After more than two hours of preparation and debate, the SG Senate tabled a resolution to support Louisiana House Bill No. 27 which would allow concealed handgun permit-holders to carry their firearms on campus.The resolution was the continuation of a past motion which was brought up in the Senate last year. Former Student Government President Cassie Alsfeld vetoed the resolution last year because the Senate’s vote was too close to be fully representative of student opinion.J.P. Gwaltney, president of the University chapter of Students for Concealed Carry, presented background information to the senate during the public input portion of Wednesday’s Senate meeting.To receive a concealed firearm permit, a 21-year-old must first pass a state and Federal Bureau of Investigation background check, a training course and a shooting competency test administered by the Department of Public Safety, according to Gwaltney.Gwaltney said there are 10 states with pending legislation similar to Louisiana’s House Bill No. 7 and urged the Senate to pass a resolution favorable to it.”It is not my view that campus is no safer than anywhere else I go,” Gwaltney said.After surveying 552 students, SG statistician Joshua Moulton said 62 percent of students surveyed were opposed to allowing concealed handgun permit holders on campus. Moulton said he surveyed students before and after explaining requirements to obtaining a permit. He said no one changed their opinion once they had been presented with the information.SG Resolution No. 20, authored by Sen. Greg Upton, E.J. Ourso College of Business, was the first relevant resolution brought to the floor for debate. The resolution was to be sent to the state to negate a possible resolution by the Louisiana Council of Student Body Presidents which would reject House Bill No. 27.Upton said the resolution had nothing to do with his personal opinion on the concealed firearm issue, but he said he didn’t want to allow the Louisiana COSBP to make a decision for the University.”We shouldn’t have COSBP sending something to the state that isn’t consistent with all of the schools in the state,” Upton said.Once that passed, the Senate began a round of heated debate over SGR No. 21, which would support the state legislature and allow weapons on campus. Eric Fernandez, marketing sophomore and member of SCCC, said he didn’t understand why he could carry a weapon in other parts of the state but couldn’t on campus.”We’re not really enforcing anything on campus, there are no metal detectors,” Fernandez said. “There can actually be weapons on campus, but the people with permits are expected not to have them.”The debate between senators caused a great deal of division between senators caught between accepting the statistician’s findings and rejecting the resolution and those looking to keep campus safe.”Once you take a class in something, you are absolutely qualified.” said Sen. Tyler Martin, E.J. Ourso College of Business. “When you have a permit for a concealed weapon, the purpose is to protect yourself.”Martin also challenged the senators to name a single incident when a permit holder had caused a shooting on campus.Speaker Pro Tempore Drew Prestridge said students should put more faith in the LSU Police Department, emergency text messaging system and other University safety measures.”I’m not saying any of these things will prevent a school shooting, but who’s to say guns would either?” Prestridge said.Because the debate lasted for so long and because the senators are forced out of the Student Union at 10:45 p.m., the resolution was held for one legislative session and will be brought up again next week. —-Contact Adam Duvernay at [email protected]