Arizona Senate committee approves firearms legislation

Phoenix (AP) - Arizonas stand-your-ground and constitutional-carry laws already make the state a favorite for gun owners. On Tuesday, a Republican-dominated Senate committee passed firearms legislation to further broaden state residents Second Amendment rights.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a bill expanding gun owners rights to carry concealed weapons in public places and another creating an interstate compact to regulate the transfer of firearms. Both proposals passed on a 5-3 vote and now move to the Senate.

House Bill 2320 by Rep. Brenda Barton, R-Payson, would allow holders of concealed-carry permit to take their weapons into public buildings such as libraries. The bill says that if public institutions do not want to allow conceal-carry holders to come in with their guns, they must establish security guards and metal detectors at their facilities. The bill exempts some buildings, including those with liquor licenses, hospitals and schools.

The whole point of putting this legislation forward is to honor the people who have a CCW permit, Barton said. Its important that we honor that, and allow them to carry their desired weapon, concealed for self-defense.

Advocates from the Salt River Project, the Arizona State Retirement System and the state Supreme Court lobbied for exceptions for their public buildings. But Sen. Don Shooter, R-Yuma, who chairs the committee, refused to offer amendments in committee.

Instead, Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, who supports the bill, said Republicans will offer floor amendment to prohibit concealed carriers from bringing weapons into public buildings where it is forbidden by federal law.

Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, said cities and counties shouldnt have to pay for security so that concealed carriers can keep their guns in public buildings. This bill puts a literal gun to the heads of public bodies and says if you really want to keep your public buildings free from weapons youre going to have to pay for it, Farley said.

Maricopa County found that if it prohibited firearms from all 378 county buildings that dont have security, it would cost $47 million in ongoing costs and $9 million in setup costs, according to legislative analysts.

Brewer vetoed similar legislation three times in four years. In 2014, Brewer cited concerns about the fiscal impact on state and local governments. She called the bill an unnecessary diversion of limited resources.

More than 230,000 Arizona residents have concealed-carry permits, according to a Department of Public Safety report from March.