As states across the country continue to pass laws allowing concealed weapons on college and university campuses, Wisconsin shows no signs of following suit.

Since 1871, the state of Wisconsin has had a ban on carrying concealed weapons. Now, it is one of only two states in the country to still have a ban on concealed carry, the other state being Illinois. Even though most states allow the carrying of a concealed weapon in the general public, almost all universities and colleges around the country have had a ban on their campuses.

The Arizona state Senate Judiciary Committee approved a bill last week that would allow people ages 21 and up with concealed weapon permits to carry guns on college campuses in the state. There are 15 states around the country considering similar legislation.

However, Sen. Fred Risser, D-Madison, said Wisconsin currently has proposed no legislation to allow the carrying of concealed weapons in this state, on college campuses or not, and he doesn?t expect there will be any in the future.

State Rep. Frank Lasse, R-Green Bay, tried to get a bill passed last year to allow teachers in public schools to carry concealed weapons but was quickly shot down by the Legislature.

According to Dale Burke, assistant chief of the University of Wisconsin Police, law enforcement has always opposed the carrying of concealed weapons in Wisconsin.

?The state has had a prohibition against concealed carry for over 100 years, and we see no reason to change that now,? Burke said. ?Especially since our society is getting more violent and there have been more gun deaths and school shootings, why would we want to allow more people to carry guns??

Some say allowing concealed weapons is that they could aid in self defense in situations such as muggings, rapes or even school shootings, like recent incidents at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University.

UW philosophy professor Lester Hunt said the trouble with guns is that they end up in the hands of the wrong people.

?With the right people they are a good deterrent and they can be used for protection. ? There is a lot of anecdotal evidence to show [this],? Hunt said.

Burke said law enforcement officers understand supporters of concealed weapons may be well-intentioned, but it is not realistic to think that just because someone is armed he or she can save the world.

?Some people believe that arming everybody is the solution to reducing the violent crimes that currently exist in society,? Burke said. ?Most law enforcement people don?t believe this is true; we think this is very irrational. We don?t want more bullets flying around.?

Risser said allowing a law like this to be passed would be a mistake.

?I think this is a very bad policy,? Risser said. ?I can?t see any purpose to students carrying guns on campus. I think it would only contribute to the dangers of a campus community.?

Hunt said if criminals know there are potentially people carrying weapons on a college campus, this would help to prevent criminals from taking action.

?There are certain places in society that weapons are banned, such as post offices, schools and churches, but if you ever notice, these are the places that shootings tend to happen,? Hunt said. ?You never hear about this kind of thing happening in a bar because you know that they have a baseball bat and gun behind the counter.?

Burke said organizations like the National Rifle Association play on people?s fear so more lenient gun laws will be passed, adding the NRA wants anyone to be able to get a concealed weapons permit if they pass a simple criminal history check, but law enforcement officers think this is not enough.

?What if someone has a mental disease? It doesn?t check that. The record check is a snapshot in time. ? It?s only good for so much,? Burke said.

For Burke, concealed weapons have less of a place on a college campus than they do in any other setting.

?College campuses are overwhelmingly safer places than your average town or city,? Burke said.

State Rep. Scott Suder, R-Abbotsford, said legislators will have a discussion about changing Wisconsin?s laws regarding carrying concealed weapons in the near future.

?I do think in the near future we will have the right to carry weapons to protect ourselves, our families and our friends,? Suder said.