Repealing Gun-Free Zones Won’t Mean AR-15s In Wyoming Capitol, Sponsor Says

Even if a bill to repeal Wyoming’s gun free zones becomes law, it won’t mean that people could pack whatever guns they wanted wherever they wanted, the bill’s sponsor said. 

“We do not need somebody with an AR-15 slung across their chest standing in the (Wyoming House chamber) balcony while we’re doing a vote on a contentious issue,” Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, told the House Judiciary Committee on Friday. 

Haroldson, who is not a member of that committee, was testifying for House Bill 172, which he is sponsoring. 

The bill would eliminate gun-free zones in places such as the Wyoming Capitol building, K-12 schools and within buildings on the University of Wyoming campus. 

But it comes with conditions, such as allowing only concealed carry within the Capitol, not open carry. 

Haroldson was one of the chief sponsors of a similar bill to repeal gun-free zones that passed both the Wyoming House and Senate during the 2024 legislative session. 

However, that bill was vetoed by Gov. Mark Gordon. 

With HB 172, Haroldson is making good on his promise to keep pushing for the repeal of gun-free zones in the wake of Gordon’s veto. 

He’s also sponsoring House Bill 174, which would lower the age requirement for concealed carry permits from 21 to 18. 

The House Judiciary Committee on Friday listened to about an hour of testimony, both for and against the gun-free zone bill.

Because of time restrictions, the committee took no action on the issue Friday. 

Committee Chairman Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, said the committee will “work the bill” Monday, and possibly vote on whether to forward it to the House floor. 

Some Restrictions Apply

Harold said some modifications had been written into HB 172 to address some criticisms of the 2024 gun-free zones bill. 

In some places, such as the Capitol and adjacent state buildings, “constitutional” concealed carry would apply, he said. 

He was refereeing to Wyoming’s over-arching status as a constitutional carry state. Meaning, people aren’t required to have a permit to legally carry concealed firearms in many places here.

Some people still choose to get concealed carry permits, usually through their county sheriff’s office. 

Under HB 172, concealed carry permits would be required in some locations, such as K-12 public schools, community colleges or inside buildings or at UW, Haroldson said. 

The concealed carry requirement prevents HB 172 from violating federal gun-free zone laws as they apply to schools that receive federal funding, he said. 

There would also be places where guns would be strictly forbidden, he added, such as at university sports events where alcohol is being served. 

“We don’t want the student section at the University of Wyoming on game day to be encouraged to bring their concealed carry weapon to that game,” Haroldson said. 

Places such as mental health treatment facilities and jails would also remain gun-free zones. 

Firearms would be forbidden in places such as UW laboratories housing volatile substances that might spark an explosion if a gun was fired inside the room, he said. 

He added that private property owners would retain the right to decide for themselves whether to allow guns on their property or in their privately owned businesses. 

Are Gun-Free Zones More Dangerous?

Because gun-free zones are a controversial topic, Washut opened the meeting by setting strict ground rules for testimony. He asked speakers to keep their comments brief and allowed for a half-hour of testimony in favor of the bill, and then a half-hour for opponents to speak. 

And he remined the audience to remain polite. 

“No outbursts, no name calling no throwing stuff, right? Were going to get along this morning and everybody’s going to learn what everybody has to say,” he said. 

The testimony went smoothly with no hot tempers or objects hurled.

Those speaking in favor of the bill argued that it’s a matter bringing Wyoming policy in line with Second Amendment rights and giving people the ability to defend themselves and their children. 

Testifying over Zoom, Shelta Rambur said she’s the mother of a Wyoming high school student, and thinks it’s the responsibility of adults to protect children from mass shooters. 

“Right now, as it stands, you have children who are in charge of throwing staplers and water bottles at gunmen,” she said. 

Mark Jones of Buffalo, the national director for Gun Owners of America – along with others – stated that gun-free zones just create targets of opportunity for mass murderers. They cited studies suggesting that the vast majority of mass shootings happen in gun-free zones. 

Committee Member Ken Chestek, D-Laramie, questioned the accuracy of studies that suggest gun-free zones are more dangerous. 

Jones replied that flawed research is on the anti-gun side. 

“The Biden administration cooked the books” and classified many gang-related murders as “mass shootings,” he said. 

Sen. Lynn Hutchings, R-Cheyenne, told the committee that repealing gun-free zones would allow legislators to protect themselves. 

“As a representative and as a senator, my life has been threatened several times,” she said. “I had to, during my first term in the Legislature, be escorted to my car for a couple of weeks. The media didn’t report that, but they reported all the evil things that supposedly I had done.

“This is not a safe place for us. At one point I was allowed to carry something to protect myself, but it wasn’t a firearm.”

What About Local Control?

Those speaking against the bill said that allowing guns in more places will increase the danger to students and others. 

Testifying over Zoom, Dubois High School student Mia Chandler said that she and other students feel well-protected by local law enforcement, including their school resources officer. 

The officer “is someone we all know and recognize. Someone who has built a trust like no other, someone we trust with our lives,” she said. 

Allowing strangers to carry guns, potentially including 18-year-old students, would shatter that feeling of security, Chandler said. 

“A single moment of escalation could have irreversible consequences,” she said. 

Erica Cole of Cheyenne said that possibly allowing 18-year-old high school students and college freshman to be armed is a bad idea. 

She added that repealing gun-free zones isn’t supported by most Wyomingites. 

“The bottom line is, the majority of the public doesn’t want this. Your constituents don’t want this,” she said. 

Along with several others, Albany County Sheriff Aaron Appelhans said that HB 172 undermines local control of firearms policy. 

School districts and other local entities are best suited to decide whether they want to allow firearms, and under what circumstances, he said. 

School districts can already choose to have some of their staff certified, trained and armed, Appelhans said. 

“The law that we currently have on the books works well. School districts are moving forward with programs on their own volition,” he said.

Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.