Calling it a compromise is kind of a joke. It's more realistic to call it a hijacking.

This from Arkansas Business, "A Senate panel has approved keeping the names and ZIP codes of Arkansans licensed to carry concealed handguns open to the public, but block other personal information from release.

The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday advanced an amended version of Rep. Randy Stewart's proposal to restrict information released about concealed-carry permits. Stewart had originally proposed keeping the entire list secret, but the amended version allows the release of names and ZIP codes.

Stewart on Thursday at first proposed only releasing the names of those with the permits, but press groups objected and said not releasing geographic information would make the list useless to the public.

The measure now heads to the Senate for a vote."

I say hijacking because that's pretty much what the committee did. They added an amendment to Rep. Stewart's bill that effectively gutted it of most of the provisions that were put in the bill to protect the privacy of permit holders in the first place.

They added "zip codes" to the list of exemptions, by a voice vote on request by the APA, the Managing Editor of the Democrat Gazette and the Publisher of the Arkansas Times. To be fair, Senator Laverty was not present.

They did all this against the wishes of the bill's sponsor. Unbelieveable.

The press will still be able to publish the list of names, with zip codes which will still enable them and others to distinguish you from others who may have similar names.

The bill will still keep private your address, your social security number, and things of that nature private, so it wasn't a total loss.

But you can thank Senator Ed Wilkinson and Senator Kim Hendren for hijacking the bill.

UPDATE - Here's ARCCA's press release:

Arkansas Senate Committee Guts Concealed Carry Privacy Bill.

Today the Arkansas Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs gutted a bill that would have guaranteed Arkansas concealed carry permit holders their 4th Amendment right to privacy under the Freedom of Information Act.

The Committee acted upon the dubious pressure of the Governor, Mike Beebe, Senator Ed Wilkinson and the Arkansas Press Association. In doing so they have said in a loud clear voice, that the most law abiding segment of society should have less rights than those of convicted felons in the state of Arkansas.

The Arkansas Freedom of Information Act provides for the responsible and accountable release of information to serve the public interest of transparent government, while at the same time ensuring the protection of long-standing personal privacy rights. Governor Beebe and Senator Ed Wilkinson have taken a stance which is totally contrary to this stated purpose.

Consequently, not only are concealed handgun licensees the only citizens required to gain permission from their government to exercise a God-given constitutional right, they continue to be subject to defacto gun registration and further harassment because they choose to do so.