Talked to my State Rep about an Open Carry Bill

I sent an email to Denny Altes and Stephen Meeks about an Open Carry Bill in Arkansas and thought I'd share Stephen's response:

Mr. Westover,

Thank you for contacting me. I’ve been getting a lot of e-mail on the second amendment. I am a support of the gun rights. Rep. Altes has already approached me about his Open Carry Bill. I have not yet signed on as a co-sponsor and may eventually do so and would vote in favor of it.

Rep. Stephen Meeks
Arkansas State Representative – District 67
To stay updated on happenings in the Legislature follow me on twitter: @RepStephenMeeks or Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephenmeeks

I also found an article back in 2011 when it got shot down and found the following very interesting:
"State Police, Arkansas sheriffs and Arkansas chiefs opposed the bill. A State Police spokesman said the gun lobbyist's claim of 43 states with open carry was incorrect — only 11 have unlimited open carry. The State Police said officers don't have time or means to check when they encounter a gun-carrying person in a traffic stop or elsewhere whether they are responsible weapons owners."

It would seem because the State Police do not have the time to check the guns on each encounter they can just completely infringe on our right 2nd Amendment right. Hopefully this Bill will pass as it appears that Arkansas is finally coming out of the stone age.

It appears that the Republicans gaining control of both the Senate and the House has helped to bring AR out of the dark ages finally. For example SB71 only took from being introduced on 1-17-2013 to the Gov desk on 2-05-2013 only 19 days after being shot down for several years. Keep up the good work.

I'll try and keep in touch with Altes on his Open Carry Bill and keep this thread updated.

Please do. Oklahoma Open Carry Association is watching with interest.

Still have not hear anything from Mr. Altes but Stephen did reply back to a question I asked about the Castle Doctrine...

My pleasure. I haven’t heard that anyone is working on a castle doctrine law. I would defiantly support the concept, though. There are still several pro-gun bills in the works so we will accomplish some good things for gun rights, but on the flip side that may mean castle doctrine will have to be a future challenge.

I too have contacted Johnny Keys my State Rep about OC.

I don't have a copy of the letter but this is the basic idea.

I think him for voting for SB71 the asked him why I am able and have OC in Wi, Mi, Ia, Mo, Ky, Tn, but not in Arkansas. What is it about Arkansas that they can't be trusted to OC. I also asked if he ever considered repealing laws rather than create more complicated laws.

I have not heard back.