Senate OKs end of hidden-gun ban in churches

LITTLE ROCK — The Senate passed a bill Monday that would end the ban on concealed handguns in churches.

Senate Bill 71, which would allow churches to decide whether to allow concealed handguns on their property, passed the Senate 28 to 4.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee without opposition Wednesday. But Democratic Sens. Linda Chesterfield, Joyce Elliott, David Johnson and Stephanie Flowers voted against the bill Monday.

The gun legislation was one of several pieces of legislation taken up by lawmakers Monday. Others dealt with various issues, including community college millage elections and e-mailed tax statements, medical licenses and sex offender registration.

But the guns-in-church legislation stirred the most debate.

Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, said the bill “flies in the face” of what she believes about nonviolence and church.

“My Lord’s house is a house of prayer, not one of guns,” Chesterfield said.

King said he wrote the bill because churches in the state have been the victims of break-ins, disturbances and other crimes. He said he wanted to give churches the option of permitting concealed handguns because some houses of worship are in remote locations, far from police services.

In committee, Flowers tried and failed to attach an amendment to the bill that would require churches that allow concealed weapons to have liability insurance, with a minimum coverage of $100,000.

Flowers said she was voting against the bill on Monday because it did not provide for “innocent victims” who could be injured if a handgun was used in a church.

“I don’t have a problem with a permit to carry a concealed weapon, but things do happen,” Flowers said.

Johnson also expressed concern about liability, comparing the bill to a similar measure in Texas that would have allowed concealed weapons on college campuses. He said the Texas bill failed after university leaders told legislators that allowing handguns would increase the cost of liability insurance.

Elliott urged the Senate to consider security alternatives that did not include allowing people to carry handguns in places of worship.

Similar bills to allow concealed handgun permit holders to carry in churches have failed in recent years.

In 2011, King sponsored House Bill 1958, which contained similar provisions to SB71.

That bill died in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

House Bill 1237, sponsored by former Rep. Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, in 2009, would have struck churches and other place of worship from the list of locations where concealed handguns are not permitted. The bill also failed in committee.

King said he expects his bill to be taken up by the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

Another gun-related bill, filed Monday, would make the names and ZIP codes of concealed handgun license holders, former license holders and applicants exempt from information requests.

Sen. Bruce Holland, R-Greenwood, said he filed Senate Bill 131 after he was contacted by constituents who were concerned about a New York newspaper that published the names and addresses of license holders in that state. He said he hoped the bill would protect Arkansas license holders from the same situation, calling it a “privacy issue.”

OTHER BUSINESS

The Senate passed two other bills without opposition on Monday.

Senate Bill 53, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson,R-Little Rock, clarified how out-of-state medical corporations doing business in Arkansas may be licensed by the Arkansas State Medical Board.

The bill passed 35-0.

Senate Bill 56, which was written by Jon Woods, R-Springdale, would require sex offenders who relocate to the state to pay a $250 fee within 90 days of registration.

Sex offenders convicted in the state already pay the $250 fee.

The bill passed with 31 yea votes and no nay votes.

RETIREMENT BILLS

A bill that would require a member or employer of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System to file appeals of final administrative decisions of the system’s trustees in Pulaski County Circuit Court cleared the Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs on Monday.

Hutchinson said his Senate Bill 129 is aimed at ensuring that the system doesn’t have to hire more staff to attend court hearings around the state.

The committee also endorsed House Bill 1126, sponsored by Rep. Alan Kerr, R-Little Rock, that would add the director of the state Highway and Transportation Department to the Arkansas State Highway Employees’ Retirement System’s board of trustees.

The board is currently made up of the state treasurer, director of the state Department of Finance and Administration, the highway department’s chief engineer, a retiree from the department, and two members of the system.

TAX STATEMENTS

Counties could choose to offer property tax statements through e-mail instead of mailing them to each taxpayer under a bill that passed the House 97-0 Monday.

Under House Bill 1023 by Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley, counties would no longer be required to send tax statements through the mail. The bill now goes to the Senate.

Pulaski County officials support the bill because it would save money on postage,Treasurer’s Office Chief Administrator Debbye Wolter said after the vote.

In 2011, the county spent about $205,750 to send out more than 395,000 tax reminders or delinquency notices.

A survey by the county in May 2012 found that 15 percent of those who responded said they would prefer receiving tax documents electronically, she said. She said the county can’t be sure how many residents would sign up to get the information online.

“If 10 percent of our customers do that, it’d be $20,000 off the bat,” Wolter said.

SECOND AMENDMENT

The House voted to approve House Resolution 1003 by Rep. Richard Womack, R-Arkadelphia, which encourages federal, state and local governments to preserve the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment right to bear arms.

Wo mack has sa id he hopes the nonbinding resolution calms some people’s fears about the federal government restricting access to guns.

MILITARY SPOUSES

The House voted 97-0 to approve SB7, which would allow the spouse of an active duty service member to have a temporary license or permit so they can be hired in the state while their application for an Arkansas license is being completed.

The bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, would assist newcomers who have already been licensed or certified by another state.

COLLEGE IMPROVEMENTS

The House approved Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Bill Sample, R-Hot Springs, that would allow four community colleges originally created as technical schools to hold a millage election for capital improvements on campus.

Current law allows millage elections to pay for operating costs, but not for capital-improvement projects. Other community colleges are allowed to raise money for capital improvements that way, Sample said.

National Park Community College in Hot Springs, North Arkansas College in Harrison, Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville and Rich Mountain Community College in Mena would be affected.

It passed 98-0.