HB 1652 and the OKACTE....

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WNM

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This was sent to OKACTE members via email, which I am a part of. I will not be paying any dues this year......

http://journalrecord.com/2011/05/05/fourth-reading-protect-careertech-from-house-bill-1652-opinion/

There are certain institutions and fields in Oklahoma that have done well.

For the record, the University of Oklahoma’s football team stands as one of the best – as does the state’s training for veterinarians, our skills at country music and even the number of astronauts we’ve sent into space.

The same can be said about the state’s career-technology system.

Developed – and refined – decades ago by a genius named Francis Tuttle, Oklahoma’s career-technology system has educated thousands of students and provided business training programs for hundreds of thousands more.

Ask any economic development professional and they’ll tell you that CareerTech is one of the state’s selling points when it comes to luring new businesses and industries to this, the land of the red man.

But state Sen. Steve Russell, R-Oklahoma City, wants to change that.

Russell, a veteran of the U.S. Army, is pushing legislation that would allow weapons on CareerTech campuses.

With House Bill 1652, Russell seeks to allow handguns on any property set aside for use or parking at a state career-technology center. The measure would also make it lawful for a concealed handgun to be carried into or on any career-technology center property by a person in possession of a valid concealed handgun license.

The measure is similar to previous legislation that would have allowed guns on college and university campuses. Those bills were either vetoed by former Gov. Brad Henry or failed in the Legislature.

Russell will tell you that his bill helps make a CareerTech school safer by allowing weapons to be stored and locked in students’ cars in a school’s parking lot.

Of course, should an incident involving an armed intruder take place, it’s highly doubtful that the people involved are going to wait until an unarmed student is given a chance to go to a parking lot and retrieve a gun.

Further, should an incident take place at a school and two people exchange gunfire (which I’m assuming is what Russell would want, since he’s all about arming students), then the question remains: How are law enforcement officers going to know who is the bad guy and who is the armed student practicing self-defense?

CareerTech officials call the bill frightening – not a bad idea, not something that needs to be considered, not a difficult policy – but frightening.

I agree.

Russell and his friends at the Oklahoma Rifle Association and their buddies at the National Rifle Association should be ashamed. Putting weapons in a place where there are high school students, grade-school children and even toddlers is a ridiculously bad idea.

For decades, the state’s CareerTech system has been one of Oklahoma’s crowned jewels. It’s provided a world-class education to thousands and has been a key component in our state’s economic development efforts.

And now, during a time when state lawmakers continue to struggle to backfill a $500 million budget hole, Russell wants to turn this educational system into a war zone.

The idea is more than just frightening – it’s wrong.
 

WNM

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Email I received: (Pat McGregor is the Executive Director)

From: Pat McGregor [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, May 06, 2011 10:11 AM
Subject: FW: Journal Record Editorial: Fourth Reading: Protect CareerTech from House Bill 1652



Members: Great support editorial from Scott Carter at the Journal Record…PMc
 

Poke78

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WNM -

Also a member of OkACTE here - also a former division President. I find this to be bothersome coming from Pat. At a certain level, I understand Berkenbile's pronouncements, as well as those from the CT superintendents. I shall have to carefully reflect on whether I will go forward as a dues-paying member or whether I shall write to Pat to express my displeasure. I likely won't write as it really won't change anything because Pat serves at the pleasure of the superintendents.
 

WNM

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I couldn't find a good article supporting 1652 so I wrote this up. Not sure what I will do with it yet.

Why HB 1652 should be passed

Oklahoma HB 1652 will allow conceal carry licensees to keep a firearm in their locked personal vehicle on campus. From previous material you may have received you might think that Career Tech campuses will become a “war zone”. 34 states have passed similar legislation and I have yet to see news reports of shootouts in those vocational-technical school parking lots. HB 1652 will extend what is already legal in most parking lots (including colleges and universities), to the parking lots of Oklahoma’s Career Tech system.

Oklahoma concealed carry licensees have the right to be able to defend themselves when traveling to and from Oklahoma Career Tech campuses, and currently it is illegal. What distinguishes Career Tech parking lots from the parking lots of places like universities, post offices, and courthouses? Those places prohibit carry in their structures, but it is legal to have a firearm in your personal vehicle in the parking lot. (TITLE 21 § 1277)

Take into account some of the crime committed in the area around Tulsa Tech:

In March 2011 there were 12 assaults (some with a deadly weapon), 3 Robberies, and 30 Burglaries around the area of Tulsa Tech. That's 45 crimes committed near a Technology Center in just 31 days.

You go back and look at the other months here and it's the same story. Would you want to be unarmed at a place where crime is that frequent? (http://www.news9.com/category/161407/crime-tracker)
The fact of the matter is this. Oklahomans have the right to be able to defend themselves when traveling to, from, and in Career Tech parking lots. HB 1652 seeks to do just that.
 

HMFIC

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Pretty sad... he sure uses strong language that defines himself in that letter. I guess we know who he is without any doubt now.
 

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