BC Quorum Court to consider Second Amendment resolution

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The Baxter County Quorum Court will consider a non-binding resolution regarding efforts to “guard against any encroachment on the U.S. Bill of Rights and the Arkansas Declaration of Rights, including but not limited to the right to ‘keep and bear arms'” when it meets in regular session Tuesday evening at 6. The meeting is being held one week later than originally scheduled due to the primary election last week.

The proposal the quorum court will consider is part of a national trend taking root in other states, with more than 100 cities and counties having passed some type of Second Amendment sanctuary resolution.

The gun-sanctuary movement has led to resolutions or ordinances being proposed or passed in Arkansas in Benton, Independence and Scott counties.

Through a letter early last month, Mike Rainwater, attorney for the Association of Arkansas Counties Risk Management Fund, advised quorum courts not to attempt to pass gun sanctuary ordinances conflicting with state or federal law.

Instead, Rainwater has provided a draft resolution for counties to consider, if they want to voice their support for the Second Amendment. But, he noted neither the association nor its Risk Management Fund were taking a stand on the issue.

The actions by cities and counties across the country are in response to sanctuary cities where local police limit the degree federal immigration laws are enforced.

Cities and counties are also responding to what are known as extreme risk protection orders or red-flag laws. In these instances, state laws authorize courts to issue a protection order allowing police to temporarily confiscate firearms from people deemed by a judge to be a danger to themselves or others.

The quorum court will consider eight other items of business when it meets in the second floor courtroom of the Baxter County Courthouse.

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