Arkansas lawmakers voted Thursday to exempt college sporting events from a new state law that greatly expands where concealed handguns are allowed, moving quickly to address concerns about the sweeping gun rights measure leading to armed spectators at stadiums and arenas.
I’m not sure about this one. I am all for people being allowed to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights wherever they go, but I have mixed emotions on this one.
They’re sporting events. Alcohol, tempers and adrenaline reaching their pinnacles; I’m not sure that this is a great idea.
Personally, if I am drinking; I don’t have a firearm anywhere near me. I just think it is common sense. Alcohol and Firearms don’t mix. I guess we’ll see how this new law in Arkansas plays out.
The Arkansas Senate voted 22-10 to add the exemption to a new state law that Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed Wednesday allowing concealed handguns at colleges, government buildings, some bars and even the state Capitol. It allows people with concealed handgun licenses to carry in the locations if they complete eight hours of active-shooter training.
The change , which now heads to the House, also would exempt the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the state hospital from the gun rights expansion.
The law as-is would let guns into Razorback Stadium while umbrellas remain banned. The lawmaker who called for the sports exemption noted that there’s already police and security on hand for stadium and arena events.
“It’s one of those areas where I don’t think the value offsets the risk,” Republican Sen. Jim Hendren, the Senate majority leader, said before the vote. “There’s alcohol, there’s people getting excited and so probably I think most people agree that maybe this is one of those areas we ought to think about before we expand the privileges.”
The law takes effect Sept. 1, but Arkansas residents likely won’t be allowed to carry concealed weapons into the expanded locations until early next year. The law gives Arkansas State Police until January to design the additional training that will be required. More than 220,000 people have concealed handgun licenses in Arkansas.