After his professor-carry bill stalled recently in the House Education Committee, Rep. Charlie Collins says he’s amending the measure and thinks he can get the votes to pass it out of committee.
The Fayetteville Republican said the amendment to House Bill 1077 would allow universities and colleges to require 16 hours of additional gun training for faculty who want to carry a concealed handgun on campus. This training would be in addition to what all Arkansans receive in obtaining a concealed-carry license. However, university and college boards would have to vote in favor of the additional training for that requirement to take effect.
The original bill stalled in committee in a tie vote along party lines, with Republicans voting for the bill and Democrats against it, but Collins said the amended version has won over enough Democrats for it to be voted out of committee and off the GOP-dominated House floor.
The amended professor-carry bill is expected to be heard Thursday in the Education Committee.
“One of the areas that I think I can work with them on to get enough votes to pass it out of committee is in the arena of looking at more training for these concealed-carry holders,” Collins said, “giving colleges the option to require some additional training, for example active-shooter training, before you can carry on campus if the colleges want to insist on that.”
Collins, pictured above, spoke with 5NEWS in Fayetteville on Friday (Feb. 20) prior to a Chamber of Commerce legislative forum.
Rep. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, also attended the forum and told 5NEWS he believes Collins has a better chance of getting the bill out of committee with the amendment. Leding, who serves on the committee, said he still opposes the measure, even with the amendment.
Current state law allows a college or university board of trustees to opt out of allowing faculty and staff to carry concealed handguns.
Collins stressed that an amended HB1077 still will not allow universities and colleges to opt out of the professor-carry law.
