Arkansas' lawmakers accepted trips, financed by nonprofit groups, to China, Israel and France last year.
They said the trips -- disclosed on their 2015 personal financial-disclosure reports filed with the secretary of state's office -- were educational.
Several lawmakers reported they were paid by the Foundation for Excellence in Education, created by Jeb Bush when he was governor of Florida, to attend a conference in Denver last year.
A handful of others reported attending a conference in Florida, sponsored by the Foundation for Governmental Accountability, a nonprofit group critical of the state's private-option program, which uses federal Medicaid funds to purchase private health insurance for low-income Arkansans.
Lawmakers are required under state law to disclose each nongovernmental source of payment of their expenses for food, lodging, or travel, which bears a relationship to their office when they appear in their official capacity and the expenses exceed $150.
"It is not a lobbyist-funded deal," Sen. Bryan King, R-Green Forest, said when asked about his trip to Florida paid by the Foundation for Government Accountability.
The nonprofit group "promotes better lives for individuals and families by equipping policymakers with principled strategies to replace failed health and welfare programs nationwide," according to its website.
Under Amendment 94 to the Arkansas Constitution, lawmakers are barred from having lobbyists cover their expenses for trips unless the money is from a regional or national organization to attend a regional or national conference, said Graham Sloan, director for the Arkansas Ethics Commission. Voters approved the amendment in November 2014.
Sloan said he's received a few phone calls from lawmakers about particular groups offering to pay their expenses for trips, and he's advised them to check whether a lobbyist was involved.
Amendment 94 has meant, for example, that Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. no longer covers the expenses for lawmakers to travel to Wyoming to tour a coal mine or for a handful to go to Washington, D.C., to attend an annual energy conference, and Microsoft Corp. no longer occasionally pays for lawmakers to visit its headquarters, lobbyists said.
While these corporate-financed trips have been portrayed as educational in nature, they could have the appearance of being "junkets," often at "nice locations and resort locations" with the aim of influencing lawmakers' votes, said state Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock, who sponsored what became Amendment 94 with Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale.
It's better to prohibit trips for lawmakers, paid for by lobbyists for companies, just like direct corporate campaign contributions are barred under Amendment 94, Sabin said.
Amendment 94 prohibited state lawmakers from accepting certain gifts from lobbyists, including one-on-one meals and drinks; allowed lawmakers to serve more time in the Legislature; created a citizens salary commission that more than doubled lawmaker salaries; prohibited corporations and unions from contributing directly to state candidates; and barred ex-lawmakers from registering as lobbyists for two years after they leave office.
Sabin reported the No Labels Foundation paid $650 for his Oct. 12 trip to New Hampshire for a national meeting, and $700 for his trip on Dec. 14 to New York for a national meeting.
He also reported The NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders) paid $800 for his Nov. 18 trip to Washington to receive an award for his ill-fated legislation to create a state earned-income tax credit. Both groups are nonprofits. The NewDEAL is a network of pro-growth progressive state and local elected officials working to change the economy, while No Labels is made up of Democrats, Republicans, and independents who believe in putting aside party labels "do what's best for America," according to their websites.
CHINA
Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, reported the State Legislative Leaders Foundation paid $5,614.12 for his trip to China from April 18-24. The foundation is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group dedicated to the professional development of state Senate and House leaders, according to its website, and Williams serves on its board of directors.
Williams said he met with several officials in a free enterprise zone in Tianjin, as well as with high-ranking officials in Beijing.
"From a rice standpoint, China imports a lot of rice. I didn't realize that," he said. "I personally sent some samples over there. ... We produce rice cheaper than China and, by the time they add the import tax and value-added tax, it is about the same price."
ISRAEL
Reps. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, and Robin Lundstrum, R-Springdale, reported the American Israel Education Foundation paid expenses on their trip to Israel.
Each reported the Washington, D.C., foundation paid $11,431 in expenses to attend a Nov. 30-Dec. 8 seminar.
