About those free meals …

The recent passage of one of the newest Constitutional Amendments, simply known as Issue No. 3, very possibly, has broken up one of the state’s iconic breakfast tables. Yes, that’s right. The famous “Round Table” in the basement cafeteria of the state Capitol is, well, still there, but the influence spread around that circular table has been diminished by Issue 3’s passage.

At least that’s what several Legislators recently told The City Wire.

Invitations to sit at the Round Table, tucked away in a corner of the Capitol basement cafeteria, were infrequent and often welcomed by the members of the General Assembly. Several veteran observers of the political process and several influential lobbyists perched there around that circular table day in and day out.

There was nothing out of the ordinary with this decades old tradition, most acknowledged. A Legislator is invited to breakfast, enters the basement and spies the host of the invitation sitting with other lobbyists and fellow legislators.

A simple nod of the head, or a saved chair pulled back is all that is welcoming the Legislator. The lawmaker goes ahead and gets his or her breakfast from the nearby cafeteria line. They then have a seat at the Round Table. Conversations generated at the table are mostly about the morning’s news stories and quickly turns to casual conversations about friends, family and finally, maybe about pending legislation.

Many times talk about the pending legislation is never mentioned.

When announcing one’s departure from the table for committee meetings, sometimes one or more of the lobbyists and legislators might whisper a word of encouragement on a bill that the legislator has pending. Or the lobbyists and other legislators would ask the solon to contact a particular person and check out further facts before proceeding with the bill written in its present form.

All kinds of folks come by the Round Table to shake hands and see who the guests are on any given day. Often it is handshake and smiles all around.

And the breakfast was free. Paid for by those at the table.

Not a word was said about the $4.50 scrambled eggs and bacon special or the 99 cent bowl of bran cereal from the kitchen. The cafeteria staff would get a nod of the head of the lobbyists and simply tabulate the cost of the meal and place it on the lobbyists tab. The cafeteria, by the way, is run by a private individual who contracts with the Secretary of State for the space.

Issue 3 prohibits meals of any kind, unless the entire 135 members of the Legislature are invited. That means the legislators who attend the Round Table will now pay their own tab.

There are only about 10-12 seats, at best, at the Round Table.

Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, says he and his fellow Issue 3 author Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock, have been taking some ribbing about the meals going away. Woods, who likes to give a good natured ribbing just as good as it is given, said some of his fellow Legislators were “a little ugly” about the meals for free going away.

One asked Woods if he “would see him (Woods) in the Wendy’s Dollar Menu line.” Woods said he told the inquisitor, “I eat there quite often.” Woods said he wonders where these upset folks dined out, especially before they went to the Legislature?

Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, who represents District 80 in rural Crawford and Washington counties, says while she enjoys eating an occasional breakfast at the "Round Table,” the new rules are confusing. Fite says she sees some changes were needed but by and large most everyone (in the Legislature) complies with the rules and common decency.

"I learn a lot from listening and talking to these lobbyists and the breakfast I eat is never over $3 to $4 bucks," she said. "I'll still, on occasion, eat with them. But I'll gladly pay my way and I've always offered to do so.”

Stunned at first, a collection of lobbyists have said a new day is dawning in Arkansas with regard to free meals for Legislators.

Upcoming on Dec. 8-9 is the Legislative Orientation and Legislative Institute for all 135 members prior to the Session. Meals are scheduled for all members, courtesy of various groups during this pre-session meetings, according to website agendas for the meetings.

What Issue 3 targeted and what is now prohibited are dinners for some five or six select Legislators going out to eat dinners with lobbyists during the session. Some lobbyists in the past have even been known to “loan out” their credit card for five or six lawmakers to take themselves out to dinner. That is a practice that needed to be stopped.

So look around next time you are counting out your lunch money standing at the Dollar Menu line at a fast food emporium. Your elected lawmaker may be right behind you in line – thanks to the passage of Issue 3 by the Arkansas voters.