Legislative Action Alert!
Act Now
Bills We’re Watching
- HB 1052: Rep. Greenberg - An Act To Prevent Retaliation Against Public
Employees For Requesting Records Under The Freedom Of Information Act
Of 1967.PDF
FOR — Whistleblower protection for
state employees filing FOIA requests. STATUS: Still in committee
STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE.
- HB 1091: Rep. Sample - To Allow A School District Board Of Directors
To Meet In Executive Session On An Appeal Of The Suspension Or Expulsion
Of A Student.PDF
We were AGAINST; now, NEUTRAL — The
initial bill allowed school boards to hold student expulsion hearings
in closed session (not in public) without the permission of the student
or parent. Amended and fixed.
STATUS: Still
in committee EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE.
AGAINST — Omnibus immigration bill containing almost every anti-immigrant piece
of legislation filed around the country: attacking employers, potential
employees, those who feed and shelter people in need regardless of their
immigrant status; vastly increasing the likelihood of racial and ethnic
profiling. Required the use of federal databases that have proven expensive,
unreliable and fraught with error. STATUS:
Still in committee JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE.
AGAINST — Bans a rarely if ever used
abortion technique (the term “partial birth abortion” is fictitious,
however). Does not contain an exception for a woman’s health.
The Bill started out worse; although it will hopefully never be prosecuted
in Arkansas, it was amended to do little more than the federal law that
was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court does. STATUS: Now Act
196
- HB 1246: Rep. Carroll - An Act To Amend Various Provisions Of The
Arkansas Code Regarding Certification Of New Political Parties And Independent
Candidates.PDF
FOR — Increases the number of days
from 60 to 90 for new and independent candidates to collect signatures
needed to get on the ballot: ballot access.
So far, despite several federal court
opinions finding the ballot access scheme unconstitutional (including
two ACLU cases on behalf of the Green Party of Arkansas), the Legislature
has refused to revamp its ballot access system; this system makes it
prohibitively hard for new or “third” parties to get and stay on
the ballot, thereby ensuring a two-party state. STATUS: Now ACT
188.
- HB 1247: Rep. Carroll - An Act To Extend The Threshold For A Political
Party To Maintain Its Certified Political Party Status To Include Receiving
A Percentage Of Votes For Any Position Subject To A Statewide Election.PDF
FOR — See explanation of HB 1246 above
for history. The Bill would make it easier to for new and minority
parties to get and stay on the ballot. Arkansas has one of the
toughest ballot access schemes in the country, and it has been struck
down in federal courts several times.. STATUS: Still in committee
STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE.
- HB 1281: Rep. Carter - An Act To Require All Persons Receiving
Benefits Through The Department Of Human Services To Undergo Random
Testing For Illegal Drugs.PDF
AGAINST — Would require all recipients
of DHS services, including those in nurseries and nursing homes, to
undergo drug testing. STATUS:
Still in committee PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE.
- HB 1383: Rep. Nickels - An Act To Allow The Contractors Licensing
Board To Take Action Against A Contractor For Knowingly Employing Workers
Without Legal Status.PDF
AGAINST — Allows for the Contractors
Licensing Board to revoke a contractor’s license, without the contractor
ever having been convicted of a crime. STATUS:
Still in committee STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE.
- HB 1401: Rep. Harrelson - An Act Concerning The Campaign Practice
Of Judges; And To Repeal 7-6-103.PDF
FOR — Repeals the law prohibiting judges
from campaigning for other people seeking office. STATUS:
Still in committee JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE.
- HB 1404: Rep. Webb - Concerning The Ballot Presentation Of Initiative
Or Referred Amendments Or Acts.PDF
FOR — Makes it easier for the voter
to understand ballot initiatives on ballot, especially when there are
multiple items as there
were last time. STATUS: Passed the HOUSE; in the SENATE.
- HB 1637: Rep. Blount - An Act Regarding Prerequisites For A Convicted
Felon To Regain His Or Her Right To Vote.PDF
FOR — Allows for the reintegration
of people who have committed felonies (many of which are drug charges)
into society after they have served their terms, and makes it easier
for them to get back their right to vote. Most people, including
ex-felons, realize that they can register to vote again after they serve
their sentence. STATUS:
Still in committee JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE.
- HJR 1009: Rep. Carroll - Amending The Arkansas Constitution To Repeal
The Prohibition Against An Atheist Holding Any Office In The Civil Departments
Of The State Of Arkansas Or Testifying As A Witness In Any Court.PDF
FOR — Repeals an old, unprosecuted
and unconstitutional section of the Arkansas Constitution prohibiting
atheists from holding public office. If it were ever used to keep
someone from serving in public office, the ACLU would file suit. . STATUS: Still in committee
STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE.
- HJR 1010: Rep. J. Burris - To Amend Article 2, Section 3 Of The Constitution
Of Arkansas Concerning Equality Before The Law.PDF
WATCHING — We are not sure what
the intent of this bill really is. STATUS:
Still in committee STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE.
- SB 23: Sen. Altes - An Act To Establish A Prescription Drug
Monitoring Program.PDF
AGAINST — Creates a huge, statewide
government database with information on certain prescriptions of ALL
Arkansans, including some common painkillers, Ritalin (for ADHD), and
other drugs not used for illicit purposes. The police could have
access to it without a warrant, and the Pharmacists, Medical Board,
Health Department, Nurses, and others, could have access at any time.
We helped kill a similar bill last session. STATUS:
Still in committee SENATE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR.
- SB 299: Sen. H. Wilkins - An Act To Reestablish A Task Force On Racial
Profiling And Concerning The Collection Of Information By Law Enforcement
Stops Of Drivers For Failing To Wear A Seat Belt
FOR — This bill restores the Racial
Profiling Task Force we helped create in ___. It also allows makes
not wearing a seat belt a primary offense; however it requires the police
to collect data on the stop on the race and age of the driver, regardless
of whether a ticket is issued. Our concern with this kind of bill
is that the law would give the police another reason to make a pretextual
stop, where the real aim is to find illegal activity. These stops are
sometimes based on racial profiles. Collecting data on the stops
would help prevent that from happening. .PDF STATUS:
Still in committee STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- SENATE.
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