknown variables in the face of this feel comfortable with the idea of seeing her gun handling practices to keep
legislation, if there’s another person on UM’s peers “packing heat” around UM’s campus, themselves and people around them
campus getting headaches from the uncer- given how immature students can be when it safe. Firearm safety includes using
tainty of HB 102, it’s Chief of Police Brad comes to guns. proper noise-canceling equipment,
Bealer understands why people enjoy shooting recreationally outside of a hunting
Giffin. “It’s an alarming idea to think of a bunch treating all guns as loaded, keeping
context, but she doesn’t see guns as toys. The guns she now owns have only been for
“I think [HB 102] just wasn’t very well of freshmen with guns, especially from the the barrel pointed in a safe direction
hunting purposes, which is why she sees them as tools designed to kill things and not
thought through,” he said. “The law is pretty dumb things I’ve seen young people do,” she and maintaining a safe distance
to be played with. “I shoot because I’m preparing to hunt. I’m not quite recreational
broad when it comes to college campuses. I said. “It’s a frightening idea that you could from others.
enough to just go spend money on ammo just for shits and giggles,” she said.
don’t necessarily agree with all of the laws have easily accessible guns all the time in a
ABOVE: Chief of Police Brad Giffin stands outside UMPD’s weapons storage vault where students cans store
that are on the books, but it’s my job to en- sort of dorm setting.”
force them.” and access their firearms on campus at any time. The Montana Board of Regents currently has a policy in
place that bans weapons on any Montana University System campus.
16 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 17
News | To sue or not to sue Sports | What’s in the bag?
ASUM, ASMSU differ on legal action on controversial bills
ASUM researched whether it had legal stand-
Clear bags or bulletproof ones: How will UM Athletics adapt if gun bill remains intact?
JACOB OWENS
ing to independently join the same suit ASMSU TYE BROWN Department of Athletics.
jacob.owens@umontana.edu “Board policy also governs the pos-
did. He said research done by ASUM’s execu- tye.brown@umontana.edu
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Sept. 16, 2021
tives and student legal interns with professional
12:58 ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: Oct. 28, 2021
session and consumption of alcoholic
legal advice from Lou Villemez, the ASUM legal beverages on campus,” Thigpen said in an
As the legal fight over House Bill 102 and
emailed statement.
< Messages
other bills escalated last spring, the student services director, led to the conclusion ASUM The University of Montana, UM Athlet-
could join the suit independent from UM. Chuck Maes, senior associate ath-
government at one of Montana’s two largest
universities joined in, while the other remained Durnell said one of the cases that supported UM Contact ics and the Montana University System’s
Board of Regents have no contingency
letic director, spoke about the alcohol
exception. Currently the board has only
an observer to the ongoing battle. this conclusion was Associated Students of the plans to keep firearms out of certain sport- approved alcohol sales at football and
The Associated Students of Montana State
University (ASMSU) signed on to a lawsuit June
University of Montana v. The City of Missoula.
According to a memo that was part of ASUM’s UM Admin ing events if the contentious House Bill
102 makes it through court intact.
conference soccer games, but Maes hopes
legal research, the Montana Supreme Court a decision will be made in November to
3 challenging the constitutionality of House HB 102, which usurps existing Board allow alcohol sales for next basketball
z
Bills 102, 112 and 349 and Senate Bill 319. classified ASUM as “an unincorporated associ- of Regents policy prohibiting the open or
i
ation of students enrolled at the University” in season.
HB 102 allows guns on campus. HB 112 concealed carry of firearms on Montana
r
the 1993 case where ASUM was a plaintiff. “We’re exploring the option, as
requires transgender athletes to compete under
Durnell said UM disagreed with ASUM’s ASUM University System campuses, was halted is MSU, with doing it for basket-
G
their assigned-at-birth sex. HB 349 expands free in May by a district court judge. While liti-
findings that it could join the suit independently ball,” Maes said. “But right now I’m
speech on campus while prohibiting student gation is pending, the current board policy
group discrimination. And SB 319 allows poli- from UM, an area there is still no consensus on. Hey! We’re going to remains in effect.
not sure if we’ll do it or not.”
Maes said UM athletics is consider-
Durnell said this disagreement was not what
tial student group opt-in funding.
The Associated Students of the University prevented ASUM from joining the suit, though. sign onto this HB 102 If HB 102 goes into effect as written, ex-
ceptions are granted to either the board or
ing where to set up a beer garden, and
what parameters must be met before
of Montana (ASUM) did not choose to join the “If we decided it was the best decision for us
to join we would’ve still joined, and determined
lawsuit. Just to lyk. a unit of the university system to prohibit the board allows it.
legal fight. But both organizations believe they firearms at events where campus authori- “If the Commissioner (of Higher Edu-
BEER
have the legal standing to do so independent of whether we were able to later, because it was so ties have authorized alcohol to be served
time sensitive,” he said. cation) approves it, he’ll tell us what the
their universities.
ER
and consumed, as well as events with conditions are to do it, and then we’ll
UM did not believe ASUM could sign on to Dave Kuntz, the director of strategic com-
BE
armed security and controlled access. see if we can meet those conditions,”
the lawsuit independently of the University. munications at UM, said the University has no “These are exceptions that either the
official stance on if ASUM can represent itself Maes said.
