The legislation removes a prohibition on carrying concealed guns in parks and into restaurants where alcohol amounts to no more than 40 percent of the sales, according to the bill. Supporters said people with permits to carry concealed weapons are law-abiding, and could use their weapons to put an end to violent encounters.

"Concealed weapon permit-holders have proven themselves," said the sponsor, Rep. Sid Rosenbaum, R-Little Rock.

"I supported this measure because if a person has exhibited the responsibility to undergo training and meet the qualifications for a permit, I think they are responsible enough to possess their weapons in parks and restaurants," Key said in a statement to The Bulletin. "The bill simply removes the park and restaurant restrictions for holders of concealed carry permits. It does not allow permit-holders to carry weapons into bars, as some of my colleagues seemed to indicate during the floor debate. The fact that a restaurant serves alcohol does not make it a 'honky-tonk' or a boozery."

Restaurant owners and others expressed concerns, saying guns and places that serve drinks should not mix.

According to an Associated Press report, Rep. Jodie Mahony, D-El Dorado, spoke against the bill and displayed his concealed-carry permit, saying the training he got did not consider allowing guns in places with alcohol.

"That in no way prepared me to go into honky-tonks and boozeries with a gun," he said. "It's just asking for trouble."

Still, the House passed the bill 64-30.

As a co-sponsor for the bill, Key voted for it.