Senate committee pauses SB 6 after members raise alarm over armed, statewide security authority

Senator Sample presented SB 6 to the Senate State Agencies & Govt'l Affairs Committee, saying the bill would give the Senate the option to hire a full-time security officer similar to a hire the House already made.

Senator Garner pressed the sponsor on several provisions, saying the bill, as written, appears to grant hired security "the authority and power" of certified officers without requiring Arkansas Commission of Law Enforcement Standards and Academy certification. "In theory, you could hire anybody," Garner said, and later asked, "Can somebody who's not certified by a leader be able to carry a firearm and secure us up here at the capitol?" He added, "They would be able to." Garner also noted the bill appears to give statewide jurisdiction, allowing a Senate-hired officer to exercise arrest authority across the state.

Senator Sample said the House's hire is a retired FBI agent and that the Senate's sergeant at arms is a retired state police officer who maintains certification and annual training. He apologized for presenting the bill "as it's written," acknowledged it needed closer vetting, and asked the committee to allow him to pull the bill and amend the language to address the concerns. The chair agreed to let the sponsor withdraw the bill so it could be redrafted and reconsidered at a later meeting.

A motion to pass SB 6 was made by Senator Bledsoe and seconded by Senator English, and the committee allowed discussion on the motion; however, no final vote was taken before the sponsor opted to pull the measure for amendment. The committee adjourned after the sponsor's request.

Why it matters: As written, SB 6 would expand options for the Senate to hire security but would also, according to committee members, potentially confer firearms and arrest authority and statewide jurisdiction on hires who might not be required to complete standard state law-enforcement certification. The sponsor's decision to withdraw the bill for amendment means the committee will reconsider a revised version before any vote.