Capitol Notebook: Lottery Bill Heads To Governor, Computer Coding Bill Signed

A bill that would get rid of the state’s lottery commission drew overwhelming support Tuesday from the House, while a state Senator sponsored a bill that would allow 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote in elections in time for their 18th birthday.

Also, Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed into law another campaign pledge he made. Hutchinson signed HB 1183 into law – a measure that would make computer coding classes available in every Arkansas high school.

Hutchinson campaigned on the proposal, which was featured in a TV ad with his granddaughter Ella Beth, who was present at the bill signing in the Governor’s conference room.

In the House, members voted 84-3, with two voting present, to approve Senate Bill 7.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, would abolish the Arkansas Lottery Commission and create a lottery office within the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

The bill would also put the lottery under the executive branch of state government, while setting up a 12-member legislative committee to conduct oversight, Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Springdale, said.

Lundstrum, who cosponsored the bill in the House, said the bill was definitely needed.

“The lottery is in big trouble,” Lundstrum told House members.

Lundstrum quoted a study completed last year that showed revenues for the lottery, which fund college scholarships, has dropped from $96 million to around $72 million in recent years.

Lundstrum said the program needs about $100 million a year to break even.

She said taxpayers paid the remaining $20 million or so balance last year, saying the “lottery program and model is broken.”

No one spoke against the bill, which now goes to Gov. Asa Hutchinson for his signature.

Hutchinson said late Tuesday that the bill’s objectives were prudent.

“It makes practical sense to put the Lottery Commission under the operations of the state Department of Finance and Administration,” Hutchinson said in a statement to Talk Business and Politics. “It’s a responsible move and should reassure the people of Arkansas that the lottery will be efficiently run and properly benefit the state’s scholarship-eligible students.”

NO ON CELL PHONE BAN
A bill that would have prohibited the use of handheld wireless devices while driving a vehicle was voted down in committee Tuesday.

The House Public Transportation Committee voted 11-7 against a bill from Rep. David Fielding, D-Magnolia, content partner KUAR reported.

Fielding filed House Bill 1373 earlier this month in the House. A person would have not been allowed to use the devices while driving on roads, but could have been able to use a cell phone during an emergency or if the driver pulled over on the side of the road.

A person suspected of violating the law could have faced either fines or a suspended driver’s license if found guilty of the misdemeanor offense.

DWI/BWI BILL, PO NOTIFICATION BILL BOTH PASS
The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would combine the offenses of driving while intoxicated and boating while intoxicated.

Rep. Mary “Prissy” Hickerson, R-Texarkana, told the committee the bill would streamline both offenses and provide enforcement on the boating issue.

Hickerson said her interest in the bill came after she got a call about two people killed in a boating accident, in which the person driving the boat had a blood alcohol level over twice the legal limit.

The bill now heads to the House.

The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee approved House Bill 1363. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Donnie Copeland, R-Little Rock, would notify people enrolled in the Health Care Independence Program, or the Private Option, of its termination date.

The legislature voted earlier this session to end the program as of Dec. 31, 2016. Under the law, a task force has until Dec. 31, 2015 to study and make recommendations on the issue.

FLOOR ACTION
The House voted 95-0 Tuesday to approve a series of higher education appropriations bills.

House Bill 1238 would appropriate $77.9 million for Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, while House Bill 1145 would set aside $5.6 million for the Arkansas Biosciences Institute at Arkansas State University.

The MSCC bill – its last budget – funds $9 million for capital improvements as well as funding for 316 full-time and 200 temporary or part-time employees. The college’s board of trustees voted earlier this year to merge with the Arkansas State University system.

The merger is expected to take effect July 1. Under the merger, Mid-South Community College will be known as ASU-Mid South.

Also approved were budgets for Black River Technical College in Pocahontas and Arkansas State University-Mountain Home.

The bills all now head back to the Senate.

NEW BILLS
A rite of passage for most teenagers is to have a car by the time they are 16. There may be another rite of passage for the state’s 16-year-olds if a bill filed Tuesday becomes law.

Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, filed Senate Bill 510 Tuesday morning. The bill would allow 16-year-olds to pre-register to vote.

“A person who has reached 16 years of age but who will not reach 18 years of age by the date of the next election may preregister to vote using any means of registration available to a person of voting age,” the bill reads.

The registration would become active once the person turns 18, Elliott’s bill noted.

“A person preregistering to vote under this subsection shall make the following self-affirmation in writing submitted with his or her registration application – ‘I do solemnly affirm that I am a citizen of the United States and that on the date of the first election at which I vote, I have attained the age of 18 years and resided in the state of Arkansas at least 30 days and in (the precinct) at least 30 days before the election. I further affirm that the present address I listed in my registration materials is my sole legal place of residence and that I claim no other place as my legal residence,” according to the bill.

The voting age in Arkansas and other states is 18 and was originally 21 when the country was founded. The 26th Amendment of the United States Constitution changed the age requirement in 1971.

A state representative also filed a bill to look at funding issues involving the state’s transportation needs.

Rep. Grant Hodges, R-Rogers, filed House Bill 1436 Tuesday afternoon.

The bill would amend state law by taking money collected from the state’s 5% severance tax collected on natural gas to pay for projects.

Under the bill, the first $675,000 collected from the tax would go to general revenue with the remainder going to a ‘Road and Bridge Repair, Maintenance and Grants Fund.”

“The fund shall be used for the maintenance, operation and improvement required by the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department in carrying out the functions, powers and duties ….,” the bill read.

The bill has not been assigned to a committee as of Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE
The following are a list of committee meetings scheduled for Wednesday in the Arkansas General Assembly:

House Committees
10:00 a.m. – Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development, Room 138.
10:00 a.m. – Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs, Room 130.
10:00 a.m. – City, County and Local Affairs, Room B, MAC.
10:00 a.m. – Insurance & Commerce, Room 149.
12:00 p.m. – Rules, Room B, MAC.
15 Minutes upon Adjournment of House – State Agencies and Governmental Affairs, Room 151.

Senate Committees
10:00 a.m. – Education, Room 207.
10:00 a.m. – Public Health, Welfare and Labor, Room 272.
10:00 a.m. – Revenue & Taxation, OSC.
10 Minutes upon Adjournment – Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs, Room B, MAC.
Upon Adjournment – Judiciary, Room 171.

The House and Senate will convene at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.