In a surprise policy reversal, Utah Republican Rep. Walt Brooks introduced legislation to ban open carry on the state’s public college campuses, a major shift following heightened scrutiny after last year’s campus shooting at Utah Valley University. Brooks, an NRA member, told committee members he now supports restrictions on weapons in higher-education spaces. The proposed ban would tighten campus safety rules statewide and marks a rare instance of a conservative lawmaker backing gun limits for academic settings. Supporters frame the bill as a response to community safety concerns and the operational realities of campus policing; opponents warn about Second Amendment rights and enforcement complexities. If passed, the measure will force Utah’s public institutions to revise policies on weapons, campus security protocols, and student conduct, with implications for campus policing resources and liability exposure.