A proposal to halve the fee for a concealed carry license and reduce the cost of a renewal for that license was passed by the House on Monday by a vote of 74-18.
House Bill 1036, by Rep. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, would cut the license fee from $100 to $50 and the renewal fee from $35 to $25. The initial fee for senior citizens would be cut from $50 to $25. Such a cut would reduce revenue to the Arkansas State Police by about $1.4 million a year, according to the agency.
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But Dotson said the fiscal hit to the agency would be offset by an increase in general revenue from Gov. Asa Hutchinson's budget.
"Obviously the State Police is not happy about it," Dotson said. Ultimately, however, the agency has not taken a stance on the bill. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a pro-gun control group, is also neutral.
Opposition to the bill in the House vote came mainly from Democrats.
The bill doesn't affect other related fees, such as the $25 fee for a state background check, the $12 FBI background check fee or the $4.11 credit card fee.
-- John Moritz