The Tennessee General Assembly is considering legislation that would enshrine the legal right of members of the public to carry a variety of non lethal weapons on college campuses.
Already passed in the Tennessee House of Representatives on last Monday, HB 1909 by Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) would specify “that it is not a criminal offense for an adult person to carry or possess pepper spray, a taser, or another similar device for purposes of self-defense” when on any college or university.
Bulso tied the legislation to the murder of Laken Riley, the nursing student who was killed while out for a run on the University of Georgia (UGA) campus. UGA police claim Riley was killed by Jose Ibarra, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela, and that his brutal attack on Riley left her disfigured.
“This bill simply allows students to protect themselves with the use of non-lethal weapons while on college campus,” said Bulso in the Tennessee House.
The lawmaker then cited the “tragic events that happened in Athens, Georgia,” before directly mentioning “the unnecessary murder of Laken Riley, who was jogging on the UNiversity of Georgia campus at the time she was assaulted and killed.”
Devices specifically named in the legislation include “pepper spray, pepper gel, mace, a taser, a stun gun, or another similar device for purposes of self-defense.”
Legislators in favor of the legislation would make it illegal to prohibit such items “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 Tennessee Senate Judiciary Committee was originally scheduled to hear on Monday SB 1868, the Senate version of the bill, and will consider it this month.
Police at UGA, who are investigating Riley’s murder, have refused multiple requests by the media to release details or the audio of a 911 call police say the student attempted to place while struggling with Ibarra.
Details of the student’s final moments remain unknown, but police additionally claimed in their charging documents that Ibarra first kidnapped and held Riley before attempting to conceal her body.
Riley was reported missing just after noon on February 22 and her body was discovered about a half hour later.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gino Bulso” by Gino Bulso and photo “Laken Riley” by Laken Riley.
