The Arkansas State House is sending the Stand Your Ground bill to the desk of Governor Hutchinson. The bill has received a lot of attention both in last year’s session and this one. The law, if signed by the governor, loosens restrictions on deadly force in self-defense situations. Current law says a person must retreat if possible, whereas this bill loosens those restrictions.
The bill passed the House Wednesday with 72, a majority, representatives voting for the bill, and 23 voting against it.
A similar proposal failed two years ago after State Senator Stephanie Flowers (D- Pine Bluff) made an impassioned speech against the proposal invoking the fear of gun violence her children and other African-Americans feel in her crime-plagued district.
She made another plea this year in a legislative committee, but the current bill passed both the House and Senate.