Though ASUM disagreed, it opted not to sign board or the university system can come
independently in court. He said any conversa- This would still leave non-confer-
on to the suit. up with,” said Anthony Johnstone, a
tions on the topic were informal and not official ence soccer matches, volleyball, cross
“It wasn’t necessarily about just taking our professor at UM’s Blewett School of Law.
legal opinions. country, track and field, tennis and
stance and running with it. It was really about “If the board decides to adopt a uniform
this whole concept of the Board of Regents and Kuntz said the Board of Regents lawsuit is UM strategy, that may be one option. But either
softball ineligible for HB 102’s alcohol
exception.
their constitutional authority, which we felt the best way to challenge HB 102’s constitution- one of them can adopt a policy interpret- Otherwise, HB 102 states that excep-
was violated by the Legislature in this session,” ality, a sentiment Durnell agreed with.
Blossom said ASMSU did not ask MSU’s
No, u can’t. sry. ing this law.” tions for prohibiting firearms may be made
ASUM’s president Noah Durnell said. “And so Currently the University has no concrete
permission to join the suit but informed them of at events that are “open to the public with
after the Board of Regents signed on we really plans to enforce the exceptions outlined in
their decision to join it. He said the organization controlled access and armed security on
didn’t think ASUM joining was going to be the the bill.
did not hear much feedback, good or bad, from site.” This would apply to basketball games
most effective approach to meeting those ends.” “The University has had a working
the administration. and other public events in the Adams
Durnell said the organization didn’t join the group that has been meeting and sort of are present for those games.
“At the end of the day we serve students here Center, as well as football, but none of the
suit because the Montana University System’s discussing the implementation of House “Athletics could definitely make the
at Montana State University, we don’t serve other aforementioned sports.
Board of Regents, the state’s higher education Bill 102, but I don’t know that we finalized decision that they want to now have
administrators at MSU,” he said. Kent Haslam, director of athletics at the
authority, eventually filed another suit against our approach,” said Paula Short, associate controlled access and armed secu-
GR
Blossom said MSU’s administration and University of Montana, said UM Athletics
HB 102 — but also because UM informed vice president of Campus Preparedness rity at all these venues. If that was
ASMSU are “close partners,” but ASMSU has is responsible for setting up controlled ac-
ASUM that if students are further harmed by and Response. something they wanted to pursue,
autonomy from the University. cess points and armed security for campus
any bills, the University will work with ASUM
ASUM Helen Thigpen, executive director of sporting events by contracting with the then we’d be more than happy
IZ
to defend students. Durnell said ASUM believes a victory in the government relations and public affairs for
Board of Regents suit against HB 102 could set university police department. to work with them,” Croft said.
Norris Blossom, ASMSU’s president, said the Office of the Commissioner of Higher “Whether they feel the financial
ASMSU joined the suit to protect the constitu- a precedent that could then be used in litigation Um, yes we can. But Education, said she believes the decision
“Right now, our plan is to continue to
restrict firearms at football games through cost warrants us — there’s a
tional authority of the Board of Regents and not against other bills, like those mentioned in the
because of the substance of the bills. other suit. we won’t. This time. to implement the exceptions will be left to
the Board of Regents, but did not comment
metal detectors and clear bags,” Haslam cost associated with each
officer, so it would boil
Durnell said the latest legislative session has said.
“Regardless of what the bills would’ve been, on whether they would do so. down to what they felt
shown how much UM cares about its students. When speaking about providing armed
it’s always inappropriate for the Legislature to “We just have to wait and see what the security footprint
He said ASUM’s ability to join a lawsuit or not security for other events, Haslam said,
pass bills that are clearly in the realm where the the district court does,” Thigpen said. “It needed to be.”
has no implication on how well the organiza- “We haven’t talked through that. I’d rely on
Board of Regents should govern,” Blossom said. hasn’t been addressed substantively in the While HB 102 remains
tion can represent UM students. UMPD, the people who provide security, to
ASMSU signed onto a lawsuit brought forth district court yet, and we don’t expect that enjoined, if it leaves litigation
“I have no doubt in ASUM’s ability to repre- give us that advice.”
by the Goetz, Baldwin & Geddes Firm, as well until early next year.” intact and neither the Board of Re-
sent students, and that should not be defined by UMPD Lt. Chris Croft said UMPD em-
as the Graybill Law Firm, following majority ap- But if either the board or the University gents or the University of Montana take
our ability to join a lawsuit or not,” he said. ploys 13 officers and football games are “all
proval by its student senate. This suit is separate
from the one brought by the Board of Regents Send move to take advantage of the exceptions
as currently written, many decisions that
hands on deck.” Men’s basketball, the next
highest-attended sport, averaged just over
advantage of these exceptions for con-
cealed and open carry, firearms will legally
on May 27 that challenged the constitutionality would limit the open and concealed carry be allowed in every stadium and event that
4,000 people a game during the 2019-2020
of HB 102 and resulted in an indefinite hold on of firearms at campus sporting events doesn’t have controlled access and armed
season, according to NCAA attendance
the law June 7. are still up to the University of Montana security.
MAKAYLA O’NEIL | MONTANA KAIMIN records. Croft said only one or two officers MCKENNA JOHNSON | MONTANA KAIMIN
Durnell said last spring was “tense” after
18 Fall 2021 montanakaimin.com montanakaimin.com Fall 2021 19You can also read
