Vote sets session’s extension, if needed
House lawmakers voted Thursday to extend the regular session until May 3, if needed.
The House voted 95-0 to approve House Concurrent Resolution 1008 by Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, that would extend the regular session beyond the constitutionally set limit of 60 days and require the General Assembly to recess at the close of business on April 9 or at an earlier time agreed upon by the House and Senate. April 9 would be the 89th day of the session.
Under Shepherd’s resolution, the speaker and Senate president pro tempore may reconvene the General Assembly at any time before noon May 3 to consider gubernatorial vetoes, correct errors or oversights, complete its work on constitutional amendments and consider the need for further extending the session.
If the General Assembly takes an extended recess because of the coronavirus public health emergency, the dates listed “shall be extended by a number of days equal to the length of the extended recess or recesses,” Shepherd’s resolution states.
— John Moritz
Break for lemonade sellers moves along
A bill that would prohibit counties and municipalities from requiring permits for children operating lemonade stands was approved Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senate Bill 169, by Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, said he was inspired by several publicized instances of authorities cracking down on unpermitted lemonade sales.
“This is a problem we’re seeing across the nation,” Garner said. “Admittedly, I haven’t seen anything in Arkansas. I think our cities generally handle this well.”
According to Country Time Lemonade, 14 states authorize unlicensed lemonade stands. Arkansas is not among them. The drink-maker has even established a “legal-ade” fund to pay fines for kids who get sanctioned for lacking a permit.
SB169 was approved by the committee on a 6-1 vote, with Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, expressing concerns about the potential for unsanitary conditions at unregulated stands.
— John Moritz
Telehealth proposal advances to House
The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee voted Thursday to extend permanently Medicaid reimbursements to cover mental-health services and counseling conducted using telemedicine.
During the pandemic, the Department of Human Services authorized that mental-health telemedicine be covered by Medicaid.
House Bill 1176, by Rep. Lee Johnson, R-Greenwood, would extend permanently such reimbursements once the public health emergency ends.
The committee, by a voice vote, sent the bill to the House floor.
— John Moritz
‘Do not resuscitate’ bill backed by panel
A bill requiring that a hospital or doctor obtain the consent of at least one parent before placing a “do not resuscitate” order for a child was passed unanimously out of the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Thursday.
Rep. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, said House Bill 1116 is known as “Simon’s Law” after a child in Missouri whose death led to the enactment of a similar law in that state.
Dotson said he looked into Arkansas’ codes after learning of the Missouri law and found no requirement for a parent to approve a do-not-resuscitate order.
“Kind of the first thing people say is, ‘I can’t believe that isn’t the law already,’” Dotson told the committee.
HB1116 passed on a voice vote and heads to the House floor.
— John Moritz
Measure focuses on Walker’s legacy
Legislation to require that public schools in Arkansas include the work of the late Rep. John W. Walker when teaching Black history was passed Thursday by the House Education Committee.
The bill states that “emphasis shall be placed on the historic work of American and Arkansas civil rights leaders and events during the civil rights era, including without limitation Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and his pursuit of justice in civil society and John W. Walker.” Walker died in 2019.
Rep. Fred Allen, D-Little Rock, said House Bill 1029 aims to “honor the legacy of history of one of our own,” noting Walker’s contributions to Arkansas history and culture, including his work as the state’s premier civil-rights lawyer.
Allen added that it could mean that schools shall teach about other civil-rights leaders who meet the standards laid out in the bill.
— Rachel Herzog
Gift-shop ‘rumor’ prompts proposal
Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, R-Hermitage, wants to require Republican Secretary of State John Thurston to keep the Capitol gift shop in its spot on the first floor.
Wardlaw said there was “a rumor” about moving the gift shop to the Victory Building east of the Capitol during the pandemic.
Wardlaw proposed special language to add to House Bill 1187 — the secretary of state’s appropriation for fiscal 2022 starting July 1— that would bar that office from moving the gift shop.
The Joint Budget Committee referred Wardlaw’s proposal to its special-language subcommittee.
Wardlaw told his colleagues that visitors “need to be able to get to the gift shop when they are in their Capitol, so there was some concern that this affects the online sales.
“I have got some folks looking at that and I don’t think that’s the truth,” he said. “It only says [the gift shop] has to stay in the Capitol. It has nothing to restrict online sales.”
