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Miami Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
FSU students have plan to prevent campus shootings — after all, they lived through one
On April 17, 2025, a gunman entered the campus of Florida State University in Tallahassee — our campus — killing two people and injuring six others. Phoenix Ikner, 20, an FSU undergraduate student from Tallahassee, is being charged with the murder of Coach Robert Morales— a local legend who coached high school football and had ties to Miami — and Tiru Chabba, a South Carolinian food service executive visiting FSU for work. A lack of gun control didn't directly cause this tragedy. Ikner used firearms that legally belonged to his parents; his stepmother is a Leon County Sheriff's deputy. While there is no single solution to prevent gun violence, a group of FSU students has developed a three-part proposal to mitigate the risk of school shootings on college campuses. We propose three legislative acts: the ACCESS Act, the ARMOR Act and the AGENT Act. ▪ The ACCESS Act addresses a long-standing issue for college students — access to mental health resources. College students are an especially vulnerable group when it comes to mental health. This act would create the Office of Mental Health Services to provide oversight and coordinate mental health resources across Florida's public university system. It would fund the hiring of more licensed mental health practitioners and train existing staff on specialized care. A portion of services would be provided by licensed professionals, with support from graduate students earning clinical hours. Of course, counseling alone cannot prevent all forms of gun violence. ▪ The ARMOR Act is designed to ensure that every classroom door on Florida's 110 public college campuses can be locked from the inside during an emergency. This simple yet crucial infrastructure upgrade could save lives by buying time during active shooter events. ▪ The AGENT Act is a more controversial but, we believe, necessary measure. It gives students the right to protect themselves from armed threats, like the one we faced in April. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Gun-Free School Zones Act to curb campus violence. However, in practice, this designation has turned campuses into soft targets — spaces where law-abiding citizens cannot respond to threats. The AGENT Act in accordance with federal statute, would permit campus carry of guns in Florida under tightly controlled conditions. It would not simply follow Florida's constitutional carry law. Instead, the AGENT Act would require a concealed carry weapons (CCW) permit, which involves a live-fire proficiency test. To carry on campus, students and staff would have to pass this test annually and undergo regular mental health check-ins through the new Office of Mental Health Services or an equivalent body on private campuses. Our bill is modeled on elements from Georgia and West Virginia's campus carry laws and includes important limitations. For instance, weapons would not be allowed in on-campus daycares to eliminate risks to infants and children. Similarly, areas with 'adequate security measures'— meaning locations with electronic screening and armed staff— would be exempt from carry permissions, as those spaces already have built-in protections. By combining mental health investment, safety-focused infrastructure upgrades and regulated campus carry, we believe Florida can make meaningful progress in protecting students. We, the students behind this proposal, urge the Florida Legislature to act. We also call on the public to demand meaningful change from their elected officials. We are looking for legislative sponsors and are meeting with Florida representatives and senators. Together, we can turn a tragic moment into a lasting transformation that protects the future of our state — and its students. Reid Seybold is pursuing a bachelor's degree in political science at FSU. Noah Brown is pursuing a master's degree in applied American politics. They can be reached at: TheAAASolution@
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Back and forth among legislators about Arkansas ACCESS higher education legislation
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There was much back and forth at the Arkansas capitol on Monday as the ACCESS Act began its legislative journey. The ACCESS Act is Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' higher education reform plan. It stands for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarship and standardization. Arkansas ACCESS higher education bills entered in legislature The debate at the capitol mainly surrounded what should be excused versus unexcused for students in public and open enrollment public charter school districts who get involved in state politics. Currently in the bill, state-supported colleges and universities would count as unexcused student absences for public policy advocacy or attempts to influence legislation and political protests. Bill sponsors made an amendment Monday afternoon for schools to allow an excused absence for public policy advocacy or to influence legislation if parents provide written permission. Originally, that kind of participation would've been counted as unexcused. However, political protests would still be unexcused. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces Arkansas ACCESS higher education reform legislation The changes are being made after concerns about different consequences school districts have for unexcused absences, like being unable to make up missed assignments. The bill has other aspects that many legislators seemed to be in favor of including raising the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship from $1,000 to $2,000 for college freshmen and making a statewide application for all state colleges and universities. An amended version of the ACCESS Act passed in the Joint Education Committee and is heading to the House and Senate floors. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Capitol View: State Rep. Keith Brooks, legislative session
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Education has been a big topic in this recent legislative session. Capitol View host Roby Brock met with Republican State Rep. Keith Brooks to discuss the governor's higher education bill, the ACCESS Act, and the Hoops for Kids' Sake annual charity legislative basketball game. Roby then talks with KARK capitol reporters Caroline Derby and Alex Kienlen about the biggest debates that legislators tackled this week. Capitol View airs on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Talk Business & Politics: Flywheel Energy COO David Howald, State Rep. Matthew Shephard
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There is new activity in the Fayetteville Shale Play, the once booming natural gas territory in north central Arkansas. Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met with Flywheel Energy COO David Howald about new drilling that's expected. Roby then talks with former speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Matthew Shepherd to talk about the ongoing legislative session and his role as the lead sponsor on the governor's higher education bill, the ACCESS Act. Talk Business & Politics airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on FOX 16. For more coverage, head to Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Capitol View: State Rep. Matthew Shepherd, KARK reporter Caroline Derby & State Sen. Clarke Tucker
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – There was a spotlight last week on Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sander's higher education overhaul. Capitol View host Roby Brock met with former speaker of the Arkansas House of Representatives, Republican Rep. Matthew Shepherd to talk about the ongoing legislative session and his role as the lead sponsor of the governor's higher education bill, the ACCESS Act. Roby then talks with KARK capitol reporter Caroline Derby who gives an overview of the week in legislative activity. Roby also speaks with Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker about the fight against specific bills during the legislative session. Capitol View airs on Sundays at 8:30 a.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
