Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has ordered all “no weapons allowed” signs to be removed from rest stops in his state.
The “no weapons” signs have been up for about a year. ALDOT put them up after Alabama passed new gun laws in 2013 that relaxed some restrictions. Ever since, many news outlets have questioned the legality of the signs, concerned that ALDOT had overstepped its bounds.
State law gives the Legislature “complete control over regulation and policy pertaining to firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories”, leaving many questioning whether ALDOT had the authority to declare its rest stops a no gun zone
Governor Bentley made his announcement on Friday via Twitter. The move came after a recent flood of Alabama residents and gun rights groups have contacted ALDOT and demanded that they justify the reasoning for their no weapons policy.
Supporters of the Governor’s decision say that the move will keep Alabama citizens safer, citing the fact that the recent Chattanooga shootings took place in a no weapons zone.
Sources:
WKRG
My Fox Alabama
Yellowhammer News