Cook: Fatal Flaw In Abolishing Lt. Governor Office Proposal

State Senators Keith Ingram and Jimmy Hickey today released their proposed constitutional amendment to abolish the Office of Lt. Governor. Their amendment must first be placed on the ballot by the state Legislature and then approved by voters.

Their proposal has a fatal flaw, which likely prevents it from being ultimately passed in its current form. I’ll cover this flaw in a moment.

It seems every few years there is a debate on what, if anything, should be done with the Office of Lt. Governor since the office has little authority. Republican Lt. Governor Mark Darr’s disgraceful actions which led to his recent resignation amplified the debate.

Under our state constitution, the Lt. Governor presides over the State Senate when they’re in session and serves as governor when the elected governor is out of state. The LG also gets to make 2-3 appointments to a few state boards or commissions, but other than that the Lt.Governor does not have any formal duties.

I served as the Chief of Staff in the Office of Lt. Governor for almost four years and learned, while there are few formal duties, a Lt. Governor can have an impact on state policy.

For example, Bill Halter spearheaded the passing of the state lottery scholarship program, Mark Darr helped with the passage of the state checkbook monitoring program and Winston Bryant had an admirable program to help in the prevention of teen suicide.

Arkansans should have a vote to determine whom they want to succeed a Governor in case the incumbent vacates the office.

Under Ingram’s and Hickey’s proposal the only person who could succeed a governor due to death, resignation or impeachment is a licensed attorney. Their proposal calls for abolishing the Lt. Governor’s office and then placing the Attorney General next in line of succession.

I believe that requirement is a fatal flaw that kills it in either the state Legislature or with the voters. Only a lawyer can succeed a governor? Gee, are us non-lawyers not smart enough to be governor? Try selling that concept to Arkansans.

However, something must change when it comes to the Office of Lt. Governor. Here is what I would propose.

Eliminate the Secretary of State’s office and transfer all of those duties to the Lt. Governor.

There would still be a Lt. Governor elected by Arkansans and the elected official would have formal duties and powers. Moreover, unlike Ingram’s and Hickey’s constitutional amendment, there would not be a silly restriction to only allow a lawyer to succeed the governor.

In my opinion, giving the Secretary of State’s duties to the Lt. Governor would be the best of both worlds. Arkansans will still vote on who succeeds the Governor and the Lt. Governor would have formal duties that justify continuing the office.