Afterward, Thurston spokesman Kevin Niehaus said the rumored move “is a totally unfounded rumor.”
— Michael R. Wickline
House spurns bid on local-election shift
Legislation that would limit most local elections to twice a year failed to pass the House on Thursday, in a 39-49 vote.
Rep. David Ray, R-North Little Rock, said House Bill 1368 was aimed at increasing voter turnout on local issues, such as special elections and bond issues, by making sure those elections are not scattered throughout the year. The bill would require that those elections be held during the regular primary and general elections in election years, or on specific days in May or November in non-election years.
The bill would allow exceptions to those dates in cases of emergencies, and the law would not apply to special elections for vacancies and runoffs.
“We’ve all seen these special elections pop up where they’re held at random or inconvenient times for voters,” Ray said. “The turnout is typically abysmal.”
Opponents of HB1368 argued that the change would take away local control from the scheduling of elections and force smaller local issues to get buried on ballots featuring higher-profile races, such as president and Congress.
“It’s clearly [a directive] from Little Rock for local communities,” said Rep. Reginald Murdock, D-Marianna.
Both Republicans and Democrats voted against the still, and only Republicans voted for it. Five members also voted present.
— John Moritz
Data-breach reports win panel support
The House Committee on Advanced Communications and Technology favored a bill that would require public entities to report cybersecurity incidents to legislative auditors.
House Bill 1110, by Rep. Stephen Meeks, R-Greenbrier, would cover unauthorized access to, destruction of, or acquisition of data from a public entity’s information system.
Meeks said there is no mechanism for tracking these incidents.
An amendment to the bill that Meeks presented to the committee would ensure that no one can request sensitive data under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.
— Rachel Herzog
House vote backs power for governor
The House on Thursday approved a bill to allow the governor to implement a unified command in the event of a civil disturbance or a crime in progress in and around the state Capitol.
House Bill 1236 by Rep. Mark Berry, R-Ozark, would allow the governor to determine who is in charge of the law enforcement response to events such as insurrections or attacks on the Capitol grounds, Berry said.
Current state law requires the governor to issue an executive order to put in place a unified command.
The bill passed 90-2, with dissenting votes from Rep. Johnny Rye, R-Trumann, and Rep. Joy Springer, D-Little Rock. Four representatives voted present.
The bill now will go to a Senate committee for further action.
— Rachel Herzog
Ballot-petition shift approved in House
The House voted 93-0 for a bill to increase the number of signatures required in Arkansas for candidates for president or vice president to appear on the ballot.
House Bill 1338, by Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Spring-dale, would increase the threshold from 1,000 signatures to 5,000.
Lundstrum recalled the 2020 elections, when there were 13 presidential candidates on the state ballot and many frustrated voters called officials to say they couldn’t find their preferred candidates.
She also noted that candidates for Arkansas Supreme Court must gather at least 10,000 signatures.
— Rachel Herzog
Entertainment-zone bill passes in House
The House on Thursday passed a bill that would create a pathway for entertainment districts to be set up around private establishments permitted to sell alcohol in counties where store sales of alcohol are prohibited.
A state law allowing for the creation of entertainment districts — areas where alcohol purchased at a participating bar or restaurant is allowed to be consumed outdoors — was passed in 2019, but did not include private clubs in dry areas.
Such districts still would be subject to approval by a city board or council, sponsor Rep. Lee Johnson, R-Greenwood, said.
Rep. Justin Gonzales, R-Okolona, spoke against the bill, saying it “puts more alcohol” in dry counties in his district.
“If they wanted to be wet, there’s an avenue for them to do that,” Gonzales said.
House Bill 1228 passed 54-21. It will move to a Senate committee for further action. Both Republicans and Democrats voted for the bill, though the only House members to vote no were Republicans. Thirteen lawmakers voted present.
— Rachel Herzog
House OKs step on youth-offender files
A bill that would give the Arkansas Department of Corrections access to confidential juvenile-offender records was approved Thursday in the House by a 96-0 vote.
House Bill 1245 is intended to give juvenile-offender records to the prison system as well as the parole and probation division to create a “risk assessment, classification plan, or supervision plan” for people under its watch.
The bill is sponsored by Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren.
The vote on HB1245 sent the legislation to the Senate for consideration.
— John Moritz