On Monday, the state Senate in Arkansas voted to override Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s veto of a bill declaring the National Firearms Act and the Gun Control Act of 1968 null and void, as well as making it a misdemeanor crime for state or local law enforcement to cooperate in any way with the enforcement of any federal gun laws. I wrote this morning that the House originally approved the bill by an even larger margin than the Senate, so the votes should be there for an override as well.
Instead, the state House threw a curveball and introduced and approved a brand new piece of legislation, HB 1957, on Tuesday that supposedly addresses Hutchinson’s concerns about the original bill, SB 298.
2021 Arkansas legislative nightmare: lawmakers stick it to their own constituents Kasten Searles
A year into a pandemic that stole jobs, lives and any sense of stability, Arkansans might have hoped for some help when lawmakers convened in January for the 93rd General Assembly. What they got was a kick in the face.
Untethered by any check or balance on their hefty Republican supermajority, extremist lawmakers spent their time belittling and attacking their own constituents. For transgender children, renters, would-be voters, pregnant women or public safety advocates, Arkansas senators and representatives refused aid, offering insults and punishments instead.
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A few football fields to the right of
Arkansas Senate overrides governor s veto on gun bill
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where they also must decide if they want to override Hutchinson s veto. Author: Casey Frizzell Updated: 6:48 PM CDT April 26, 2021
ARKANSAS, USA The Arkansas State Senate has voted to override Gov. Asa Hutchinson s veto of legislation that would prohibit local police from enforcing federal gun laws. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where they also must decide if they want to override Hutchinson s veto.
Hutchinson vetoedSB 298 last Friday, saying that the measure would jeopardize law enforcement and the public.
On Monday, the Arkansas State Senate voted 21-12, with two Senators not voting, to overturn his decision, our content partner Talk Business & Politics reports.
SPONSOR OR RELIGION AMENDMENT: Rep. Jimmy Gazaway.
The House today is prepared to add SJR 14, a so-called religious freedom amendment, to two other constitutional amendments proposed earlier for the 2022 election ballot.
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A vote was delayed by a computer glitch and the House recessed until 2 p.m. for it to be fixed. The amendment was expected to be approved by a wide margin.
UPDATE: As expected, it passed easily 75-19, with one voting present.
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The measure would give constitutional protection to an existing statute and says the government could not put any burden on religion unless it could prove a compelling government interest. The Arkansas Constitution already has religious freedom protection, too.