ASUM is opposing House Bill 2, a budgeting bill that proposes cuts to higher education funding for the next two years, as well as cuts to mental health support, while giving more money toward implementing the new gun law.Â
Maggie Bornstein, ASUMâs student political action director, cited multiple reasons for ASUMâs opposition to HB 2, including a lack of funding to suicide prevention efforts. The bill would also give a $1 million provision to implement the requirements of HB 102, which allows the concealed carry of firearms on campus starting in June.Â
Bornstein said that while the bill makes some effort to restore cuts to need-based aid with national COVID-19 relief funding, ASUMâs concern is that the relief funding wasnât meant to provide a supplement for cuts.Â
Yellowstone Public Radio
Montana State University senior Chance Kind shows where he carries a concealed Glock 19 pistol on Feb. 20, 2021.
The Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education (OCHE) is now taking public comments on how to carry out a new law that allows concealed carry firearms on all Montana University System campuses.
This aspect of House Bill 102 becomes effective on June 1.
OCHE is drafting a university system-wide policy proposal for the Board of Regents to approve at their meeting May 26-27. OCHE is reviewing concealed carry laws by other states and any corresponding campus policies.
ASUM held a press conference on Thursday morning as an opportunity to speak against House Bill 112.
HB 112, known as the âSave Womenâs Sports Act,â aims to make transgender athletes compete in sports under the gender they were assigned at birth.
Beatrix Frissell, a sophomore on the cross country team at UM, has repeatedly advocated against HB 112 at the state Legislature. Frissell also spoke about the bill at Thursdayâs press conference.
âThe passing of this bill not only takes away the ability for us athletes to compete in sport, but it also takes away my privacy as a female athlete, it prevents the possibility for our university to host championship tournaments, and it opens up the University and the state of Montana to costly and devastating lawsuits,â Frissell said.
University of Montana Housingâs live-in, full-time staff met last week to discuss how to implement House Bill 102, which will allow guns on UMâs campus and student housing starting in June.Â
The meeting came after the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education announced in an email to students and staff in late March that a draft of its policy on the bill will be completed by early May. The policy will implement HB 102, a bill Gov. Greg Gianforte signed in February that will allow open and concealed carry of firearms on campuses in the Montana University System starting on June 1.Â