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. 

I Picked the Wrong Week...

I felt like Lloyd Bridges in Airplane, "I picked the wrong week to stop drinking"... Red Bull...






My youngest daughter, Hannah, and I spent this past week pacing the halls of the state Capitol trying to keep a pulse on what is going on with all the tax increases, tax cuts and new government regulations. 


It started very late Monday night when news spread fast about Governor Beebe hoping to make Arkansas the Flagship for socialized healthcare by being the first state to fully implement Obamacare. (Read more...)


Which, among other reasons, is why Rep Ed Garner chose to not run HB1002, Captial Gains Tax Cut on Wednesday (will run next Wednesday), to allow the focus to be on Sen. Missy Irvin's bill SB 709, a bill that would have required  state agencies to document the expenses they incur to implement the federal health law. That committee meeting (IMHO) was a embarrassment to the system and to our state. (Read why...)


Thursday brought the "Internet Tax" bill that flew threw the Senate 26-7, meaning many thought-to-be conservatives voted YES to this tax increase. (Read more...)

But Friday was the clincher. I was truly feeling the depths of Mr. Bridges' sentiments as I scoured the Capitol for the nearest Red Bull vendor.


Yesterday morning bright and early the "Shale Tax" bill was heard in the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. (scratching my head) One might think that it would be heard by the House Revenue and Tax Committee. Oh wait the House Revenue and Tax Committee is majority Republican....


This meeting was the Coup de grace' of  back room politics. 


(this is a true parenthetical moment ...My brain just did a flash to Tony Soprano saying "I'm in the waste management business. Everybody immediately assumes you're mobbed up. It's a stereotype. And it's offensive... There is no Mafia.")  I'm not sure why that scene just popped into my head, let's continue.


The "Shale Tax" meeting was packed. The media reported 250 but I can tell you if there was one, there were 400. The word was spreading fast that Speaker Moore was considering not running the bill because he felt he did not have the votes, even in this stacked committee, to get a do pass; plus the size of the turn out (and I am not speaking of the number of people).


But he ultimately did and  it was quite the show. Don't take my word for it, watch it for your self here http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=393




I was slinging the Red Bull back one after the other around the time the House convened at 10 am, anxiously awaiting the floor vote on HB1902, another bill Speaker Moore supports, the "Diesel Tax" bill, that would raise the price of diesel fuel on Arkansans an additional .05/gal over the rest of the nation. (Read more...)


In case you haven't heard the diesel tax passed through the Arkansas house 67-24. Once again legislators Arkansans thought they could trust to protect us from additional taxation and government regulations voted to increase the cost of diesel fuel on us by .05/gal. 


Don't be fooled by any rhetoric you hear them justifying it about putting it to a vote of the people, Horse Feathers!, we sent them there with a CLEAR message in November, NO MORE TAXES.




Not only that but with that vote the said yes to spending millions of tax payer dollars to do it. See the powers that be recognize you can't let a good crisis go to waste, when thousands of Arkansans are dying everyday because of lack of good roads and safe bridges. We must implement this tax NOW by holding a SPECIAL ELECTION, which will cost more than 1million tax payer dollars (some estimates I have gotten over the last 24 hours say $2million) EACH time.


I say each time because unbeknownst, evidently, to several who voted for this tax increase, the language in the bill provides that the Governor can run "subsequent" elections if the proposition fails as many times as it takes to pass and as often as every six months (page 10 staring line 7 http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1902.pdf)


We also know that there will be an "education" campaign from our illustrious protectors, to ensure that every Arkansan knows the urgency that is before us with regards to our roads.


Watch the House vote here~http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=394


Friends, I know you are busy, tired and perhaps feel unable to make a difference. But that is simply not true. If not for the people who have engaged in the past two years all of this stuff would have already been implemented with not a single hiccup. We have been able to shine the light on what has been going on now for decades right under our noses, and we ARE MAKING a difference.


Regardless of what you have been told the government is still run of, by and for the people. The people just need assert their power by the means afforded us in our system, IT WORKS! We just need to work it.


What you can do~

1. Spread this information FAR AND WIDE, make sure those in your spheres of influence    know what is going on, it affects their families too.
2. Find out who your elected officials are and COMMUNICATE with them. Let them know you willing to do the work it takes to come alongside them so they CAN represent YOU according to your beliefs and values
3. Read and investigate. What episode of Glee is more important than the future of your children and the families in our communities.
4. Ask questions. Tons of questions
5. GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED~

If you need help and want a little more direction, call me 501-258-6353, the more people we have seriously involved the faster we get our state on the right track and the more we secure the futures of the next generation.

