Arkansas Senate Report: Disappointed with redistricting

Editor’s note: Arkansas Sen. Jake Files, R-Fort Smith, provided the following commentary on the previous week of the 88th Arkansas General Assembly.

It was a crazy final week at the Capitol, and just when you thought it was over, it wasn’t! The House has concluded its business, and the Senate is to meet this week for one purpose — Redistricting.

Other than that, we are finished, and I think the Session finished on a great note for the people in our region and the people of Arkansas.

Some quick highlights include the passage of $35 Million Dollars in tax cuts, a prison reform bill to hopefully improve public safety and conserve dollars in the future, and the beginnings of a future two-party system with solid checks and balances.

Let’s dig more into the Redistricting topic and why all the hoopla. As you know, for any bill to become law, it has to pass the House and the Senate and then be signed by the Governor (or let become law without his signature)  The House passed HB 1322, from Rep. Clark Hall-D, which moves Fayetteville to the 4th Congressional District. You also have seen and heard it identified as the “Fayetteville Finger.” It was a very contentious vote and passed by just 1 vote more than the required amount (52 total).

The good part of it for Sebastian County is that it keeps us in the 3rd District. The bad part of it is that it looks to be gerrymandering at its finest — that is, taking an area with no business or connection to another area and connecting the two for political gain.

The bottom line is it gives Democrats a shot at taking back the 1st District while keeping the 4th District solidly in their column. It doesn’t change the make-up politically of the 3rd, and it probably strengthens Republicans hold on the 2nd.  The other reality in this deal is that it has to get 18 Senate votes.

It is stalled in State Agencies on a 4-4 party line vote (a bill must get 5 votes to get out of committee). The Senate as a whole can pull a bill out of committee with 18 votes, but so far, of the 20 Democrats in the Senate, at least 3 have said “no” to pulling this bill out.

I am not sure what happens if the Session concludes with no congressional redistricting. My guess is that it goes to the Courts to decide, but I don’t know which one or when.

I can tell you personally that I am disappointed after 12 weeks of meetings, this is what we present as a Legislature. I have not seen very many positive comments from constituents on the merit of this plan or the plausibility of it. All I can say is I am not voting for it as it is currently drawn, and I am sorry we could not do better in presenting a plan to Arkansans that is a better plan, and yes, they were out there in other bills.

I will have a wrap-up to the Session when we finally complete our work, but for now, this is the topic of the day.

It has been a privilege and honor to represent Fort Smith in the Senate, and I look forward to hopefully doing so again in the future.

The direct phone to the Senate is (501) 682-2901, and my e-mail is [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you.