Gov. Jim Justice made the campus carry bill official Wednesday morning as he signed the Campus Self-Defense Act with members of the National Rifle Association in the room.
The law will go into effect on July 1, 2024.
“We need to stand rock solid by who we are and by the Second Amendment,” he said. “We need to send a message to the world that, by God, if you want to mess with us, we can mess back.”
The bill allows anyone with a conceal carry permit to have a firearm in most areas of any higher education campus in the state.
Justice said people “have wanted this for a long time” and West Virginia has been an “unbelievable supporter of the Second Amendment for a long, long time.”
“We have been a national leader and need to put our stake in the sand,” he said, and West Virginia joins 11 other states with the law, including Texas and Utah.
Justice said the bill is not an answer to completely solve the problem with shootings around the country, but people who intend to do that usually look for “soft targets” where there are no weapons.
This bill means people have a way to defend themselves if it does happen, he said.
Art Thomm, state director of Legislative Affairs at the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, also spoke at the signing as many NRA members and some legislators were in attendance.
“The Campus Self-Defense Act recognizes the fact that danger doesn’t disappear just because you’ve stepped onto campus grounds,” Thomm said. “Now, those who choose to exercise the right will have the ability to protect themselves, their classmates, and their loved ones should they need. The NRA thanks Gov. Justice, the most pro-gun governor West Virginia has seen in a very long time, for signing this bill, Sen. Phillips for his sponsorship, as well as the tens of thousands of NRA members and supporters throughout West Virginia who pushed to make this law a reality.”
“It gives me incredible pride to stand arm in arm with you,” Justice told the NRA members, adding that “law-abiding people have a right to be able to carry if they choose to do so.”
“It is a proud day for me,” he said. “It is a great day for West Virginia.”
The bill includes exceptions that allow colleges and universities to regulate where permit holders may carry on their campus, and those exceptions include sports facilities, day cares, health facilities, and residence halls.
Firearms will also not be allowed to be carried in a “sole occupancy office,” like an instructor’s office, or in residence halls except common areas such as lounges, dining areas and study areas. Safe storage of weapons must also be made available.
Only a pistol or revolver can be carried and must not be visible. A conceal carry permit is required.
Many presidents of universities and colleges in the state opposed the bill, citing mental health and suicide issues among college students, especially after the pandemic, the concern of other students who choose not to carry a weapon and the cost of providing storage space and security.
However, the bill passed the GOP super majority House and Senate overwhelmingly.