They've Got an Eye on You~ Medical Registry~

(Cue up spooky music) DOM-DOM-E-E-E…How would you feel about a national registry with your entire family’s medical information in it? States all over the nation are either already implementing or , as is the case in Arkansas, dealing with the issue of "expanding immunization registry" now. 


Today the Arkansas House put our state one step closer. They  passed 88-8, HB1317, filed by Rep Linda Tyler  (D-Conway), AN ACT TO EXPAND THE IMMUNIZATION REGISTRY TO BETTER PROTECT THE CITIZENS OF ARKANSAS.




Protect us from what? I wonder if the men and women that passed this one actually read this bill carefully and realized the implications of it's passage.

Here's some background. There was a similar bill filed in 2007, HB2025 by Rep Sandra Prater (D-Jacksonville). It was defeated in the House Public Health Committee.  One of the distinct differences in the two is that the 2007 version offered an "opt-out", the new and improved version, not so much.

Bills like this tend to give me the hebbie jebbies, and remind me of the book "1984" 

The Department of Health is the gatekeeper of the information, which according to the bill is not restricted to a particular use, not only that they are not required to share this data with the parents. I hear Scooby Doo in the background now going RUH? 

What about the doctor client privilege? In section 1 paragraph 2 it reads “Immunization records shall include data as specified by the department.”  What data? What specifications?

I am sure that this information would never be used by our government for any other reason than that intended.

What is even more disconcerting is the mandatory submission. Here is the verbiage starting on page 2:

 Duty of providers — Penalty.

A provider shall register with the Department of Health the intent to administer childhood immunizations to an individual under twenty-two (22) years of age under guidelines established by the department.

A provider shall report to the department the administration of a childhood immunization to any person an individual under twenty-two (22) years of age.

A provider may report the administration of adult immunizations to the department.

Not only will childhood immunizations be registered but this bill includes adult immunizations as well and the provider is the decider of submission not the adult. Sound like overreaching government? Does this help or hinder business? And just who do you think the “providers” will pass the cost of implementation and enforcement on to?

Unlike the 2007 version this bill implements a $25.00 fine for those who do not “participate”. Sound a little Stalinish? Who will enforce this? Will be have the immunization police or the registry squad?

This bill is now in the hands of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, might behoove the citizens of Arkansas to get in touch with these lawmakers and discuss the particulars of this bill.

If you care to read a little more here is an article in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette written on this topic in August of last year. Seems the Governor was also worried about privacy and cost.

GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED!

Roll Call~

PICTURE OF THE DAY!

FROM MY FRIEND TERESA OELKE
Excessive gov. spending is a lot like excessive drinking. Except we all share the hangover
I like my gov spending how I like my beer: cheap

Jobless Story


Today the National unemployment numbers came out and the number feel from 9.4% in December to 9.0% for January with 36,000 jobs having been created. But the story is a little different here in Arkansas. Talk Business reported that unemployment rates are rising in 75% of Arkansas Metro Areas (read more...)

Numbers Coming Out

Redistricting is a hot issue this year and will be tackled soon by our legislators. The US Census Bureau sent out a press release Wednesday, Census Bureau to Release Local 2010 Census Data for Arkansas, Indiana, Iowa and Maryland, saying our state numbers will be out next week. 

Let the gerrymandering  begin 

               FEED

TolbertReportFeb 03, 4:26pm via web

Power grab alert - Rep. Hall files HJR1002 to create special prosecutors that report directly to#ARLeg - http://bit.ly/eFk6ZN

ProgressiveARFeb 03, 3:56pm via web

Cliff Notes on yesterday's #ARLeg: Immigration, ethics, cell phones, & more. http://bit.ly/gzELl0

AFPArkansas

9:48am via web

Talk Business: #Unemployment Rates Rising in 75% of State Metro Areas http://bit.ly/ecoLZe#ARLeg #AFPAR #AFPhq

ProgressiveAR9:39am via TweetDeck

Going deeper into the 'ethics' bill, herbal snuff, start of school. Analysis from @ArkansasSenate:http://bit.ly/gbUet8 #ARLeg

RobyBrock9:16am via web

FYI - An #ARLeg prison reform primer. Where does the debate stand today? http://bit.ly/fz1V5G

aymond9:05am via HootSuite

RT @ARGOP: ICYMI: The "The Arkansas Financial Transparency Act" filed Thursday would track state spending online http://ow.ly/3PWJN #arleg#argop

ArkansasOnline10:17am via twitterfeed

Government in new dispute with tobacco companies: The Justice Department is in a new dispute with the tobacco in... http://bit.ly/hQJ1xj

RobyBrock7:00am via web

Tyson Foods profits nearly double in Q1 report.http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/TYSON-EARNINGS-RISE-85-/1459/

AFPArkansas9:12am via TweetDeck

Excessive gov. spending is a lot lk excessive drinking. Except we all share the hangoverhttp://yfrog.com/gyoytapj

AFPArkansas

9:13am via TweetDeck

I like my gov spending how I like my beer: cheap.http://bit.ly/d92aF7 #tcot #AFPAR

PAGING SENATOR DAVID JOHNSON~WHERE ARE YOU?

