South Dakota’s gun laws almost got even looser in the House Education Committee, though a pair of bills were killed before reaching the floor.
The pair of bills would remove enhanced permits for concealed carry on college campuses and allow some employees to carry a concealed pistol inside schools.
Republican Rep. Dylan Jordan said his college campus bill is a matter of evening out the laws for university students.
“They can carry almost everywhere else in South Dakota legally already," Jordan said. "Our young adults – especially our females – on college campuses should not have to pay close to hundreds of dollars and give their fingerprints to the FBI to defend themselves.”
Nathan Lukkes is the executive director of the State Board of Regents and spoke in opposition. He said South Dakota colleges are already gun friendly.
“If you introduce a firearm into a situation, it escalates things drastically," Lukke said. "It changes the calculus for every person involved. Is it too much to require an individual carrying on our campuses to have a one-day training that just covers some of the foundational, fundamental principles of firearm safety and firearm laws in South Dakota?”
Both bills were killed in committee, much to the chagrin of Rep. Jordan as heard in the following interaction.
“Chair, can I have a comment – follow up since the motion,” Jordan asks.
“Absolutely, I’m sorry,” replies committee chair Rep. Lana Greenfield.
“Thank you, madam chair," Jordan continues. "I think this is a pretty simple bill and I didn’t realize I was in Minnesota’s Education Committee, so I’d just like to say I’m disappointed.”
That comment elicited groans and calls for a point of order relating to decorum, which Rep. Greenfield upheld.
“I agree. That wasn’t necessary, so Rep. Jordan I do agree with the point of order.”
The bills failed with respective votes of 9-6 and 12-3.