AR:State Police Say Handguns not Weapons, Will not Recognize Concealed Weapons Licenses

UPDATE:  Arkansas Senator Jason Rapert has advised Arkansas Carry that ASP Director Col. Stan Witt has issued a correction letter to Idaho.   Here is a copy of the letter:  http://www.isp.idaho.gov/BCI/documents/CWLRECIPROCITY/Arkansas%202013.pdf

It was brought to our attention that the Arkansas State Police is side-stepping Act 1089 by Sen. Jason Rapert.  This bill basically obligated Arkansas to recognize all concealed handgun permits in the country.  The Arkansas State Police claim that a state that issues a "weapons" license is not the same as a "concealed handgun" license and therefore will not recognize any state that has "weapon" instead of "handgun" on their permits. 

89th General Assembly
Regular Session, 2013
SENATE BILL 858
By: Senator Rapert

For An Act To Be Entitled
AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF OTHER STATES' LICENSES TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Subtitle
CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF OTHER STATES' LICENSES TO CARRY A CONCEALED HANDGUN.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 5321.

Recognition of other states' licenses.
A person in possession of a valid license to carry a concealed handgun issued to the person by another state is entitled to the privileges and subject to the restrictions prescribed by this subchapter.

http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=SB858

Here is the letters obtained by Gary Slider at Handgunlaw.us and forwarded to Arkansas Carry today.   The reprecussions go far beyond Idaho as any state that doesn't meet this new criteria will lose reciprocity with Arkansas under this flawed State Police interpretation.

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Source: arkansascarry.com