War Memorial bill heading to Senate
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A Senate committee Thursday advanced a bill that would transfer the free-standing War Memorial Stadium Commission to the Department of Parks and Tourism.
The Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee cleared Senate Bill 255 by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, to go to the full Senate for consideration.
The legislation would give the Department of Parks and Tourism "exclusive jurisdiction for the operation of the stadium ... known as 'War Memorial Stadium,' which shall be for the use of all the schools, colleges and universities of the state under the supervision of the department." The members of the eight-member War Memorial Stadium Commission would continue to be appointed by the governor.
In October, Gov. Asa Hutchinson proposed moving the commission to the parks department and called it "a natural fit." The Republican governor also proposed cutting general-revenue funding for the stadium from $895,171 in fiscal 2018, which starts July 1, to $447,647 in fiscal 2019, which starts July 1, 2018. In this fiscal year, 2017, the stadium was allocated $889,085 in general revenue.
Hutchinson has pledged to use his discretionary funds for the feasibility study by a nationally recognized stadium consultant to make recommendations on needs and opportunities for the structure, which opened in 1948 in Little Rock. An evaluation committee is reviewing proposals from two companies and "we expect to reach a conclusion on the RFP [request for proposals] by the end of the month," said Jake Bleed, a spokesman for the state Department of Finance and Administration.
-- Michael R. Wickline
Online sales tax bid clears panel
A House committee Thursday recommended approval of a bill that would require out-of-state retailers that don't have physical presences in Arkansas and don't collect Arkansas sales and use taxes from their customers to notify their Arkansas customers at the time of purchases that tax is due and that the state requires the filing of a sales and use tax return.
House Bill 1388 by Rep. Dan Douglas, R-Bentonville, also would require these out-of-state retailers to notify their Arkansas customers by Jan. 31 of each year of the total amount of each customer's purchases, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration. By March 1 of each year, these retailers would be required to file with the finance department an annual report of sales to each customer, showing the total amount paid during the preceding calendar year.
The bill includes penalties for out-of-state retailers and facilitators that fail to comply with its provisions, the department said.
"We hope the online retailers will comply," Douglas told the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Increased compliance with Arkansas' sales tax laws by customers is anticipated, but the amount of revenue to be collected is unknown, the finance department said.
Douglas said his bill is based on a Colorado law upheld in federal court. The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to consider an appeal of the lower court decision.
-- Michael R. Wickline
A Section on 02/03/2017