Bill Filings at Mid-Point; So Who Is Busy?

SOME MAY SAY FILINGS NOT BAROMETER OF LEGISLATIVE WORK, SERVICE BACK HOME

Maylon Rice
Maylon Rice

The mid-point of the 90th General Assembly, as far as filing legislative bills, was reached recently.

The 135 members of the Legislature are not exactly on track to out-pace the most recent sessions in bill filings. The deadline to file a bill for consideration for the current session is March 9.

Some legislative experts differ on the importance of filing bills, saying, those legislators who often file the most bills, get less done than those who shepherd one or two major issues through the labyrinth of the legislative process. Keep in mind there is still time to file additional bills and there will be more between now and the March 9 deadline.

Back here at home and far away from the Legislative halls of the state capitol in Little Rock, here is what the bill filing and co-sponsoring of other legislators' bills looks like as of Feb. 18.

State Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale, looks like the local leader of offering up legislation. He has filed 34 bills in the senate and is a co-sponsor on seven more and one senate Resolution of a sister-state relationship with Taiwan.

State Sen. Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, has filed only three senate bills as a primary sponsor. He is an author on three House bills and is a co-sponsor on 11 others, including two Senate Resolutions. One recognizes Miss Victoria Moloch (daughter of a fellow state Senator Bruce Maloch, D-Magnolia) as the first female officer of the National Future Farmers of America. She is to serve as Secretary. The other resolution recognizes George Washington's birthday.

State Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, has 11 Senate bills as primary sponsor; and is a co-sponsor on 17 other bills.

On the state House of Representatives side of the Capitol, area legislators and their bill filings as of last Wednesday included:

State Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, has filed 11 House bills as primary sponsor and is also a co-sponsor on 13 more House bills.

State Rep. Robin Lundstrum, R-Springdale, has filed three House bills and is a co-sponsor on 12 other House bills.

State Rep. Lance Eads, R-Springdale, has not filed a single bill as primary sponsor. He is a co-sponsor on three House bills.

State Rep. Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville, has filed 18 bills as primary sponsor; one Senate bill and is a co-sponsor on 15 House bills.

State Rep. David Whitaker, D-Fayetteville, has filed as primary sponsor on five bills. He is a co-sponsor on eight other House bills.

State Rep. Justin Harris, R-West Fork, is a primary sponsor on five House bills and a co-sponsor on 22 other House bills.

State Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, is a primary sponsor on seven bills. He is a co-sponsor on seven more bills.

To check out these and other legislators and the bills they have sponsored or are co-sponsors on, go to www.arkleg.state.ar.us and click on the individual elected official's name and profile.

MAYLON RICE, AN AWARD-WINNING COLUMNIST, HAS WRITTEN BOTH NEWS AND COLUMNS FOR SEVERAL NWA PUBLICATIONS AND HAS BEEN WRITING FOR THE ENTERPRISE-LEADER FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

Editorial on 02/25/2015