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Senate committee advances substitute restricting firearms and exemptions at polling places
Summary
The Senate Rules Committee granted a due pass to a substitute for SB 261, which narrows exemptions that allow firearms in or near polling places and includes exceptions for law enforcement when requested by election administrators or in emergencies; opponents warned of practical problems in rural areas and for on-site law enforcement.
The Senate Rules Committee advanced a substitute for SB 261 after extended debate about balancing voter safety and the operational needs of law enforcement in small or co-located polling sites.
The sponsor described the bill as a rollback of earlier carve-outs that had left concealed-carry holders and some law-enforcement officers exempt from polling-place firearm bans. Sponsor and Secretary of State staff said the substitute narrows exemptions while preserving the ability for election administrators (presiding judges, election judges, county clerks, or the Secretary of State) to request law enforcement…
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