2010 Arkansas House proceedings to go live

TalkBusiness.net has reported that the management committee of the Arkansas House of Representatives has approved live Internet streaming of all House proceedings and committee meetings by the start of the fiscal session in 2010.

House Speaker Robbie Wills, D-Conway, told Roby Brock at TalkBusiness.net that 47 other states have Internet video of legislative activities.

“We’ve been talking a lot about including access to the legislature,” Wills said. “This will allow anyone who is interested to keep up with the House anywhere in the world. … It was time for us to move into the 21st century.”

Wills was unsure of the total cost of the project, but said he expected to find the money to fund the streaming endeavor from the existing House expense appropriation. Wills said the House has managed to save money in other areas, such as stationery printing, that would allow for equipment and start-up costs.

The recent TBQ poll “Opinion Arkansas,” the popularity of the Arkansas Legislature is relatively stable. In the mid-October survey of 600 likely Arkansas voters, 57% said they have a favorable impression of the Arkansas General Assembly, 27% have an unfavorable opinion, and 16% had no opinion.

In mid-July, 58% of Arkansans had a positive view of the state legislature, 31% held an unfavorable impression and 11% had no opinion.

Link here for more detail about other actions taken by the House management committee.