By Nate Allen
Special to the News-Times
FAYETTEVILLE - By a vote of 71-20 with one abstention, the Arkansas House of Representatives Thursday in Little Rock approved Bill 724 exempting sporting events on Arkansas college campuses and also the University of Arkansas Medical Sciences from the recently passed state law allowing firearms concealed carry on Arkansas college campuses by in 2018 for those with a certificate proving they have taken an eight-hours firearms course to be approved by the Arkansas State Police.
Until amended by the bill first passed by the Senate and now the House, though it will return for Senate approval because of some slight changes, concealed carried firearms would have been allowed starting in 2018 at collegiate athletic events in Arkansas.
University of Arkansas Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz and Razorbacks Athletic Director Jeff Long both expressed gratitude the House voted to keep weapons out of Razorbacks athletic venues.
“We have always been concerned about guns on campus,” Steinmetz said in a statement issued through the UA Relations Department. “That is why all along that we have wanted to keep the law as it was, leaving this important decision to our board of Trustees. While we have consistently asked to keep all of our campus facilities exempt, we are glad to have the carve outs for our child care and athletic facilities provided through SB724 and are thankful for all the legislators who voted in favor of this important bill.”
The UA also issued a statement by Long.
“We are encouraged by the action taken today by the Arkansas House of Representatives in passing SB724,” Long said. “The exclusions adopted in the bill, including for intercollegiate athletics venues, would address concerns outlined by Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz, Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and many others within and outside the Arkansas General Assembly. We are grateful to members of the Arkansas legislature for thoughtfully considering this important issue.”
Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference of which the University of Arkansas is a member, had urged passing Bill 724 and warned if not exempted from the HB 1249 law that “given the intense atmosphere surrounding athletic events, adding weapons increases safety concerns and could negatively impact the intercollegiate athletics program at the University of Arkansas in several ways, including scheduling, officiating, recruiting and attendance.”
Karl Benson, commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference, which includes Arkansas State University and the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, also supported Bill 724 exempting ASU and UALR allowing firearms at games.
“During the last week I have followed closely the news articles regarding Arkansas House Bill 1249, and now also a potential amendment to what is now Act 562," Benson said in a statement.
“Given that both the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and Arkansas State University are members of the Sun Belt Conference - and as my colleague Greg Sankey of the Southeastern Conference has stated - I too support the Arkansas State Senate's exemption in the Senate Bill 724 that would prevent firearms from being allowed inside publicly funded stadiums and arenas in the State of Arkansas.”
All of Arkansas’ public colleges and universities previously opted out of an option to allow conceal carry of firearms by faculty before the passage of HB 1249 mandated that in 2018 those with proof of the approved course permit could carry concealed weapons on campus.