Bill Adventures~

With more than 2300 bills having been filed this session you can imagine the frenzy with which they are shuttled from the filing stage, through committees,both houses and, if the pass the muster, ultimately to the governors desk .

If you just look at the House Education Committee you will see that they had nearly 100 bills on their agenda for today alone.

The Twitter-verse was filled today with a flurry of activity as it becomes crunch time in the Ole Arkansas Legislature. There is even a bit of a buzz about Saturday Sessions in order to get everything accomplished by April 1st.

Some things to take note of today. Sen. Rapert's SJR4 - the “Taxpayer Protection” Amendment was stopped in the Senate State Agencies Committee. A Tweet directly following this news from Rep. David Meeks was "Msg of the day: Its ok to refer tax increases to the voters but not a taxpayer protection amendment? Really?"

Two other candidates for the 2012 ballot were taken down SJR6 – a bill to limit the total amount of years served to 14 years total by Sen. Bill Pritchard, and SJR7 - the bill to eliminate and consolidate certain constitutional offices by Sen. Robert Thompson.

That committee approved Sen. Hutchinson's SJR2 - the bill that will put the Highway Commission, Game and Fish Commission and the lottery appropriation under the supervision of the state legislature and SJR5 - a bonds bill for cities and counties by Sen Files. 

The Diesel Tax (HB1902) was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee today. I am not sure what that means or where it stands but will have an update as soon as I know anything~

Charter School Bill (SB346)- a bill that would remove the limitation on the number of open-enrollment Charter Schools, made it out of the Senate today by a vote of 20-10 and is on it's way to the House Education Committee~

Prison Reform (SB750) passed through the House Judiciary Committee and is headed for it's last vote before going to the Governor for his signature into law. (Read more...)

Several appropriation bills failed in the House today, visit the Twitter Feed at the #ARLeg for details.

Some other bills to watch

As I posted earlier today  the Capital Gains Tax Reduction (HB1002) and The Constitutional Offices Transparency Bill (HB1046) will both be heard tomorrow. You still have time to make a difference in helping to cut taxes and promote government transparency. (Read more...)

The Clean Energy Act, SB721 by Sen Sue Madison, was suppose to be heard today but will be heard on Thursday by the Senate Insurance Committee. 

I received an email today that had this letter from Larry Thompson, Financial Services Director for City Water & Light Jonesboro:

"This bill includes a 20%/200mW renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for Arkansas (23-18-904(c)(1)(B)). Each utility would be required to purchase renewables under a tariff based on its load ratio share. These higher-cost renewables will increase our retail rates to families, business and industry.

Since many cities purchase power thru full-requirements, long-term agreements, this renewable mandate may be in conflict with these contracts. The cities which own more than 80% of their needs may find some of their generating capacity effectively “stranded”. This could further increase prices to customers."

Also received this update from the Family Council on 7 Pro-life bills to watch~  

  

An Opportunity to Engage for Transparency and Lower Taxes

Tomorrow will be a big day at the Capitol. This is a wonderful opportunity for you and your friends and family to engage, impacting the future of our state and the economic future of our children.


The Capitol Gains Tax Cut, HB1002  will be heard at 10 am by the Senate Revenue and Tax Committee. Rumors flying that key members will not be present- Please call Committee members and respectfully request they attend and vote.


 Uncommitted Votes:  Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville).  Senate Phone 501-682-2902.


There is also a bill that has been flying under the radar which is a huge step for government transparency, HB1046, TO PROVIDE THAT CASH FUNDS RECEIVED BY CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS OR STATE AGENCIES AS A RESULT OF AN AWARD BY THE COURT OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ARE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.


It is scheduled for the Senate State Agencies at 10 am as well. 


It is my understanding, that the Attorney General has the majority of discretion currently of where this money is spent, although he told me that the Judges are involved to an extent.


There are millions of dollars that flow in and out of this fund and in the spirit of transparency the tax payers of Arkansas need to know the details of that flow and have more oversight.  


The Arkansas Senate sent a resounding message on transparency yesterday with a unanimous vote for the "online checkbook" This would be an additional step to help bring fiscal responsibility and government transparency to our state. Please call the committee members and ask them to once again stand with Arkansans and support transparency. 

WINNER WINNER~ BUDGET THINNER... AND ONLINE

Today was an EPIC day in the Arkansas Legislature!


By a vote of 5-76-7 the House voted down 113 GIF (General Improvement Fund) request, totaling nearly a BILLION dollars. WAY TO GO!








They also reportedly voted down another 8 bills according to Tolbert Report. In his post today Jason explains what GIF's are and list the other 8 bills (read more...)


And that's not all...


A tweet from Rep. David Meeks this afternoon said "I've been assured that HB1992,the severance tax bill, will be pulled.It has been killed for now. Will let u know if that changes."
You will recall that HB1992 was the "shale tax" bill that I spoke of in my post "I Picked the Wrong Week..." and the committee meeting that was so horrible.


But wait there's more...


Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, HB2060, the bill that was a mandate for union dues to be taken from paychecks and paid directly to the union is being pulled and will be removed from the calendar~ 


AND.... Drum Roll Please

The Arkansas State Senate UNANIMOUSLY voted to approve SB221 the online checkbook bill!


IT IS A GREAT DAY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS~ 
PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS AND TELL THEM YOU APPRECIATE THEM STANDING WITH ARKANSANS!


