In a sharp policy reversal, Republican Rep. Walt Brooks introduced legislation to ban open carry on Utah’s public college campuses after previously supporting laxer gun rules. The bill follows national scrutiny of campus safety after the fatal shooting of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. Brooks, an NRA member, framed the shift as a response to campus safety concerns; the proposal would curtail a permissive open‑carry environment at state institutions. The measure has drawn immediate attention from university leaders, campus police and higher‑education policy groups. If enacted, the law would reshape campus security protocols and faculty‑and‑student debates about the balance between second‑amendment rights and educational safety, with practical consequences for campus policing, event planning and liability exposure.