At the Arkansas Capitol: Guns in Churches Bill Heads for Governor's Desk
By: David Goins, KARK 4 News
Updated: February 5, 2013
It's now up to Governor Mike Beebe to decide whether churches in Arkansas will allow guns inside their buildings.
Lawmakers at the State Capitol on Monday voted overwhelmingly it's the churches that should make the call.
First Presbyterian Church in downtown Little Rock already has signs posted on the door. Pastor Marie O'Connell doesn't want to add one about handguns.
"I feel like my concerns have been heard, I'm not sure they've yet to be addressed," she says.
O'Connell says her church insurance provider may require announcements about handguns before Sunday service.
Legislators supporting giving churches the option on handguns say that's not so.
"There's simply no logical reason to believe that insurance companies would single out Arkansas churches for such Draconian policy changes when they haven't done so in other states," says Rep. Nate Bell (R-Mena).
Rep. Bell told members of the Arkansas House on Monday that guns in churches is about freedom of religion.
"It's time for us as politicians to get our collective noses out of the affairs of churches and to allow the churches themselves to make their own theological decisions...even though I personally don't feel guns help spread the Gospel message, I can understand other churches might feel differently and I have to respect that," he said.
Now it's a choice O'Connell will have to make after the House overwhelmingly said yes to giving churches the option.
The bill now goes over to the Arkansas Senate to add a few sponsors, then on to Governor Beebe's desk, where he says he's neutral on the bill, so he'll sign it.
Lawmakers at the State Capitol on Monday voted overwhelmingly it's the churches that should make the call.
First Presbyterian Church in downtown Little Rock already has signs posted on the door. Pastor Marie O'Connell doesn't want to add one about handguns.
"I feel like my concerns have been heard, I'm not sure they've yet to be addressed," she says.
O'Connell says her church insurance provider may require announcements about handguns before Sunday service.
Legislators supporting giving churches the option on handguns say that's not so.
"There's simply no logical reason to believe that insurance companies would single out Arkansas churches for such Draconian policy changes when they haven't done so in other states," says Rep. Nate Bell (R-Mena).
Rep. Bell told members of the Arkansas House on Monday that guns in churches is about freedom of religion.
"It's time for us as politicians to get our collective noses out of the affairs of churches and to allow the churches themselves to make their own theological decisions...even though I personally don't feel guns help spread the Gospel message, I can understand other churches might feel differently and I have to respect that," he said.
Now it's a choice O'Connell will have to make after the House overwhelmingly said yes to giving churches the option.
The bill now goes over to the Arkansas Senate to add a few sponsors, then on to Governor Beebe's desk, where he says he's neutral on the bill, so he'll sign it.
