Bill includes $40.76 million fund for Gov. Beebe’s quick-closing fund

It was a busy day in Little Rock, with more than 90 bills filed by 4 p.m. Most of the bills came from the Joint Budget Committee and dealt with creating appropriations for state agencies, including a bill that would reappropriate “the balances of capital improvement appropriations” for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

The bill, HB 1294, seeks to authorize $29.81 million to fund financial incentives to companies that locate or expand in Arkansas. Also, the bill would give Gov. Mike Beebe $40.76 million for a quick-action closing fund that had a $50 million appropriation in the previous biennium.

Beebe used the fund to help land new plants in Fort Smith, Jonesboro, Little Rock, Conway and other cities. The most high-profile use of the money was to bring Hewlett-Packard and a 1,200-employee operation to Conway.

AEDC’s economic infrastructure project fund would get $10.86 million. Up to $40 million is appropriated for the state’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fund managed by the AEDC.

Other bills filed Monday (Feb. 2) include:

• SB 290
This bill would appropriate $23.23 million for salaries for state operations, including 227,876 for the commissioner of education.

• HB 1327
The bill, whose sponsors include Reps. Rick Green, R-Van Buren, and Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith, was filed with the intent to require the seller of a vehicle to disclose whether the car was seized as part of a methamphetamine-related law enforcement action.

Link here for more information and behind-the-scenes legislative details from Roby Brock’s “The Political Buzz” about recent activity at the General Assembly.