‘Guns On Campus’ consumes more time, effort as worst bill

As promised, I will take up with the ‘baddest of the bad bills,’ the ever-ongoing Guns On Campus Bill, the ever present worst ideological and safe idea of one state Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville.

This one Act took up more time, caused more internal strife and consternation within the Republican Party than any other legislation to date under the Hutchinson Administration.

The Act was so onerous, even after the Governor’s interference, that it was signed in private, in the governor’s office, with no public bill signing — even for the gun-happy folks like Collins and others of the GOP.

So let’s begin there with the final list of the “bad bills” of the 91st General Assembly.

Act 562 — Concerning the possession of a concealed handgun in a public university, public college or community college building and concerning privileges associated with an enhanced license to carry a concealed handgun.

Act 576 — to allow the division of child care and early childhood education of the department of Human Services to independently promulgate rules concerning child care facilities.

Act 585 — to clarify shortterm activity authorizations; to allow conditions for waving the fee; and to allow the department to modify the fee for a state agency, board or commission or a municipality, city or county.

Act 592 — Concerning the participation of home— schooled students in interscholastic activities.

Act 607 — to authorize the use of highway revenues for the paving of municipal parking lots.

Act 609 — to exempt certain commodities and services under the Arkansas Procurement Law.

Act 612 — to provide members of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System with the option to waive concurrent service credit.

Act 623 — To amend the law concerning improvement District procedures.

Act 624 — To amend the laws concerning the collection, deposit, and use of and accountability for landfill disposal fees.

Act 633 — To require that a voter provide verification of voter registration when voting; and to amend Amendment 51 of the Arkansas Constitution.

Act 635 — To amend provisions of the Arkansas Code Concerning Home Schools.

Act 637 — To allow the superintendent of a student’s resident school district to waive the requirement that the student attend public school for one (1) academic year to be eligible for a Succeed Scholarship.

Act 647 — to modify buyout plans for inactive members of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System.

Act 685 — To enhance local economic development efforts.

Act 695 — To amend the statutes of limitation for fraudulent insurance acts.

Act 710 — To prohibit public entities from contracting with and investing in companies that boycott Israel.

Act 711 — To Amend the Freedom of Information Act.

Act 733 — To create the sex discrimination by abortion prohibition act.

Act 776 — To transfer oversight of the Arkansas Entertainer’s Hall of Fame to the Advertising and Tourist Promotion Commission of the City of Pine Bluff, Ark.

Act 783 — To amend and clarify the discrimination and retaliation provisions of the Arkansas Civil Rights Act of 1993.

Act 822 — To restore certain rights to a nonprofit organization.

Act 847 — Concerning the offense of loitering.

Act 863 — Concerning the enrollment or re—enrollment of a home—school student in a public school.

Act 870 — To amend the Arkansas Code concerning post— secondary courses on United States History, United States Government and the United States Constitution.

Act 910 — To change the date of the annual school election.

Act 911 — The National Motto, “In God We Trust,” display act.

Act 983 — To amend the law concerning the naming of public facilities.

Act 1071 — Permitting a concealed carry licensee to possess a concealed handgun in his or her employer’s parking lot.

Act 1090 — Concerning the concealed carry of a handgun by a concealed carry licensee inside a courthouse.

Bang-bang on the “bad bills” of the 91st General Assembly.

— Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at maylontrice@yahoo.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.