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Legislative briefs Friday, Jan 26, 2007 Compiled by the Arkansas News Bureau Senate passes pistol bill The Senate passed a bill Thursday that would make it legal for persons with a state concealed weapons permit to carry a pistol in Hot Springs Village. Senate Bill 85 by Sen. Terry Smith, D-Hot Springs, passed 35-0 and goes to the House. A state law makes it illegal to carry a loaded center-fire weapon in some specified, unincorporated areas, such as near lakes and in unincorporated communities such as Hot Springs Village and recently-incorporated Bella Vista. Center-fire is a type of ammunition common to pistols and to rifles. The law is intended to prevent deer hunting by excluding deer rifles from densely settled areas, Smith said. An unintended effect, he said, was to make it illegal to carry pistols in those areas. "All this bill would do would make it legal for people who live in areas like this to go home while carrying their pistols," Smith said. ------- Real estate license bill advances The process of getting a real estate license would be streamlined under a bill recommended by the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday. Senate Bill 120 by Sen. Terry Smith, D-Hot Springs, would allow real estate agent applicants to take the required state test before getting a criminal background check from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The license could not be active, however, until the background check was completed and satisfactory. As the law stands, applicants cannot take the test until the background check is finished, resulting in delays. ------- Car debt cancellation clears Senate committee A bill to allow car dealers to enter debt cancellation agreements with customers without having them regulated as insurance was recommended by the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee, over the objection of the state Insurance Commission. The agreements would allow car dealers to offer terms, such as an additional monthly fee, for canceling the debt owed on a car in the event of an accident or other event without being regulated like an insurance agency. The bill goes to the Senate. ------- Senate passes higher education bills The Senate passed legislation Thursday that would require two-year colleges to adopt written policies on how they will collect money owed to them by students. Senate Bill 38 by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, passed 35-0. The Senate also passed SB 44 by Jeffress. The bill requires school districts to allow Arkansas Math and Science School recruiters on campus. The vote was 31-1. Both bills go to the House. ------- Rebates for reservists' spouses goes to governor The Senate gave final legislative approval Thursday to legislation to benefit military spouses. House Bill 1028 by Rep. Nathan George, D-Dardenelle, would allow a college student whose spouse is deployed to active duty to receive compensation for tuition if he or she had to drop out of school to work or care for a child. The bill previously passed the House and goes to the governor. ------- Representative pulls bill on carrying knives Rep. Jim Medley, R-Fort Smith, pulled from consideration Thursday a bill that would amend a state law regarding carrying a knife as a weapon. House Bill 1235 would remove a portion of the criminal code that says a person carrying a knife with a blade 3 1/2 inches long or longer is considered to be carrying a knife as a weapon. It also would set a maximum penalty of $200 or 30 days in jail for a person convicted of carrying a knife as a weapon. The bill would protect people who carry knives for legitimate purposes, such as hunting and fishing, Medley said. Medley pulled the bill after members of the House Judiciary Committee and state Prosecutor Coordinator Bob McMahan pointed out that it fails to specify what would constitute carrying a knife as a weapon and might conflict with another section of the criminal code. Medley said he planned to revise the bill and present it again to the committee. |
