Ark. Lawmaker Tries For Concealed-Carry Changes
Arkansas legislators face an interesting dilemma: Leave their guns at home or
park their cars off the Capitol's 20-acre campus.

A law that prohibits weapons from most publicly owned buildings in
the state -- and their parking lots -- is making a former Olympic
shooter leave his guns at home when using his coveted spot adjacent to
the Capitol.

Representative Randy Stewart, a member of the 1980 and 1984 Olympic
teams, wants to see the law changed. He said he and some colleagues
must choose between their prime parking spaces and keeping a gun in
their locked cars and trucks. His bill, introduced Wednesday, would
also exempt parking lots at colleges.

Stewart, a Kirby Democrat, is an instructor in concealed weapons
classes. His bill would grant the exemption to all gun owners who
possess a valid concealed weapons license, not just legislators.

Officials at the Capitol reviewed safety procedures after the death
of Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney, who was shot to death in his
office two blocks from the Capitol. State Capitol Police Chief Darrell
Hedden declined to comment on Stewart's bill, and the secretary of
state's office says it was still reviewing the bill and had no
immediate comment.


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That would b HB1097.

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Jeff N. Cantwell
Contract Programmer
Downtown Little Rock, AR
ICQ #19444448


NRA Life, Member ARPA, Libertarian
[www.ARPA-Online.org]
NRA EVC - 2nd District


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