On March 22 Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson (R) signed his state’s recently passed campus carry legislation into law.
The bill–HB 1249–creates an enhanced concealed carry permit, much as like Idaho, which will allow holders of the permit to carry in many places that were previously gun-free.
NRA-ILA reports that the new law means enhanced permit holders can carry a gun for self-defense on public college and university campuses beginning January 2018. Permit holders can also carry at “K-12 schools,” “any church or other place of worship,” “inside the passenger terminal of any airport,” “any place where a parade or demonstration requiring a permit is being held, and the licensee is a participant in the parade or demonstration,” “any meeting of the General Assembly or a committee of the General Assembly,” and “any state office,” among other places.
According to 5 News, Governor Hutchinson spoke to broadened opportunities for concealed carry, saying, “That enhances security and I do not consider that as a threat but as an addition to public safety.”
On March 16 Breitbart News reported that campus carry was already the law of the land in seven states: Colorado, Utah, Wisconsin, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas, and Idaho. Campus carry will be the law of the land in Kansas beginning July 1, 2017, when a law allowing guns on campus for self-defense takes effect.
Campus carry is also the law in Ohio, but that law was written in a way that allows public colleges and universities to opt out of it, which the vast majority did.
AWR Hawkins is the Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and host of Bullets with AWR Hawkins, a Breitbart News podcast. He is also the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.