Official Backs Gun Law Exemption

Meyers Seeks Keeping Arkansas Out Of Any New Federal Firearm Regulations

— One of six newcomers on Benton County’s Quorum Court has set his sights on higher levels of government.

Justice of the Peace Brent Meyers of Lowell suggested Tuesday the Quorum Court should support efforts at the state level to declare Arkansas exempt from any new federal firearm regulations. Meyers made his suggestion at the end of a meeting of the Quorum Court’s Legislative Committee.

Meyers said he’s heard of proposed bills, although he doesn’t think any have been filed yet, that would seek to exempt Arkansas from any new federal gun regulations and he thinks Benton County support such legislation.

George Spence, county attorney, said the Quorum Court could certainly consider a resolution supporting proposed legislation, but he suggested the justices of the peace might wait until a bill has been filed and they have had time to review it. Meyers said he would work to get a copy of any bills for Spence and the other justices of the peace to study.

Spence said a resolution would show the Quorum Court’s support for legislation but have no legal weight.

“A resolution is not law,” Spence said. “It’s the opinion of the court on that given day.”

At A Glance

Regulation Review

Benton County’s Legislative Committee is reviewing proposed revisions to the planning regulations. The committee examined Chapters 1 and 2 of the regulations, with eight chapters remaining. The review will continue when the committee meets again at 6 p.m. Jan. 29.

Source: Staff Report

Justice of the Peace Michelle Blaty of Bella Vista then asked if the Quorum Court could adopt an ordinance exempting the county from federal firearm regulations.

“Your county attorney would probably say no,” Spence said.

During its regular business meeting, the committee made it through Chapters 1 and 2 of the county’s planning regulations, leaving Chapters 3 and 4 to be discussed at its next meeting. Items marked for further discussion from the first two chapters include having a separate ordinance setting fees for the planning process.

The justices of the peace also asked the planning staff to consider revisions to language in several sections of the two chapters, mainly to clarify intent of the regulations and how they will be administered.

At the conclusion of the meeting Justice of the Peace Kurt Moore asked about the status of the Nighthawk Custom Training Academy gun range near Centerton. The shooting range was initially denied a permit by the Planning Board last year but a panel of justices of the peace reversed that denial on appeal.

Chris Ryan, planning and environmental director, said the county sent the business owner a notice of violation Friday over the height of the protective berms at the shooting range. Ryan said the county was using a standard of a minimum 20-foot height for the berms, which he said was based on information from a National Rifle Association sourcebook. Spence said the business has been working on the berms, but they aren’t yet meeting the requirements.

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