LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -
Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe is out of state so Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Darr signed into law a bill to make secret the list of 130,000 Arkansans with concealed weapons permits.
Darr signed the bill Friday while Gov. Mike Beebe is in Washington, D.C.
Beebe opposed the bill but, after it passed both houses, said he'd let it become law without his signature.
Had Beebe vetoed the bill, legislators could have overridden the bill with simple majority votes in the House and Senate, both of which are controlled by Republicans.
Darr says he didn't want to see a delay in the bill becoming law. The bill has an emergency clause, which allows the bill to take effect immediately. Had it sat on Beebe's desk it would have become law Monday.
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