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Arkansas House discusses 2nd amendment rights for nonviolent felons

An Arkansas representative has been working to give second amendment rights to non-violent convicted felons in the state.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Last week, lawmakers in Arkansas raised concerns about the separation of powers and similarities to existing law.

Democratic Representative Vivian Flowers wants to provide a pathway for nonviolent felons in the state— and this week, she's amending the bill to bring it back.

One Arkansan, who wanted to remain anonymous is one of the hundreds of people in the state with a felony on their record.

"I made a decision that I did not realize at the time would impact me through the rest of my life," she said.

It's something that happened more than 15 years ago.

She's now living in an apartment and explained that her neighbor makes her home feel anything but comfortable

"I was just trying to get in my apartment, and he would come behind me, he would knock on my door, [and] he would, you know, bother me," she described.

She also explained that owning a gun would make her feel safer, but Arkansas law blocks someone who has been convicted of a felony from owning a firearm.

That is something Flowers wants to change.

"Their second amendment rights are taken away," Flowers explained.

She introduced House Bill 1013, which is a bill designed to restore someone with a non-violent felony the right to own a gun after ten years have passed since they've completed their debt to society.

The bill also looks to discharge, dismiss and seal a nonviolent felony conviction.

"Felons in the state only pathway is through the pardon and that rarely happens, if ever," Flowers said.

Last week, lawmakers raised concerns about the bill.

"The current law gives you a list of felony convictions that are eligible [and] this law says everything but," Dylan Jacob with Attorney General Tim Griffin's office said.

He believes the current law, which allows a person with a felony to petition to seal their record of a conviction five years after their sentence, and request a pardon from the governor is sufficient enough.

However, Flowers still argues that this bill doesn't do that.

"This is not a pardon and this would not prevent the Governor from rendering a decision," She said.

Flowers also has plans to bring the bill back this month, and if not, then at the beginning of March.

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