WASHINGTON, D.C. (WMOT) -- A Republican Senator will try Wednesday to drum up bipartisan support for a gun control measure in Washington following the Orlando terror attack, while here in Tennessee public universities are wrestling with how best to implement a new law that allows guns on campus.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins is pushing a compromise gun control measure that would let federal prosecutors bar guns for the 81,000 people on the federal no-fly list, and the 28,000 people on the government's selectee list.
Meanwhile, campus police across Tennessee are starting to process applications from college staff members wishing to carry a concealed weapon. A new state law allowing them to do so goes into effect July 1.
University of Tennessee at Knoxville Police Chief Troy Lane says he’ll make it clear what he expects of anyone carrying on his campus.
"We don't consider these to be extra personnel for us in an active shooter situation. What we would advocate for is that you grab those folks around you and look yourselves in an office and defend yourselves and that's it and let the police do what we're trained to do."
Tennessee’s Republican super majority passed the new campus carry bill over the objections of most college administrators earlier this year. But Chief Lane says there’s at least one positive aspect to the new law.
"I've long held the belief that we probably have more guns on campus than we realize. At least I'll have a reasonable idea of who the folks are that are carrying here on campus."
Lane says that to date only about 10 people have applied for UT-Knoxville campus carry permits.