A new law in Texas will allow anyone holding a valid concealed handgun license to carry a gun on public college campuses starting Aug. 1, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston submitted a plan Wednesday to comply with the law.
Because MD Anderson is a public institution of higher learning, it must comply with the Campus Carry law, even though many other hospitals in the state are exempt.
Under the plan, which was approved by MD Anderson President Ronald DePinho, MD, people will be allowed to conceal and carry on certain parts of the MD Anderson campus.
Handguns will not be allowed in the following areas of the hospital campus:
- Patient care areas
- Research laboratories
- Animal care facilities
- Child care facilities, pediatric activity areas, pediatric school areas and places where activities for children are hosted
- Worship, spiritual reflection and meditation areas
- Areas required to be excluded by law
Guns will be allowed in most of the hospital's administrative offices, landscaping and storage warehouses and some parking garages.
"Our primary goal at MD Anderson is to ensure the safety of our patients, visitors, faculty, staff and students while complying with Texas law," said Dr. DePinho. "Our working group listened to many passionate opinions expressed about this issue and considered all feedback in putting together our plan. I am confident it addresses our goals."
The UT board of regents still needs to vote on the plan, which will happen in May. Come August, when the Campus Carry law goes into effect, MD Anderson will place signs in excluded areas and communicate with patients, visitors, faculty and staff about where handguns are allowed and not allowed.
The University of Texas submitted its own plan to comply with the law earlier this year, recommending guns be banned in dorm rooms but allowed in most offices, off-campus residence halls and classrooms, according to a Fox News report.