Appellate Judges Mary Cavanagh and Deborah Servitto ruled that “the university is a school, and thus, a sensitive place. Therefore, Article X is constitutionally permissible because laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places are consistent with the Second Amendment.”
Legal challenges to allow campus carry in Michigan gained momentum after the tragic Feb. 13 shooting incident at MSU. Many argued that students and others on campus deserve the right to defend themselves in a similar situation.
Not so, ruled the court.
The lawsuit currently in question dates to 2015 when Ann Arbor resident Joshua Wade requested permission to carry his legally owned firearm on the University of Michigan campus.
That request was denied, and he filed suit against the school. However, the state trial court and then an appellate court ruled against Wade. His case was to come before the Michigan Supreme Court when the U.S. Supreme Court issued last year’s landmark Bruen ruling.
That led to the Michigan Supreme Court ordering the state court of appeals to hear his arguments once again.
The issue, however, may not be settled for good.
There is a push to change current Michigan law and allow campus carry at state colleges and universities. House Bill 4285, which is sponsored by state Rep. Gina Johnsen (R) of Lake Odessa, touted the measure as a response to the MSU shooting.
She described herself as “horrified” at the thought of her children encountering the same situation and not having the ability to defend themselves.
In a statement, Johnsen declared that “law-abiding gun owners should be allowed to carry on college campuses. Everyone deserves the right to protect themselves and others. Disarming responsible individuals only puts lives at risk.”
