A new bill set to be considered during Wyoming’s 2025 legislative session aims to allow the concealed carry of firearms in K-12 schools and on college campuses for those with an “enhanced” permit.
The bill, sponsored by State Sen. Ed Cooper, R-Ten Sleep, seeks to strike a middle ground in the ongoing debate over gun-free zones in the state.
Senate File 37 would create a new category of permit called the “enhanced” concealed carry permit, allowing permit holders to legally carry firearms in K-12 school zones, as well as on university and college campuses. Concealed carry is currently legal in Wyoming without a permit in most areas, but gun-free zones — which include schools and university campuses — remain an exception.
The new permit would require applicants to meet additional requirements, including:
- Completion of at least eight hours of in-person firearms training with a certified instructor.
- Instruction on Wyoming firearms laws, firearm possession, and the use of deadly force.
- Live fire training, including the firing of at least 98 rounds.
- Demonstrated proficiency with a firearm.
- Submission of fingerprints for a background check.
- Possession of a Wyoming-issued driver’s license or state ID.
“This gives anybody that’s willing to spend hours understanding their responsibilities (that) they’ve got a full right to conceal carry in a school,” Sen. Cooper said. “As long as they’re willing to step up and take a little bit of training.”
The proposed legislation comes as Wyoming’s gun-free zones have become a contentious issue in state politics. Lawmakers passed a bill to repeal gun-free zones earlier this year, but it was vetoed by Governor Mark Gordon. Sen. Cooper supported the bill in committee but later voted against it due to concerns about the legislative process, not the merits of the proposal.
Cooper said the idea for his bill was brought to him by constituents, including a parent who wanted the ability to carry a firearm while dropping his child off at school and a longtime gun dealer who advocated for a more restrictive permitting process than the bill currently outlines.
“We want to make sure that we don’t encroach on anybody’s Second Amendment rights,” Cooper said.
Supporters of the bill, like co-sponsor Sen. Wendy Schuler, R-Evanston, see it as a compromise measure. Schuler said she deliberated on whether to support the bill, noting that it might make more sense for school staff — who are known to students and employees — to be armed. She expressed concerns that a random individual carrying a firearm on campus during an active shooter situation could be mistaken for the shooter.
“Who’s to know that he’s not the shooter?” Schuler said.
On the other side of the debate, strong opposition has emerged from lawmakers and gun rights advocates. Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, criticized the proposal as “a solution in search of a problem.” Haroldson, who plans to reintroduce a bill to eliminate gun-free zones entirely, said Cooper’s proposal creates unnecessary confusion.
Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, a vocal advocate for gun rights, also opposes the bill. He warned that requiring enhanced permits could lead to future restrictions on gun ownership.
“Anytime you start having these secondary requirements, there’s a chance it would lead to higher standards in the future,” Bouchard said. “How the government goes so will the private sector.”
Gun safety advocacy groups are also voicing opposition. Beth Howard, Wyoming legislative lead for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense, criticized the idea of statewide mandates on where firearms can be carried, saying local school districts should be able to decide for themselves.
Wyoming’s gun laws have long been a subject of fierce debate. In 2017, the Legislature passed a law allowing teachers and school staff to carry concealed firearms if their school district approved the policy. However, only a few school districts have implemented it, which Cooper sees as evidence of hesitation about allowing more firearms in schools.
“If more schools were armored, I might not have pushed this forward,” he said.
Cooper views his proposal as a way to start a broader conversation about the future of gun-free zones in the state. While he supports repealing gun-free zones outright, he believes his bill offers a more measured approach.
The Wyoming Legislature will consider the bill during the 2025 general session, which begins on January 14. Sen. Cooper said he hopes the bill will lead to a “further discussion” about the broader issue of gun-free zones. He also left open the possibility of his bill being merged with future proposals related to gun-free zones.
“When we run into these more contentious topics, they need to be discussed, and this is an avenue to discuss it,” Cooper said.
If passed, the bill would allow enhanced concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms onto school campuses and at college athletic events. Proponents argue that the training and education required for the enhanced permit add accountability for those seeking to carry firearms on school grounds.
With input from Cowboy State Daily, Casper Star-Tribune, and Gillette News Record.