(This was originally posted to the American Majority Blog page)

Kudos to Senator David Johnson (D, Little Rock) who received ZERO dollars in per diem, mileage and expense money for 2010, according to an admirable enterprise story by Michael Wickline in Sunday’s Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Going back to 2009, during a regular session as is 2011’s session, Mr. Johnson received only $1081.

I recognize Mr. Johnson is at an advantage over the majority of Arkansas legislators because he lives in Little Rock. Yet so does Senator Joyce Elliott who in 2010 received $25,979 in expenses along with Representatives Greenberg ($31,826), Allen ($31,332), Webb ($29,754), Adcock($28,2 00), D. Williams ($27,976), J. Edwards ($26,500) and A. Kerr($24,600). These 8 legislators alone were reimbursed tens of thousands of dollars, all in addition to their regular salaries of $15,869.

The closest example to Mr. Johnson’s fiscal restraint in 2009 was Representative James Word, (D-Pine Bluff) who received $24,600. And the totals soar from there, reaching a maximum collected of $60,092 by Senator Jimmy Jeffress (D,Crossett, appoximately 150 miles from the Capitol)…YES~I just wrote 60 thousand dollars in expenses reimbursements. This year, Sen. Jeffress cut back a bit after receiving some backlash over his steep expenses during 2009, and only collected $52,427.

We should give Rep. Nate Steel recognition, too, because in 2010 he only received $3,833, and he lives in Nashville, which is some 150 miles from the Capitol. Third runner-up for most fiscally responsible legislator is Rep. Steve Cole (D-Lockesburg) who rang in at $13,647 for 2010 (much less than his figure in 2009 of $35,468). Lockesburg is also right around 150 miles from the capitol.

Wonder why there is such a HUGE discrepancy in the amount of money reimbursed for basically the same travel? I understand that different legislators are on different committees and have different responsibilities but a $60,000.00 annual difference is a pretty big difference…

Wickline’s article points out that the first time an Arkansas legislator collected more than $50,000 in a single year was in 2007. Since then: In 2008 four lawmakers collected in excess of $50 thousand and in 2009 a whopping TWENTY legislators joined the crowd. The word obviously got around.

Those in the Top 20 during 2009 and what they collected from taxpayers for expenses (again, not including their salaries)

Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett $60,092
Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena $56,592
Rep. Ray Kidd, D-Jonesboro $56,366
Rep. Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove $56,290
Rep. Eddie Cooper, D-Melbourne $54,892
Rep. Buddy Lovell, D-Marked Tree $53,998
Sen. Gene Jeffress, D-Louann $53,949
Rep. Billy Gaskill, D-Paragould $53,524
Rep. Mike Patterson, D-Piggott $52,588
Rep. Monty Davenport, D-Yellville $52,047
Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale $51,949
Rep. Gregg Reep, D-Warren $51,898
Rep. Tommy Baker, D-Osceola $51,641
Rep. Curren Everett, D-Salem $51,492
Rep. George Overbey, D-Lamar $51,452
Rep. Nathan George, D-Dardanelle $50,860
Rep. Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City $50,603
Sen. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette $50,522
Sen. Steve Bryles, D-Blytheville $50,442
Rep. Allen Maxwell, D-Monticello $50,087

And then there were 8 lawmakers collecting over 50 thousand dollars in 2010:

Sen Laverty, D-Jasper $59,745
Rep. Kidd, D-Jonesboro $54,064
Sen. J Jeffress, D-Crossett $52,427
Rep. T. Baker, D-Osceola $52,199
Rep. Gaskill, D- Paragould $52,100
Rep. Patterson, D-Piggott $51,814
Rep. Woods, R- Springdale $51,467
Rep. Davenport, D-Yellville $51,186

Senator Laverty was the only one of the 2010 big expense collectors not to also reach the $50K mark in 2009, although he was just shy at $43,966.
These numbers are stunning to me, especially since I spent 2010 continuously traveling Arkansas from corner to corner and back again. Kerry Baldwin and I held 41 trainings, over a dozen events and a handful of speaking engagements from Texarkana to Mt. Home to Jonesboro and over to Fort Smith.

I traveled over 100 days and sometimes hit four cities encompassing 400 miles over a two-day period and never submitted a travel reimbursement voucher for more than $1000 in any single month.

