Capitol Notebook: MLK, Robert E. Lee Bills Introduced

A pair of bills that would get rid of the dual status of a state holiday honoring Confederate general Robert E. Lee and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. appear to be heading to a committee later this week.

The bills, House Bill 1113 and House Bill 1119, were introduced Wednesday and were referred to the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs committee.

The committee is expected to take up both bills at a 9 a.m. Friday hearing at the capitol in Little Rock.

Both Rep. Nate Bell, R-Mena, who sponsored House Bill 1113, and Rep. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, who sponsored House Bill 1119, introduced the bills after pictures of a sign posted at the capitol and other state offices drew national attention.

“The State Capitol Offices and all State Buildings will be Closed on Monday, January 19, 2015, for the observed birthdays of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee,” the sign noted.

The bills – which are worded identically – would amend state law by eliminating the Lee holiday and as a patriotic observance.

“And such other days as may be designed by the State Board of Education for patriotic observances shall be observed with appropriate exercises,” the bill reads. “This section does not authorize the closing of any school on such days without consent of the board of directors of the school district.”

COMMITTEES
The House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee approved a bill Wednesday dealing with write-in candidates.

The committee approved by a voice vote House Bill 1068, sponsored by Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton. The bill would seek to amend current state law that covers the issue.

Under the bill, the candidate “notifies in writing the county board of election commissioners in each county in which the candidate seeks election at least 90 days prior to the election.”

The Secretary of State’s office would be notified in federal and state races, while the county clerk would be notified in county and township races.

Rep. Nate Bell, R-Mena, who chairs the committee, told the committee there was some confusion involving the law in last year’s general election. Hammer said the bill would seek to clarify the deadlines for write-in candidates to file for office.

However, Rep. John Walker, D-Little Rock, told the committee he believes the bill could alienate candidates, voters and their First Amendment rights.

The bill now heads to the full House.

The Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee also approved the tax cut proposal supported by Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

The bill, Senate Bill 6, passed unanimously in the committee with an amendment to do away with a capital gains tax cut approved in 2013, Talk Business and Politics’ Steve Brawner reported Wednesday morning.

In the 2013 session, legislators voted to increase an exemption from 30 to 50 percent and exempt all capital gains over $10 million. Under the proposal, the exemption would go back to 50 percent.

The bill has 29 co-sponsors in the Senate, Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, said. The bill will head to the full Senate and is expected to be placed onto the House calendar next week.

FLOOR ACTION
The House approved several spending bills and forwarded several bills to committee Wednesday.

Among them, the House voted 96-0 to approve House Bill 1060, which covers the appropriations for the Arkansas State Bank Department for the 2016 fiscal year.

Rep. Lane Jean, R-Magnolia, who chairs the Joint Budget Committee, told the House the $9.3 million budget will cover the operations and salaries for the department’s 72 employees.

The agency, based in Little Rock, regulates commercial banks in the state as well as supervises county and regional industrial development corporations among other things, its website noted.

If approved by the Senate and signed into law by Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the appropriation would take effect July 1 and go through June 30, 2016.

The House also referred two bills sponsored by Rep. Mark Lowery, R-Maumelle, to different committees.

One bill – House Bill 1114 – would create a criminal offense of criminal impersonation in an election.

According to the bill, a person commits the crime if “he or she knowingly impersonates another person in an attempt to vote in a city, county, state or federal election.”

If the bill is signed into law, a person convicted of the crime would face a Class C felony.

The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee.

The second bill – House Bill 1116 – would amend state law by revising the hours of employment allowed for children under 17.

The rules currently apply for children under age 18.

They include not working more than six days in any week; no more than 54 hours in any week; more than 10 consecutive hours in a day, more than 10 hours in a 24-hour period or before 6 a.m. or after 11 p.m. except for children employed on nights before non-school days.

The bill would not change those rules, but instead would cover children under age 17.

The bill was referred to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee.

NEW BILLS
The following are a list of major bills filed Wednesday in the Arkansas General Assembly:

House Bill 1120 (Rep. Stephen Magie, D-Conway) – To Establish the Arkansas Anesthesiologist Assistant Act.

House Bill 1117 (Rep. Mark Lowery, R-Maumelle) – Creating enhanced penalties for offenses committed against an elder person.

House Bill 1111 (Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock) – To create the Partnership for Public Facilities and Infrastructure Act; and to regulate public-private partnerships for public facilities and infrastructure.

House Bill 1112 (Rep. Warwick Sabin, D-Little Rock) – To amend the law concerning the sales and use exemption for sales by a charitable organization.

Senate Bill 81 (Sen. Jimmy Hickey Jr., R-Texarkana) – Combining the offenses of driving while intoxicated and boating while intoxicated; concerning the Omnibus DWI Act, the underage DUI law, suspensions of a person’s driver’s license and vehicle registration.

THURSDAY SCHEDULE
The following is a list of meetings scheduled Thursday for the Arkansas General Assembly:

House of Representatives
10 a.m. – Education, Room 138.

10 a.m. – Public Transportation, Room B in MAC.

11:30 a.m. – Advanced Communications and Informational Technology, Room 151.

Senate
10 a.m. – Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development, Room 308.

Joint Committees
9 a.m. – Joint Budget Committee, Room A in MAC.

Several committees, including the House Public Health and Revenue and Taxation committees, are not meeting Thursday in order to hear the speech from Gov. Asa Hutchinson on the Private Option.

Hutchinson will deliver remarks during a 10 a.m. meeting of the University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees at UAMS in Little Rock.

While few details have been released about the speech, Hutchinson said Tuesday that he has made up his mind on how to proceed.

“I have formed in my mind where I need to go Thursday, but we’ll make that announcement on Thursday,” Hutchinson told reporters Tuesday. “I would ask them (private option recipients) and everyone to broaden the debate – to broaden the debate not just within the private option consideration, but all of health care. That’s going to be a major part of the emphasis that I have on Thursday.”

The Senate will convene at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, while their counterparts in the House will gavel in at 1:30 p.m.