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Gun Control Opponents Say Campus Firearm Ban Won't Make People Safer

By Kelly Ryan

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A new ban on concealed handguns on college and school campuses will go into effect in California on Friday, as the state joins 19 others with similar bans.

It was just a week after this school shooting in Oregon last October where a gunman killed nine people at a community college when Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation to ban the concealed carry of handguns at colleges and school campuses.

Senate Bill 707 goes into effect Jan 1 expanding the current ban of handguns on school and college grounds to include concealed weapons.

Californai law makes it illegal to have a firearm within 1000 feet of a school or college campus without permission from administrators, but it had exempted those with concealed carry permits.

Those in favor of the new law believe allowing firearms on campuses is a dangerous idea, but many opponents like gun store owner Josh Deaser call the bill feel-good legalization.

"This bill that passed is not going to do anything except cause more burden on the law-abiding citizens," he said. "Concealed weapon holders are the most law-abiding citizens out there."

As school shootings have increased, many other states have banned carrying guns on campus.

Last September one man died and two men were injured after a shooting at Sacramento city college. The shooting and manhunt for the gunman frightened campus goers and nearby neighborhoods.

Bill backers say now is the time to keep firearms away from campuses.

But Deaser thinks otherwise.

"It isn't going to prevent solve or deter anything," he said. "All is going to do is prevent, or hinder law abiding citizens from being able to exist and protect themselves and others."

Another law going into effect on Friday would allow family members who believe their loved ones could be capable of a heinous crime to request a restraining order temporarily barring gun ownership for that relative.

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