It’s my understanding that legislators who live within 50 miles of the Capitol receive a flat fee” per diem of somewhere between $2,000 to $2,200, never having to even fill out an expense report. Those living more than 50 miles away receive $.51 per mile, round trip, and $149 a day per diem, with no expense report required.

As a business owner, I can’t turn those kinds of records into the IRS. Could you? I mean, can we talk some common sense here? And as a person who works for an organization that reimburses my proven travel expenses, I have to turn in a detailed expense report every two weeks with receipts attached. That’s if I expect to receive reimbursement. So someone tell me why should our public servants be any different?

Today (Jan 31, 2011), and not a moment too soon, Arkansas legislators introduced SB194. A bipartisan “Ethics Bill”. Please read this bill (it’s only 2 pages) and let me know if you think this will alleviate the obvious problem of paid officials continually soaking the taxpayers?

In 2010 $4.7 million was paid to 135 part-time legislators, most of whom have other vocations outside of their public service. I don’t think there’s a constituent in our state that would expect or want our law makers to absorb personal costs for officially tending to the affairs of our State. Yet I believe – and am convinced- that the sizes of these “expense” numbers as reported by Mr. Wickline are questionable.

I’d also encourage each of you to contact legislators in your area and make a habit of regularly submitting FOIA requests for their expense records. Show them you care and are watching our business as closely as any newspaper reporter. Itemized accountability has a way of curbing anyone’s desire to “inflate” numbers in the private or public sector.

Roll Call

Promise of Transparency on it's Way
Kudos to Sen. Jonathan Dismang, (R-Beebe), who today  filed Senate Bill 221 titled “The Arkansas Financial Transparency Act. Rep. James McLean, D-Batesville, is a co-sponsor.


Dismang filed the bill for Lt. Gov. Mark Darr, who campaigned last year on a pledge to put all state spending online for the public to view. 






Lt. Gov. Darr released this statement today:

"I am pleased that The Arkansas Financial Transparency Act has been filed. I believe it is a solid piece of legislation that will greatly enhance transparency in government for the citizens of Arkansas.

"I am glad that this bill has bipartisan support. I want to personally thank Senator Jonathan Dismang for being the lead sponsor of this bill in the Senate. I also want to thank Representative James McLean for being the lead sponsor in the House. 

"The taxpayers have a right to know how and where their money is being spent and I believe this bill represents a strong step toward providing that for the people of Arkansas."

From Talk Business~


REVENUE REPORT SHOWS POSITIVES, BUT WARNINGS STILL ABOUND 
Boosted by growth in personal income taxes, Arkansas January revenue report continued to show marginal improvements for collections despite setbacks in consumer spending and corporate taxes.

Seven months into the state's fiscal year, year-to-date net available general revenues topped $2.72 billion, up 1.4% from last year and 0.3% above forecast. For the year, individual income taxes and gross receipts are boosting the improved numbers. (Read more...)




From Tolbert Report~  


Speaker Moore Admits Public Desires Tougher Ethics


House Speaker Robert Moore presented HB 1284 – the “ethics bill” – this afternoon to the House Rules Committee where it passed with no objections. Moore discussed the provision of the bill and the process of the bipartisan working group that led to its passage but he did admit that the public would like to see the bill go further. (Read more...)

  

        FEED

TolbertReportFeb 02, 7:10pm via web

Barnett (R-Siloam Springs) files HJR1001 - shell bill for a prop const amend to "raise revenues" for highways - http://bit.ly/h1jxWV #ARLeg

DuncanBairdFeb 02, 2:00pm via web

The House just passed HB1009 by Rep. Woods, which will strengthen the laws regarding identification of sex offenders who move to Arkansas.

DuncanBairdFeb 02, 2:08pm via web

Earlier today the House Rules committee passed the legislative ethics bill, which I am co-sponsoring. HB1284: http://bit.ly/fG78F7

DuncanBairdFeb 02, 6:24pm via web

An Amendment (SJR3) was filed today to "require the General Assembly to pass a balanced budget" each fiscal year: http://bit.ly/e5Cz7A

dismang2:57pm via web

Proud to have filed SB221 today - Lt. Governor Darr's "AR Financial Transparency Act"http://tinyurl.com/4nw5mwz

RobyBrock

1:48pm via Web

2 steps backward, 1 step forward: Unemployment rates rise in 6 of 8 metro areas in Ark. as year ends. 2010 analysis: http://bit.ly/fyvDDu

TolbertReport4:26pm via Web

Power grab alert - Rep. Hall files HJR1002 to create special prosecutors that report directly to#ARLeg - http://bit.ly/eFk6ZN