A sign prohibiting firearms is posted outside Little Rock City Hall on Sept. 26, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
Recommendations from a year-long study on firearm policies, including one that would allow adults in Arkansas to bring firearms to school bus stops, were posted online Friday for public review.
Lawmakers on the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Game & Fish/State Police Subcommittee, which is co-chaired by Sen. Ricky Hill, R-Cabot, were tapped last year to conduct a study on the state’s existing gun laws. Their goal was clarity, and lawmakers are proposing nine bills for consideration during next year’s legislative session.
“Any resulting legislation will not be filed until the next session,” Hill said. “Some recommendations from the study may be turned into bills, while others may not. Additionally, information gathered during the study that is not included in the report could still be introduced as a bill during the session if a legislator chooses to pursue it.”
In addition to the proposal to remove school bus stops from the list of prohibited carry locations, the draft policy includes recommendations to repeal sections of existing law regarding hunting, implement clarity that carrying firearms is allowed in certain state buildings, and bar municipalities from enacting firearm requirements that are more restrictive than state law.
Lawmakers also recommend setting penalties for carrying inside schools at $1,000 per offense, and moving to a single licensing scheme.
Firearm advocates, gun-safety activists testify on Arkansas lawmakers’ proposed policies
Adoption of the final report of the study is expected at the subcommittee’s meeting on Oct. 3. The Arkansas Legislative Council would then consider the proposals at its Oct. 18 meeting.
The proposed policies were expected to be published Sept. 26, to give the public a week to review the drafts, but the documents were delayed.
Public comment was offered at meetings held over the last year as lawmakers parsed through the thousands of laws concerning firearms. Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View said at a recent meeting that not many people came to share their thoughts.
“The committee has already considered and voted on member motions regarding changes to this study,” Hill said “While we welcome public comments at Thursday’s meeting, the committee will be voting on the recommendations presented at that time, and no further changes will be made. Please keep in mind that this is just a study.”
At the subcommittee’s most recent meeting on Sept. 16, both firearm activists and gun-safety advocates spoke to lawmakers about the proposed legislation.
While those who favored the draft rules praised lawmakers’ efforts, and in some cases recommended looser policies, those who opposed them shared worries about childrens’ safety.
According to Everytown Research and Policy, an organization that advocates for stricter gun laws in the country through various groups like Moms Demand Action, Arkansas has the weakest gun laws in the country. Arkansas also tracks one of the highest gun violence rates of nearly 22 deaths per 100,000 residents; the national average rate is about 14 deaths.
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