A Senate committee has endorsed HB 1957, the compromise gun sovereignty bill that cleared the House earlier today.
The Senate reconvened after midnight — to allow the required day on the desk — to consider final passage.
The House also recessed until 12:01 a.m.
The plan was for the Senate to approve the compromise bill, which has a small Senate amendment. Then the House would concur in the amendment to complete action. The House could then vote to sustain the veto of the Senate bill that was considered so flawed it required the compromise cobbled together last night and pushed through the House and Senate committee today. Or not vote on the override at all, which ultimately was what happened.
The governor said he would sign this bill, “extreme” though it is in declaring an intention not to cooperate with federal officials in enforcing federal gun laws adopted after Jan. 1. He reiterated that intention Wednesday.
“Yes, I will sign HB1957. It is tough and sends a message that we will protect the 2nd amendment in Arkansas, but it supports law enforcement and will not jeopardize our critical partnerships in public safety.”
The House and Senate passed the bill easily on mostly party lines early Wednesday and went into recess without the House taking up the override motion on the veto, which thus stands.
Also in the final hours the House recalled a bill the governor had questioned that declared federal gun law inapplicable in Arkansas unless ratified by the legislature.
The bill that passed remains constitutionally flawed and could punish law officers who cooperate with feds on crimes including gun law violations. It’s based on irrational fear. But this is Arkansas.