Committee holds bill to clarify concealed‑carry rules at schools and daycares

Representative Trevor Stoddard told the House Public Utilities and Energy Standing Committee on Feb. 12 that HB180 (second substitute) does not change who may carry a firearm at daycares or K–12 schools but would clarify how a permitted person may carry on those premises.

"It does not change the law regarding concealed carry on daycare or K–12 schools," Stoddard said, adding the measure would specify that a person must carry concealed where code already requires a concealed‑carry permit.

Supporters and opponents urged caution about gaps the sponsor acknowledged remain. Clark Capotion, who identified himself as chair of the Utah Shooting Sports Council, said the bill’s focus on possession rather than the disruption caused by open carry left enforcement and operational questions unresolved. "Utah Shooting Sports Council is in opposition to the bill as it stands right now," Capotion testified, arguing existing statute (76‑9‑106) better addresses disruptive conduct and school‑function definitions.

An online commenter, Kathy Adams, urged the committee to advance what she called a common‑sense safety measure. "Gun violence is an epidemic in this country, and we should be pursuing policies like HB180 aimed at ending this epidemic," she said.

Members pressed on definitions that the sponsor said are hard to fix in committee, particularly how to treat after‑school or school‑sanctioned events held off school property. Representative Albright asked whether the bill would cover activities after school; Stoddard said drafting questions about what counts as a "school‑sanctioned" event complicated ready amendments.

Representative Shipp moved to hold the bill so sponsors and staff can refine definitions and related language; Stoddard said he was willing to continue working on it. The chair ruled the motion to hold passed unanimously. The committee did not take further action on HB180 at this meeting.

What happens next: The sponsor plans to work with the drafting attorney and committee members on amendments to clarify after‑hours event definitions and inadvertent display rules before the bill is brought back for further committee consideration.