Bill Allowing Non-Lethal Weapon Carry On Tennessee Public College Campuses Signed Into Law

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Rebecca Scott] –

On April 23, Governor Bill Lee signed a bill that will allow people to carry non-lethal weapons on college campuses for the purpose of self-defense. 

Part of the bill reads, “A college, university, or other educational institution shall not prohibit an adult person, including a staff member, student, employee, and other adult individuals lawfully present on the college’s, university’s, or institution’s property from carrying pepper spray, pepper gel, mace, a taser, a stun gun, or another similar device for purposes of self-defense when in any public or private school building or bus, on the campus, grounds, recreation area, athletic field, or any other property owned, operated, or while in use by any college or university board of trustees, regents, or directors for the administration of any public or private educational institution.”

The legislation, House Bill 1909 / Senate Bill 1868, has been titled the “Laken Riley Act of 2024” to honor its namesake, a nursing student at the Augusta University College of Nursing in Athens, Georgia, who was reportedly found dead in February near Lake Herrick with “visible injuries” after going for a run at the university’s intramural fields.  

It was later found that her murderer was an illegal alien, who had been previously cited for theft and shoplifting but was released.

The law will go into effect on July 1, 2024, in time for the new school year to begin in August.

Rebecca Scott is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Rebecca at Rebecca@tennesseeconservativenews.com