State law currently prohibits all city and local governments from creating their own regulations on concealed weapons. However, legal loopholes allow several universities and colleges to regulate weapons on their campuses.

State Rep. Wayne Schmidt, R-Traverse City, proposed the bill, which is part of a larger package that seeks to eliminate inconsistencies in firearm regulation across the state. His intent was to clear up any confusion about where a person could or could not carry weapons.

We see how this bill could be useful, if, for instance, it prevented someone unfamiliar with the specific rules of a campus from mistakenly bringing their weapon somewhere unlawfully. The bill would clarify the rules for everyone by deferring to the state law, effectively legalizing firearms on every campus.

Although currently it is legal for those with concealed weapons permits to carry firearms through MSU’s campus, they are prohibited in dorms, classrooms, arenas or stadiums.

Prior to the Board’s vote in June, MSU completely banned guns on campus. At the time, MSU officials claimed the vote was to better align MSU’s policies with that of the state. MSU Trustee Colleen McNamara was the sole trustee to vote against the policy and remains opposed to the bill, saying weapon regulation on campus should be determined solely by the university.

But even though MSU law matches state law in this regard, we do not support the proposed bill, as it would take away the ability for any university or college to decide whether concealed weapons should be permitted on their campuses.

We agree with McNamara and believe MSU should retain its independence to regulate its own policy regarding concealed weapons. It’s worth noting the University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University and Wayne State University still have outright bans on weapons across their campuses.

If MSU ever did want to go back to a complete ban of all guns from campus — as it was before June — it would be unable to do so under the proposed legislation.

It’s unrealistic to expect the state of Michigan even to taper the rights of its citizens to legally carry firearms. Blanket legislation would force those opposed to guns on campus to fight a long and drawn-out fight in the state Legislature, as opposed to the MSU Trustee boardroom.

The question of whether students should retain the right to carry guns through campus is a contentious one, and we make no judgement whether or not carrying a weapon is a good or bad thing.

But if a university — be it MSU or any other — should decide they want to ban firearms, it should retain the right to do so.