Currently, guns are not allowed in any bar or restaurant which sells liquor. There is a bill going through the Arizona Senate which might change that.
This should be interesting. I have seen some people who shoot drunk, which is stupid as hell. Most gun owners, though, are responsible, law-abiding citizens of this nation. Allowing people to decide
The bill makes sense, though. The owner of most establishments have the right to allow or disallow guns on their property. Why not restaurants?
http://ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=1041963
Bill would allow guns in restaurants
February 10th, 2009 @ 7:05am
by Bob McClay/KTAR
A bill that would give customers the right to take guns into restaurants which have certain liquor licenses has been introduced in the Arizona Senate.
Restaurant owners who do not want firearms in their establishments would be required to post signs about the ban.
Sen. Jack Harper, R-Surprise, said current law bans people from carrying a weapon into any business with a liquor license. He said his proposal is aimed at leveling the playing field.
"This should be up to the business owner to exercise their property rights to decide whether or not they want to allow a patron to exercise their Second Amendment rights," said Harper, who tried unsuccessfully to get a similar bill passed last year.
Harper said the main difference between last year's bill and the current version is that this year's proposal is limited to restaurants that have a Class 12 liquor license, which means they are allowed to sell just a low-volume or a casual amount of alcohol.
"If someone comes into a restaurant and they're not consuming alcohol, that's no different than them walking through a Wal-mart, K-mart or Target that sells firearms and has alcohol," Harper said. "If you're not consuming, there's no reason why the business owner shouldn't be allowed the decision to allow you to exercise your Second Amendment rights."
He added, "In every other business in this state, firearms are allowed as long as the business owner allows them. But, if the business has an on-site consumption liquor license, then the state government decides for the business owner that firearms will not be allowed, even if the patrol is not consuming alcohol."
Harper said the bill is backed by the National Rifle Association, which hopes it will be passed before the group's annual convention in Phoenix in the spring.
