Arizona Governor Rejects Gun, Presidential Citizenship Bills

          The governor of the southwestern U.S. state of Arizona has vetoed two controversial bills, one which would have allowed guns on the state's college campuses and another that would have required presidential candidates to prove their citizenship.

Governor Jan Brewer rejected both measures Monday.

She said the legislation requiring candidates to provide certain evidence to prove their eligibility was “a bridge too far” . The governor also said it would put too much power in the hands of Arizona's secretary of state, who would judge if a candidate met the criteria.

The bill was backed by those who question whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. The State of Hawaii has confirmed Mr. Obama was born there in 1961.

The gun measure would have permitted weapons in public rights of way, but the governor said the language in the bill did not adequately define those areas. Brewer, a gun-rights advocate, said she worried the unclear wording could lead to gun owners breaking the law by accident.

University presidents lobbied against the bill, saying allowing firearms would make campuses more dangerous. Advocates said the measure would allow students and staff to defend themselves against armed attackers.

The U.S. Constitution requires presidents to be natural-born citizens who are at least 35 years old and have lived in the country for at least 14 years.