AND>>> While you have them on the phone encourage them to vote the rest of this session to GROW JOBS~ NOT GOVERNMENT~ Yes on Capital Gains Tax Cut (HB1002), NO on Diesel Tax (HB1092) and Internet Tax(SB738)

A Note From AFP Arkansas on TAX Issues~

Stand with AFP Arkansas

Grow Jobs NOT Government

Capital Gains Investment Tax Reduction: SUPPORT

When it comes to creating new jobs, Arkansas is at a competitive disadvantage. Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana have eliminated or have reduced the job killing capital gains tax.  Arkansas has the opportunity to do the same by passing HB 1002.  According to the Wall Street Journal, “Businesses in high tax states invest less…and this leads to lower productivity and eventually lower average pay for workers.”  Let’s invest in Arkansas future by growing jobs, NOT government!

Uncommitted Votes:  Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville).  Senate Phone 501-682-2902.

Billion Dollar Diesel Tax INCREASE: OPPOSE

HB1902:  A bill that increases Arkansas’ diesel tax to 7.7 cents HIGHER than all of our surrounding states (Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi).  Diesel taxes are almost entirely passed on to consumers in higher cost of retail goods including food, clothing, office supplies, etc. (according to a Stanford University study conducted in March of 2010.¹)  For every one cent diesel tax increase per gallon, Arkansas consumers face an increase retail price of 1.09 cents.  Because Arkansas has the third highest per capita recipients of social security payments in the United States, just over 20% of our population², the burden will be felt most significantly by those living on fixed incomes.

Uncommitted Votes:  Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville).  Senator Jake Files (Fort Smith), Senator Bill Sample (Hot Springs) Call Senate Phone 501-682-2902

1.http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/
documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf
2.Social Security Administration Master Beneficiary Record

Remember, states with more economic freedom grow faster, have better wages and better quality of life.  Let’s get government out of the way and work together to grow jobs, not government!

For Freedom & Liberty,

Teresa Crossland-Oelke
Arkansas State Director
Americans for Prosperity

“Man is not free unless government is limited.” - Ronald Reagan

Update on Internet-TAX

Thought Arkansans would be interested to know what impact the "Internet Tax" our legislators passed through the Senate last week is having in other states such as Illinois. 

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) signed the tax into law on Thursday.  Amazon and other online retailers wasted no time pulling out.

Call your Representatives and let them know you do not want to follow Illinois~

Here are a few stories with the details~ Pay attention Arkansas! 

From Townhall Finance~ Amazon cuts Ill. ties over sales tax collection

 "Amazon.com has made good on its threat to cut ties with Illinois affiliates because of a new law requiring the online store to collect sales taxes.

Amazon notified its Illinois partners Friday that it will stop doing business with them April 15. It calls the tax law "unconstitutional and counterproductive.

Online retailer Overstock.com said later that it also will cut ties with Illinois-based partners beginning May 1.

Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Thursday that requires online companies to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases if they have any affiliates based in Illinois. Affiliates are businesses that refer customers to Amazon and Overstock and receive commissions on purchases.

The sales tax always applied to Internet sales. But individuals _ not online businesses _ were responsible for paying it. Few people did.

 From Investors.com Illinois' Illogical Internet Tax

Fiscal Policy: Illinois becomes the latest state to enact a law imposing a sales tax on Internet retailers. Advertised as saving "main street" jobs, it's yet another creative way to drive them off.
Ignoring the truism that when you tax something you get less of it, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday signed legislation making the Land of Lincoln the latest state to enact what's dubbed the Amazon Tax. It's designed to collect state sales taxes from online companies if in-state businesses do business through websites such as Seattle-based Amazon.com.

In the past, online companies such as Amazon avoided collecting and paying state sales taxes, arguing they have no physical presence in a given state. A 1992 Supreme Court decision found that businesses had to collect sales taxes only in states in which they had a substantial physical nexus there.

Amazon has no physical presence in Illinois, but its affiliates — companies that market through Amazon — do.

Illinois now joins Hawaii, North Carolina and Rhode Island in getting around this impediment by considering affiliates as the required nexus. Amazon's in court with New York over a similar law.
According to the Tax Foundation, such taxes do not produce huge revenue streams. "Rhode Island," it says, "has seen no additional sales tax revenue from its Amazon tax, and because Amazon reacted by discontinuing its affiliate program, Rhode Islanders are earning less income and paying less income tax."

Illinois has about 9,000 such affiliates, and Rebecca Madigan, director of the Performance Marketing Association, an affiliate trade group, estimates the state will lose 25% to 30% of tax revenues collected from the affiliates themselves as they lose business, cut jobs or move out of Illinois.

"We had opposed this new law because it is unconstitutional and counterproductive," Amazon said in a letter announcing it was severing ties with its Illinois affiliates. Businesses targeted by the new tax are already packing their bags to move to friendlier tax climes.

Until Quinn's action in signing what is called the Main Street Fairness Act, those Amazon or Overstock.com affiliates didn't have to collect the state sales tax as a local store selling the same product must.

Quinn says this law "will put Illinois-based businesses on a level-playing field," putting online retailers under the same tax burden as brick-and-mortar stores.

Likelier, it will simply force businesses to flee the state and leave their brick-and-mortar offices and buildings empty.