I am an AR resident and am still confused, along with many others I might add, about the wording of the new law. The concealed handgun part is not the problem. Whether one can carry open (So called Constitutional Carry) is a matter of interpretation. It essential says, in normal Arkansas speak, that a person can carry a handgun anytime as long as no criminal intent is involved. However, if you want to carry concealed you must have a permit. That sounds like open carry to me. I am still looking for a attorney’s interpretation of this new law. Any ideas out there in AR country?
I agree with your interpretation. I have not seen a test case yet, but some people have openly carried with police approval.
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/08/arsuccessful-legal-open-carry-march.html
I agree that the issue is confusing, but when it boils down to it, there is no legal prohibition on ANY type of LEGAL carry of a firearm, concealed or otherwise. Dustin McDaniel is having a conniption over it, but he has no statutory authority to support his position after the introduction of the new law (which the Governor claims that he didn’t “know” that it would be used for the purposes of supporting open carry..ha!)
Actually, the correct interpretation of 1089 seems to mean that Arkansas has constitutional carry.
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2013/04/arconstitutional-carry-will-be-law-in.html