The Stand Your Ground Sneak Attack In The Arkansas Legislature

Arkansas is once again considering passing a Stand Your Ground Law, just weeks after a House committee blocked an attempt to blow open the doors on Arkansas’s gun laws. Republican state Senator Bob Ballinger (Hindsville) is trying get a Stand Your Ground Law passed through the back door. His bill mirrors the law in Florida that George Zimmerman used to defend himself with in the death of Trayvon Martin.

Earlier in this session of the Arkansas Legislature, state Rep. Aaron Pilkington (R-Clarksville) introduced a Stand Your Ground Law. But after failing to secure the needed votes in the House Judiciary Committee, Pilkington’s bill was placed on the deferred list.

But now supporters of the bill have found their run around, and are circumventing the impasse in the House. Stand Your Ground supporters believe they have a clear shot on the Senate side of the state Capitol. Ballinger has filed an identical bill to Pilkington’s, and even has the same co-sponsors.

Ballinger plans to run SB484 in the Senate Judiciary Committee at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, March 6. If it passes, it will head to the full Senate floor before heading over to the House.