Legislative News
04/02/09
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 harrassment because they choose to do so.
03/05/09
Success! HB 1623 (Protecting CHL personal information from being published) was heard by the House Judiciary Committee today and received only one 'no' vote - passing with overwhelming support. We do nto expect any problems in getting it through the House.
Howver, the senate will be more difficult. Contact your state senator and urge him to support this bill to keep innocent and law-abiding citizens free from dangerous media harrassment.
02/25/09
HB 1237 (allowing churches to decide on allowing CHL on their property) was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee today, but did not receive enough votes to pass. It will be amended and we feel confident that it will eventually make it through.
In bigger news, Rep. Randy Stewert in cooperation with ARCCA filed HB 1623 to prohibit the release of the identities and other associated information concerning concealed handgun licensees. This bill has numerous co-sponsors and ARCCA is hard at work building up an impressive list of agency supporters as well.
02/17/09
HB 1237 (allowing churches to decide on allowing CHL on their property) will be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 25th, at 10:00 a.m., so be sure to contact you state senator and urge him to support this bill. It's a matter of separation of state from church affairs and churches should be free to make this moral decision, like all other private institutions in Arkansas currently do! You can find the contact info for your senator at: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/LegislatorSearch.aspx.
Please make yourself available to attend this hearing if at all possible. It makes a big impact with the committee when the hearing room is filled with supporters of the bill, so please come out and show your support...it will make a difference!
02/12/09
Success! HB 1237 (allowing churches to decide on allowing CHL on their property) passed the House yesterday and now makes its way to the Senate. This is not a gun law, but a reaffirmation of our longstanding First Amendment right separating government from church affairs. Whether you desire CHL in your church or not is not the issue. The issue is that the use of self-defense is a moral decision, and that decision should not be made for churches by the state. Churches have the right to make this decision free of government coersion. Be sure to contact you state Senator and urge him to support this bill and reaffirm our protection of religious freedom!. It's a matter of separation of state from church affairs and churches should be free to make this moral decision, like all other private institutions in Arkansas currently do! You can find the contact info for your representative at: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/LegislatorSearch.aspx.
02/09/09
HB 1237 (allowing churches to decide on allowing CHL on their property) will be voted on by the House on Wednesday, February 11th so be sure to contact you state representative and urge him to support this bill. It's a matter of separation of state from church affairs and churches should be free to make this moral decision, like all other private institutions in Arkansas currently do! You can find the contact info for your representative at: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/LegislatorSearch.aspx.
02/03/09
Success! HB 1237 passed in the House Judiciary Committee with Rep. Beverly Pyle and ARCCA Executive Director, Grant Exton testifying for the bill. A special thanks to the pastors and church leaders, most notably Nathan Petty, who came from near and far to testify on behalf of the bill as well. The bill will be voted on in the House tomorrow where it is expected to pass easily.
02/02/09
Please watch Fox and Friends at 6:20 a.m., Tuesday (February 3rd) on the national Fox News Channel to see ARCCA Executive Director, Grant Exton, discuss the need for HB 1237, removing churches as a restricted area.
01/30/2009
Please watch Channel 7 news at 10:30 p..m. tonight as ARCCA Executive Director, Grant Exton, discusses the need for HB 1237, removing churches as a restricted area.
01/30/2009
There are currently 2 bills regarding concealed handguns filed in this General Session. The first bill is HB 1097 by Rep. Stewart, the "parking lot" bill. The second bill is HB 1237 file by Rep. Pyle, which is to remove churches from the prohibited areas. I will address each bill below:
HB 1097 - This bill has been reviewed by the Arkansas Concealed Carry Association and the Arkansas Rifle and Pistol Association and will require modification before going to committee. There exists many problems with this bill, most notably that it includes too many restrictions and may affect other privileges we currently enjoy
HB 1237 - Rep. Pyle has been in contact with us and thinks that she has a good chance to get this through. She is approaching this as a private property/separation of church and state issue and stating that the State of Arkansas has no pervue in setting church policy. Let's make sure that public opinion doesn't change the legislators' minds. For example, www.fox16.com has a poll that we all need to hit. It is currently split 50/50 about church carry. Also, this bill goes to the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 3. If you can make it, please do. We have a list of pastors and church staff that have signed petitions and intend on being at the committee meeting to support this bill, but we need as many supporters packing the committee room as possible.
We have also been contacted by Rep. Mark Martin and Sen. Denny Altes about their intentions to file an "open carry" bill, which is being addressed and reviewed by ARCCA staff.. As a general rule, ARCCA supports any measure that moves us closer to the Founders original intent that all law-abiding citizens be able to keep and bear arm... in an open or concealed manner.
01/07/2008
SUCCESS! After eight months of negotiations with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and the Arkansas State Police, ARCCA is very pleased to announce another victory for concealed handgun licensees. On December 20th, 2007, the AG&FC voted to allow the following privileges for all concealed carriers:
1. May carry your concealed handgun during any hunting season (archery, muzzleloader, rifle, deer, turkey, dove, etc.)
2. May carry your concealed handgun on any WMA that is not restricted by federal law
3. The threshold for revocation or denial of a CHL has been raised from "any violation involving the use of a weapon", to the accumulation of at least 18 violation points that must have occurred due to violations involving a hunting instrument (rifle, muzzleloader, etc.). It takes a severe violation such as poaching to reach this threshold...having an extra dove over your limit will not result in your license being revoked. These changes take effect on January 20th, 2008.
The AG&FC will require that you carry your license at all times and immediately present your CHL if stopped by a Game & Fish officer.
Many thanks to Executive Director, Grant Exton and former commissioner of the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission and current ARCCA Board of Advisor member, Mike Freeze. Without their exhaustive efforts, this success could have never been realized.
02/25/2008
ARCCA worked with state Senator Farris and the Arkansas State Police in the last legislative session to liberalize the reciprocity we share with other states. The effect of this effort will almost double the number of states that Arkansas concealed carriers will eventually be able to carry in. Below is an up to the minute update of all the states that either reciprocate with or honor an Arkansas conceled carry permit: As more states come on line, they will be posted immediately.
| Utah |
North Carolina |
Minnesota |
North Dakota |
Ohio |
| Arizona |
South Carolina |
Indiana |
Louisiana |
New Hampshire |
| Texas |
Florida |
Virginia |
Mississippi |
Nevada |
| Oklahoma |
Michigan |
Vermont |
Colorado |
Georgia |
| Missouri |
Idaho |
Alaska |
West Virginia |
|
| Tennessee |
Montana |
Pennsylvania |
Alabama |
|
| Kentucky |
South Dakota |
Kansas |
Delaware |
|
|
