Lawmakers in Arkansas have sent a bill to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders that would eliminate the need for a permit to carry a concealed handgun. The bill aims to resolve a decade-long dispute over the state’s gun laws.
The House, dominated by Republicans, approved the measure with a vote of 81-11. A spokesperson for the governor’s office stated that Sanders plans to sign the bill, citing her strong support for the Second Amendment.
While both gun control and gun rights advocates already considered Arkansas as one of the 28 states that do not require a concealed carry permit, there have been differing interpretations about the state’s concealed carry requirements since a 2013 change to its gun laws.
“I believe we need this bill to pass to provide that clarification out there so we don’t have citizens basically being harassed because there’s a misunderstanding of what you can or cannot do,” Republican Rep. Marcus Richmond said before the vote. Richmond is a co-sponsor of the bill.