"I thought it was a great opportunity," Lundstrum said. "It is not a tourism thing. I have always wanted to do it. I am a Christian. Israel is a pivotal part of the world. I would love to get other people to go."
Collins said the trip "really helped me understand the whole Middle East situation," how many of the regional conflicts are interrelated, and the difference between the Islamic State and al-Qaida.
PARIS
Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, said he learned more about foreign policy and the U.S. relationship with France, the global economy and the difference in tax structures during his trip to Paris last summer.
"Having that perspective is helpful," Dismang said. Arkansas provides incentives to various foreign companies, including French-based Dassault Falcon Jet, he noted.
But Dismang said he probably wouldn't go to Paris again. "It was a fairly short trip, and a good portion of my time was spent on an airplane."
Dismang reported the Senate Presidents' Forum paid $3,677 for his travel, food and lodging to attend its summer forum July 7-12 in Paris.
The forum is a nonpartisan, non-ideological, nonprofit educational organization with a mission to provide a nonpartisan environment where state Senate leaders meet to consider potential solutions to critical problems, according to its website.
FOUNDATION FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Reps. Nate Bell, an independent from Mena; Karilyn Brown, R-North Little Rock; Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville; Rep. Ken Henderson, R-Russellville; Grant Hodges, R-Rogers; and Laurie Rushing, R-Hot Springs, each reported that the Foundation for Excellence in Education paid their expenses to attend an Oct. 22-23 conference in Denver last year.
According to reports, the group paid $1,520.50 for Bell's trip; Dotson, $1,796.60; Brown, $1,498; and Henderson, Hodges and Rushing each reported $950.
The Foundation for Excellence in Education's works with decision makers on developing and implementing policy overhauls, and "we are a hands-on, how-to organization that provides model legislation, rule-making expertise, implementation strategies, and public outreach," according to its website.
"I simply learned by going," Bell said. "It is not a lark to sit in a meeting for 10 to 12 hours. If I am going on a vacation, I'll go somewhere interesting."
Brown said that "we heard perspectives from people I would say both had liberal and more conservative perspectives on education."
"I didn't agree to everything I heard, but I think it is important to know what is promoted in each of areas," Brown said.
FOUNDATION FOR GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
Sen. Linda Collins-Smith, R-Batesville, Rep, Josh Miller, R-Heber Springs, Hodges and King all reported the Foundation for Government Accountability of Naples, Fla., paid for them to attend events.
Collins-Smith reported the group paid $627.61 for a Feb. 23 educational meeting, while King reported the group paid $1,420.92 for a trip on Oct. 21, Hodges reported the group paid $1,293.70 for a trip on Oct. 29, and Miller reported the group paid $2,089.87 for his Oct. 29 trip.
The group's conference in Florida "wasn't only an anti-Obamacare type of thing," King said.
The conference "was about the dangers of Medicaid expansion," as well as foster-care issues and changes in tort laws, he said.
OTHER TRIPS
Sen. David Sanders, R-Little Rock, reported the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace paid $902.20 for his July 30 trip to attend the "Washington, D.C., Roundtable" featuring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight.
The state Legislature created the marketplace in 2013 to establish state-run exchanges for individuals and small businesses.
Sanders, co-chairman of the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace Legislative Oversight Committee, said one of the marketplace's staff members was invited to attend the discussion about federal government waivers, such as the waiver for Arkansas' private-option program, and couldn't attend the meeting, "so they invited me to go.
"It was a good sharing and exchange of ideas," said Sanders, who is one of three legislative architects for Arkansas' private option.
Asked whether it's appropriate for an agency he oversees to pay for his travel, Sanders said "I think it was OK because I was up there in an official capacity representing the state as a state senator and work on health care policy.
"The reason I did it because because I was not representing the marketplace. I was just going up there to talk policy," said Sanders.
SundayMonday on 03/27/2016