

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, left, signed a bill allowing concealed-carry handguns in numerous public spaces. Stadiums might be taken off the list, however. (AP Photo/Kelly P. Kissel)

On Wednesday, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a bill into law that allows state residents to carry concealed handguns at colleges, government buildings, some bars and the state capitol building, so long as they complete eight hours of active-shooter training. This raised the possibility that fans would be able to bring guns into college football and basketball games at the University of Arkansas.

On Thursday, however, the state Senate rethought the scope of the measure, especially concerning stadiums where fans perhaps might have an adult beverage or two before or during the game (beer and wine are sold to fans with club-level seats at Razorback Stadium, the Arkansas football team’s on-campus home). In a 22 to 10 vote, the Senate exempted college sporting events from the concealed-carry law.

“It’s one of those areas where I don’t think the value offsets the risk,” Senate Majority Leader Jim Hendren (R) said before the vote, according to the Associated Press. “There’s alcohol, there’s people getting excited and so probably I think most people agree that maybe this is one of those areas we ought to think about before we expand the privileges.”

The idea of bringing guns into sporting events is especially jarring when one considers the list of items that are prohibited at Razorbacks football games, such things as umbrellas, baby strollers and beach balls.

Under previous state law, publicly funded universities in Arkansas were allowed to have concealed carry if they so choose (none did). The new law removed any choice from the matter, much to the chagrin of Arkansas Chancellor Joseph Steinmetz.

“Our own law enforcement officers do not believe that the campus would be safer if guns are permitted,” he said in January as the new law was being considered. “We have serious concerns about increasing the number of armed individuals posing a significant threat, particularly in an active situation when officers must make immediate determinations about who is a threat.”

The exemption now goes to the state House of Representatives. The new law likely will not go into full effect until 2018, after the Arkansas State Police design the training that will be required.