Lottery Bills Approved During Late Night Session

A debate of the future of the state’s lottery capped another primetime session of the Arkansas General Assembly, as the House approved two lottery-related bills.

Lawmakers were also busy as several bills moved back and forth between the House and Senate Thursday.

The House voted 64-23, with two present, to approve Senate Bill 5. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jimmy Hickey, R-Texarkana, would seek to reform a funding issue for the lottery, Rep. Charlotte Douglas, R-Alma, said.

The lottery, which was approved by voters in 2008, has faced both financial and academic hurdles, Douglas said.

Douglas told the House that the program has been deficit spending for some time with $20 million recently set aside to help secure funding that is expected to run out in Feb. 2016. She said $1.5 million was needed immediately to help shore up funding.

Also, 64% of students who receive the scholarship fail to maintain the scholarship after the first year, Douglas told the House.

Hickey’s bill would change the funding amounts, effective during the 2016-2017 school year. Currently, students can receive $2,000 the first year, $3,000 the second year, $4,000 the third year and $5,000 the fourth year.

Douglas said the bill would change the first year amount to $1,000 and the second year amount to $3,000, helping to stabilize funding.

There would also be a requirement of students making at least 19 on the ACT test in order to get the scholarship.

Rep. Charles Blake, D-Little Rock, said he was concerned that a 2.5 grade point average, originally part of the requirement, was removed.

Rep. Chris Richey, D-West Helena, said the bill will give a legislative committee enough time to come up with a solution to potential problems.

After the House voted to approve the bill, a vote to approve the emergency clause failed by a 65-20 margin (two votes short of a two-thirds vote needed).

House Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, was asked by a lawmaker why the emergency clause was needed. Gillam responded that it was needed for the $1.5 million in additional funding.

“It is needed to borrow (the $1.5 million). If not, it is under my impression that some of the checks will bounce,” Gillam said from the speaker’s rostrum.

The House then voted 73-10 to expunge the emergency clause vote, voted 74-10 to reconsider and 76-8 to approve the emergency clause.

The bill now heads back to the Senate to concur a House amendment.

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING
The House also approved a bill that would change how amounts for a scholarship fund by the Arkansas Lottery are awarded.

The House voted 77-0 to approve House Bill 1779, sponsored by Rep. Dwight Tosh, R-Jonesboro.

Currently, the amounts are set on a semester-by-semester basis for students who have received the scholarship.

Tosh told the House that his bill would set the amounts on a semester credit-hour basis. Under the bill, the program would start in the 2016-17 academic year with cases involving any student in their final year of college being considered on an individual basis.

Tosh said the bill would encourage students to finish their education as quickly as possible, providing an economic impact for the state and the student.

Also, Tosh said the program would also reward students who have accelerated their college career, especially with students who have high school and college credit.

Tosh’s bill now heads to the Senate.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
A pair of key policy initiatives for Gov. Asa Hutchinson will be headed down the hall to the governor’s office after the Senate voted Thursday to approve both measures.

The Senate voted 33-0, with one present, to approve a criminal justice reform bill – Senate Bill 472. The bill would seek to reform the state’s criminal justice system by increasing funding for drug and mental health courts, reforming the state’s parole board and working to reduce recidivism among inmates.

The House approved the bill 79-5 Tuesday.

The Senate also voted 34-0 to approve Senate Bill 791.

The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, would seek to create a workforce development plan for the state. At least $27 million in funding would be set aside for the initiative, officials have said.

The Senate also approved a bill to ban rehoming in the state.

The 34-0 vote was on House Bill 1676, sponsored by Rep. David Meeks, R-Conway.

The bill would prohibit the practice, which allows an adoptive parent to transfer custody of their adopted child to someone else, other than to family. Under the bill, a person could also face a felony charge.

The bill also received an 88-0 vote in the House March 19 and will be headed back to the House after senators approved an amended version. The legislation was instigated by circumstances surrounding an adoption by Rep. Justin Harris, R-West Fork, who later “rehomed” two girls in a controversial move.