Top 5 political stories — No. 1: Fort Smith regional legislative delegation (Updated)

Editor’s note: With the days, weeks and months seemingly passing faster than ever, it can be difficult to remember what happened yesterday much less the past six months. To that end, The City Wire will during the next three weeks highlight the top 5 stories of the first half of 2009 in the following categories: Business/economy, political, and cultural. The top 5 business/economy stories were counted down between July 20 and July 24; the political top 5 between July 27 and July 31; and the top 5 cultural between Aug. 3 and Aug. 7.

In terms of bills filed and bills approved, the most active legislators representing the Fort Smith region were Arkansas Reps. John Paul Wells, D-Paris, Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville, and Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith.

Wells filed 19 bills and has seen seven become law. One new act (Act 328) establishes a funding and staffing mechanism for Arkansas’ automated court management system.

Updated info: Rep. Pennartz filed 14 bills and one House Resolution. Ten of the bills became acts (Acts 9, 27 28, 160, 203, 208, 499, 837, 860 and 1193), and H.R. 1012 passed. Three of the bills filed were moved to an interim study status and remain in committee. One of the new laws (Act 27) seeks to clarify residency requirements of city directors.

Pyle filed 14 bills with 6 becoming law, including Act 316, which would require all disbursements of municipal funds to have adequate supporting documentation.

However, Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren, made a new list of the Top 10 legislators of the recently concluded annual session of the 87th Arkansas General Assembly.

The “Political Buzz Top 10 Legislators,” pushed by Roby Brock in his TBQ quarterly business and political magazine, noted Green’s work with the leadership of the Arkansas House of Representatives.

“Rick Green may have been the MVP for Robbie Wills’ (Speaker of the House) leadership team,” noted the TBQ article. “Green was an early and pivotal Republican vote on the tobacco tax increase, which passed the House with no room to spare.  He also worked diligently behind the scenes on the lottery details and the budget.”

More importantly, Green successfully pushed through two bills (HB 1749, HB 1750) seeking $50,000 and $326,000 “ to support the development and implementation of regional intermodal freight facilities and operations in the west and northwest regions of Arkansas.” The funding allowed the Western Arkansas Planning and Development District to make the intermodal authority a reality.  www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/5196

FORT SMITH REGIONAL LEGISLATORS — BILLS FILED, APPROVED
Rep. Frank Glidewell, R-Fort Smith
15 bills filed
0 bills enacted into law

Rep. Rick Green, R-Van Buren
13 bills filed
9 bills enacted into law

Rep. Steven Breedlove, D-Greenwood
11 bills filed
2 bills enacted into law

Rep. Stephanie Malone, R-Fort Smith
1 bill filed
1 bills enacted into law

Rep. Terry Rice, R-Waldron
0 bills filed

Sen. Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith
31 bills filed
3 bills enacted into law

Sen. Ruth Whitaker, R-Cedarville
16 bills filed
2 bills enacted into law

Sen. Ed Wilkinson, D-Greenwood
5 bills filed
0 bills enacted into law

PREVIOUS TOP 5 POLITICAL STORIES

No. 5 — Former Fort Smith union president opposes Card Check
No. 4 — Fort Smith sales tax extension
No. 3 — TEA Parties
No. 2 — Hire/fire authority request

TOP 5 BUSINESS/ECONOMY STORIES
No. 5 — The Compass Report
No. 4 — Economic development changes
No. 3 — Intermodal authority
No. 2 — Job losses – unemployment rate
No. 1 — Sparks Health System