Earlier this week, the Arkansas Senate voted unanimously, 34-0, to pass an NRA backed “Shall-Sign” bill which will ensure that all law abiding citizens of Arkansas have the ability to purchase and own suppressors. House Bill 1488, sponsored by Representative Tim Lemons (R-43), passed the House on March 12th on a unanimous 92-0 vote. Now that the Senate has also unanimously approved the bill, it will head to Governor Asa Hutchinson’s desk.
HB 1488 is part of a nation-wide effort to pass “Shall Sign” or “Shall Certify” legislation across the country. This issue became a top priority for the American Suppressor Association following the Obama Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Docket No. ATF 41P. This is the executive action which seeks to extend the CLEO signoff requirement to every member of every NFA trust and legal entity.
When the National Firearms Act of 1934 was signed into law, computerized background checks did not exist. At that time, the CLEO signoff was the only means by which individuals applying for a transfer of an NFA item could be vetted. Since 1934, technology has come full circle, but the now antiquated CLEO signoff requirement has remained. Many CLEOs refuse to sign NFA applications, basing their refusal on perceived liability or on purely political reasons. Shall Sign legislation fixes these issues, ensuring that law abiding citizens in the state receive their CLEO signature within a reasonable amount of time.
We now need your help to ensure that this vital piece of legislation becomes law in Arkansas. Please contact Gov. Asa Hutchinson and respectfully urge him to sign HB 1488. His contact information is below:
http://governor.arkansas.gov/contact-info
As always, the American Suppressor Association will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that your suppressor rights are protected and expanded nationwide. We will keep you updated as pro-suppressor legislation advances.
