In news from the Arkansas Legislative Session, an effort to end a day set aside in the state to commemorate the flag of the Confederacy has failed before a Senate panel, and a veto override is expected on a bill that will prohibit local police from enforcing federal gun restrictions.
The proposal to end Confederate Flag Day, which is marked on the Saturday before Easter, failed before the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee on Monday.
The bill was approved by the House earlier this month. It would have replaced the day with Arkansas Day, which the legislation says is intended to reflect the state’s “rich history, national treasures, diverse cultures, unmatched hospitality, shared spirit, and human resilience.”
Also today, Arkansas lawmakers took the first step toward overriding Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s veto of a bill prohibiting local police from enforcing federal gun restrictions.
The majority-Republican Senate voted in favor of overriding the Republican governor’s veto of the legislation imposing criminal penalties on state and local officers for assisting federal authorities enforcing federal gun laws the bill’s sponsors say violate the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The override attempt moves on to the House. Hutchinson vetoed the bill on Friday and said it would jeopardize public safety.
From the Associated Press
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