Colorado Court Revives Fight for Guns on Campus

(CN) - A student group can continue its fight for the right to carry concealed weapons on campus, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled.

Texas-based Students for Concealed Carry on Campus challenged the Weapons Control Policy of the University of Colorado. The policy bans firearms on any of the university's campuses, leased buildings or campus police jurisdiction.

The trial court dismissed the complaint for failure to state a claim, but the appeals court, in a case of first impression, allowed it to continue.

"Because the (Concealed Carry Act) expressly applies to 'all areas of the state,' we conclude that plaintiffs have stated a claim for relief under the CCA. We further conclude that plaintiffs have stated a claim for relief under the Colorado Constitution ... which affords individuals the right to bear arms in self-defense," Judge Robert Hawthorne wrote.

According to the ruling, co-plaintiffs Martha Altman, Eric Mote and John Davis intend to carry a handgun for self-defense purposes at the university. They, along with the SCCC, now have their complaint reinstated, although Hawthorne did not issue an opinion on the merits of their case.

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