LITTLE ROCK — I’ve written previously about my respect for Arkansans who dare to inform their fellow citizens.
These aren’t news reporters. They aren’t compensated for the information they gather and share. In fact, their diligence often costs them financially and physically.
One of those is diehard Debbie Pelley, a retired teacher from Jonesboro who for years has gained the ear of many legislators because she strives to accurately ferret out relevant facts and makes prompt corrections when she does err.
Pelley’s newsy Internet releases regularly provide information that any state of freedom-loving folks would find significant. In many ways, she does the job of a credible investigative reporter.
The other day, Ms. Pelley wrote that, while this year’s group of legislators were celebrating $35 million in tax cuts they’d made, little was being said that the state’s budget “actually increased $117 million . . .The cuts were to the governor’s proposed budget, not to the current budget,” says Pelley.
Then she detailed one example after another of proposed conservative legislation by Republican legislators in 2011 that wound up killed by partisan group voting in house and senate committees. “The most important bills put forth by conservatives were blocked in committee time after time,” she said, explaining: “Almost all committees have more Democrats than Republicans, so the Democrats could block almost any bill if they stuck together. There are 8 senators on Senate committees and 20 representatives on House committees, which means it takes 5 votes to pass a bill out of the senate committee and 11 to pass from a house committee.”
Pelley’s findings are interesting, because I believe many of these common sense bills likely would havebeen supported by most Arkansans. Here are some examples that Pelley says Democrats voted to kill in their committees:
HB1292, sponsored by Rep. Jon Hubbard of Jonesboro, would have prohibited illegal aliens from receiving any state benefit except in instances of emergency. All Republicans voted yes, but this bill failed to pass out of committee.
HB1053, sponsored by GOP Rep. David Meeks of Conway, designed to thwart ObamaCare, would have banned any law that requires Arkansans to buy health insurance. Twelve Democrats on the committee voted against the bill, while 5 Republicans and two Democrats voted for it. According to Pelley, those two Democrats were later politically hounded for their votes.
HB1983, also sponsored by Meeks, would have strengthened current “rights of conscience” laws for doctors and health care providers who don’t want to perform abortions or provide contraceptive services. The bill would have included other medical procedures that may violate a doctor’s, hospital’s, or insurer’s conscience, such as abortion, artificial insemination and euthanasia.
SB845, sponsored by GOP Sen. Jason Rapert of Bigelow, would have classified clinics that perform surgical abortions as “ambulatory surgical centers,” which means they would have had to meet stricter requirements.
SB709, sponsored by GOP Rep. Missy Irvin of Mountain View, would have required the state to report the cost of implementing and sustaining ObamaCare.
SB840, also sponsored by Irvin, would have placed additional restrictions on a doctor who prescribes medication while inducing an abortion.
HB1008, sponsored by GOP Rep. Justin Harris of West Fork would have denied illegal aliens in-state university tuition rates. In three other sessions a bill had been introduced (and almost passed one session) to let illegal aliens attend college in Arkansas without paying out-of-state tuition. Five Republicans supported and nine Democrats opposed.
HB1002, sponsored by GOP Rep. Ed Garner of Maumelle would have exempted from state income tax certain capital gains that, at $44 million, would have been the biggest cut presented in the legislature. This bill passed the House committee and full House, but was blocked in Senate committee.
HB1887, sponsored by GOP Rep. Andy Mayberry of Hensley would ban abortion beyond the time fetuses are thought to feel pain-20 weeks of gestation-except if the mother’s life is in danger.
SB843, also sponsored by Rapert, would have required that those who perform an abortion be required to check if the fetus has a heartbeat in order to give a woman more relevant information when making her choice.
HB2159, sponsored by GOP Rep. Gary Stubblefield of Branch, would have allowed a pregnant woman to use force to defend her unborn child from a criminal assault. Current state law doesn’t specify that a woman can defend her unborn child in the same way she could any other child.
SB774, sponsored by GOP Sen. Gilbert Baker of Conway, would have allowed home schoolers to try out for extracurricular activities, including athletics, at their local public school. The bill passed through the Senate by 30-5 vote, but failed to get out of committee in the House.
SB981 and SB942 were alternative redistricting plans sponsored by GOP Senators Johnny Key of Mountain Home and Bill Pritchard of Elkins.
Wouldn’t it be reassuring-and inspire widespread confidence-if our state and nation’s elected lawmakers (from each party) would focus on protecting and enhancing a just and moral society, while supporting economic prosperity in our free enterprise system, rather than mastering
partisan one-upsmanship?
Mike Masterson is opinion editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Northwest edition.
Editorial, Pages 15 on 04/19/2011