The Arizona Senate has rejected a bill that would have allowed gun owners with concealed-carry permits to bring their weapons into public buildings.
House Bill 2320, sponsored by Rep. Brenda Barton of Payson, was designed to require public establishments to allow permit holders to carry their firearms inside or mandate that security guards and metal detectors be added at entrances.
The bill would let Arizona's more than 230,000 concealed-carry holders bring their firearms into public buildings that include courts, libraries and city and county offices, unless the building owners meet the bill's security requirements.
Barton's proposal failed on a 15-14 vote, with Republicans Adam Driggs, Bob Worsley and Steve Pierce voting with Democrats in opposition.
Former Gov. Jan Brewer vetoed similar legislation three times in four years. In 2014, Brewer cited concerns about the fiscal impact on state and local governments.
