Leaders give views on guns in church

Several church leaders testified Thursday at the House Judiciary Committee, supporting or opposing a bill which would allow churches to permit concealed handguns in their buildings.

The committee passed Senate Bill 71, proposed by Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, with only one no vote after nearly an hour of testimony.

The gun measure was one of several issues debated Thursday at the Capitol. Others included millage elections and landowner liability.

Nathan Petty, a Fordyce pastor who also teaches concealed-handgun classes, said he supports the ability to carry in churches.

“A sanctuary is only a sanctuary as long as it remains safe and protected,” the Beech Grove Baptist Church pastor told the committee.

Petty said a man confronted his congregation’s 75-yearold secretary on church property Monday and demanded money.

The secretary has a concealed-handgun permit but because she was not allowed to carry it in the building, she was left vulnerable, he said.

“Most people think about church as being something that we do one hour on Sunday mornings, but for many people, including staff, musicians, teachers, custodians and many other people, a church is a workplace,” Petty said.

Marie Mainard O’Connell, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Little Rock, said she has already spoken with her insurance agent about the bill. The agent, she said, told her she’d need to post signsand announce the church’s gun policy during services if SB71 becomes law.

O’Connell said the bill should include an amendment to clarify whether churches need to post signs or discuss concealed handguns.

“This bill as it is currently being presented unintentionally creates serious consequences for churches in the reality of how this would play out,” O’Connell said.

Several members of the committee spoke in favor of the bill, but Rep. Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock, said there was still confusion, including questions of liability.

He also wondered how the law would affect churches that also function as polling places or community centers. Williams voted against the bill in a voice vote.

King said he would try to address the concerns of insurance companies before it is passed, but he thought the bill would hold up to legal scrutiny because other states had similar bills.

“I’m going to try to address [O’Connell’s] concern as we [continue] the rest of the session. If there’s some validity to [her objections], then maybe we have to address it another way,” King said.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

In other business, the Senate sent to the governor SB4, sponsored by Bill Sample, RHot Springs, that would allow four community colleges originally created as technical schools to hold a millage election for capital improvements on campus.

Current law allows millage elections to pay for operating costs, but not for capital-improvement projects. Other community collegesare allowed to raise money for capital improvements that way.

National Park Community College in Hot Springs, North Arkansas College in Harrison, Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville and Rich Mountain Community College in Mena would be affected.

GRASS STRIPS

The House voted 95-1 to approve House Bill 1020 by Rep. Joe Jett, D-Success, limiting liability for landowners who allow planes to land on their property.

Rep. John Catlett, D-Rover, said rural landowners who have grass landing strips are leery of letting planes land on their property because they fear they’ll be held liable for an accident.

SCHOOL VIOLENCE STUDY

The Senate OK’d a bill to require the Legislative Council to study, or ask the Senate Education Committee to study, whether the state’s schools are prepared to deal with schoolhouse violence.

These researchers would determine if public school employees are taking steps to prevent and respond adequately to violent acts on campus.

They would examine school buildings and review safety policies.

Under SB93, sponsored bySen. Linda Chesterfield, DLittle Rock, a report would be issued by Sept. 1 to the House and Senate education committees on the best practices for public schools and any needed improvements.

FORMER LAWMAKER HIRED

Former state Sen. Jim Luker, D-Wynne, has been hired as director of Arkansas Health Services Permit Agency, said Gov. Mike Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample.

Luker, an attorney, served in the state House from 1995-2001 and the Senate from 2001-2013, with his term ending Jan. 14.

He will make $96,448 per year.

Beebe selected Luker for the post because his experience and legal background give him a good understanding of the agency’s permitting issues, DeCample said.

Luker also will be a fair manager, said DeCample.

The agency, with direction from the nine-member Health Services Permit Commission, is responsible for issuing permits of approval for nursing homes, residential care facilities, assisted-living facilities, home health and hospice agencies, psychiatric residential care facilities and intermediate care facilities for the mentally retarded, according to its website.

Front Section, Pages 7 on 02/01/2013

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