Senators will have a chance to make changes to the state's Concealed Handgun Permit Act this session, but allowing church security to carry concealed handguns won't be an option.

The Judiciary Committee advanced a bill (LB430) that would prohibit cities, counties or villages from banning concealed carry.

It also would allow permanently stationed military personnel to be considered residents for the purpose of obtaining permits. Nebraska also would recognize permits from other states for nonresidents, if those states have standards equal or higher than Nebraska's.

And it would allow for more time to process permits.

People testifying at a public hearing for the bill, which was introduced by Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial, said it didn't make sense for the law to change as a person travels from one city to another.

A legal opinion by Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning said a concealed carry permit was valid throughout the state. Most cities with bans said they disagreed with the opinion and had no plans to repeal their bans.

A Lincoln Berean Church security official testified that allowing security personnel to carry concealed guns in places of worship would help protect staff and church members.

Berean has a uniformed officer, but seeing an armed guard makes some people uneasy, said Pastor Jeff Petersen.

On March 3, a man disguised as an armored car service guard walked into the church at 6400 S. 70th St. and left with nearly $145,000 in cash and checks from the week's collections.

Five churches in Lincoln and one in Kearney support increasing church security, the committee was told.

Committee Chairman Brad Ashford said he heard from other ministers and churches that they were afraid of people carrying concealed guns in churches.

Christensen said he may try again to extend the allowance to church security.

He also will write a letter to the city of Bellevue, he said, asking officials there to address its ban on carrying firearms within the city limits between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. The law, he said, makes a person a law breaker if he or she leaves before dawn to go hunting.

Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.