State Representative Denise Garner (D-Fayetteville), who defeated incumbent Charlie Collins (R-Fayetteville) in November 2018, has introduced legislation that would amend the "campus carry" law introduced by Collins in 2017.
Rep. Garner filed the bill Wednesday, which would give a college or university the ability to decide if a concealed handgun would be allowed on campus.
The bill would amend the current law that says someone who has completed enhanced concealed carry training can possess a concealed handgun on the campus of a private and public college, university or community college.
Under the proposed bill, the college or university would decide whether or not to allow the enhanced carry licensee to have a concealed handgun on campus.
"My constituents asked me to listen to public safety experts in addressing the guns on campus issue and to avoid partisan extremism," Garner said. "You'll see that's exactly what my legislation does. That's where it comes from too, from real people and real law enforcement officers."
Garner's bill would also prohibit the storage or possession of a firearm in dorm rooms.
The "campus carry" legislation was signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson and became law in 2017 after being proposed by Collins.
The law currently allows someone with enhanced carry training to carry a concealed firearm onto college campuses and into government buildings. The law had strong opposition from state institutions, campus police and parents.
Garner also introduced another bill that would require universal background checks for anyone buying, receiving or transferring a firearm.
Collins was defeated in the November 2018 elections by Garner, who won with 55.4 percent of the vote.