UAFS parking lot money, lottery rules part of busy political week

A bill filed Friday seeks to provide the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith with $10 million to buy property, build a library parking lot and support new facility design and construction.

The legislation, HB 1567, was sponsored by Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith, with several legislators from the Fort Smith area listed as co-sponsors.

SECESSION WARNING?
Also filed Friday was HCR 1011, a non-binding resolution that directs a shot of frustration across the federal bow. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers, with Rep. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, and Rep. Roy Ragland, R-Marshall, listed as co-sponsors.

Interesting items in this Don’t-tread-on-us resolution include:

“That the State of Arkansas hereby claims sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the Constitution of the United States.”

“Whereas, the United States Supreme Court has ruled in New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144 (1992), that Congress may not simply commandeer the legislative and regulatory processes of the states; and”

“Be it further resolved that this resolution serve as Notice and Demand to the federal government, as our agent, to cease and desist, effective immediately, mandates that are beyond the scope of these constitutionally delegated powers.”

LOTTERY, GOP CHANGES
Roby Brock, our content partner at Talk Business, has followed several interesting political developments this week. The highlights include:

• Details of the proposed lottery legislation indicate it will be an independent commission with board members overseeing a staff charged with daily duties; that the lottery will fund its own expenses including advertising, commissions, retailer relations, administrative expenses, and of course, prizes; and that the net proceeds will fund college scholarships

• Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, said he would support stricter ethics rules for lawmakers, to match those already in the proposed bill that would prohibit lottery commission members and lottery employees from engaging in lobbying on any lottery-related issue for a period of two years after they quit.

• Gov. Mike Beebe told a caucus of House Democrats that now that the funding mechanism for his health care package, the cigarette and tobacco tax increase, has been signed into law, he’ll focus on implementation of the lottery and the one-cent reduction in the tax on food and food ingredients.

• Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, is leaving March 9.  Her fiancé has been accepted to a graduate school program in Jackson, Miss, which happens to be Ray’s hometown. The Republican Party of Arkansas will meet March 21 to begin the search for a successor.

• Cities and counties could refer extensions of their expiration dates for local sales and use taxes under two bills approved by a Senate panel. SB 320 would allow cities to refer to voters an extension of the expiration date for local sales and use taxes. SB 321 would do the same for counties. Under current law, extension of a sales tax is possible only when the term of the tax ends.

Link here for more updates from Roby Brock’s “The Political Buzz.”