ARK. HOUSE ADVANCES GUN LAW STADIUM EXEMPTION

Arkansas lawmakers voted Thursday to exempt college sporting events from a new state law expanding where concealed guns are allowed in a vote one lawmaker complained was a “nowin” choice between the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the National Rifle Association. The proposal advanced in the House on a 71-20 vote Thursday. The Senate is expected to take up the proposal as soon as Friday. Under the exemption proposal, which Gov. Asa Hutchinson supports, college stadiums such as Arkansas’ Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences would be able to designate sensitive areas where they wouldn’t want people to carry concealed handguns. To prohibit concealed carry in those sensitive areas, they would have to put together a security plan for those areas and submit it to Arkansas State Police for approval. The law, which Hutchinson signed last week, allows people with concealed handgun licenses to carry on college campuses, in government buildings and some bars if they undergo up to eight hours of active-shooter training.