Legislation filed today by Arkansas State Representative Aaron Pilkington would protect medical marijuana patients from being denied access to firearms or concealed carry licenses.
The proposal would amend the state’s concealed carry license law to clarify that the Director of the Division of Arkansas State Police “shall not consider a person’s status as a qualifying patient or designated caregiver under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016, Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 98, § 2, in determining whether an applicant is eligible to be issued a license to carry a concealed handgun under this subchapter.”
The measure also states that “a person’s status as a qualifying patient or designated caregiver is confidential”, and that “The Department of Health shall not disclose the identity of a person who has been issued a registry identification card to the Division of the Arkansas State Police for the purpose of facilitating a criminal history record check or any other background check related to the issuance of a license to carry a concealed handgun”
In addition, it says that “The Director of the Division of Arkansas State Police shall not consider a person’s status as a qualifying patient or designated caregiver under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016, Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 98, § 2, in determining whether an applicant or licensee is eligible to be issued a license to carry a concealed handgun”.
House Bill 1784 has been assigned to the House Judiciary Committee. The full text of the two-page bill can be found by clicking here.
