With the "monster in room" issue over with -- at least in the fiscal session of the Arkansas General Assembly, there are other nuggets worth digesting, hence this scatter shooting report.
First let us hear from state Rep. David Whitaker, D-Fayetteville, who represents District 85 (Fayetteville and west to Farmington and rural areas almost to Prairie Grove). Whitaker amended a Senate Bill, SB90, a housekeeping bill.
"The fiscal session of the Arkansas Legislature continues to meet this week, on an important amendment I made to Senate Bill 90 was adopted and the bill passed ... in the state House, after passing the Senate 33-0. This change will put Juvenile Probation Office funding back in the Administrative Office of the Courts."
"These small issues may not get as much attention as the ones seen on the news, but making our state government run more effectively and keeping our communities safe and our justice system efficient are some of my top priorities...," Whitaker said.
He also credited state Auditor Andrea Lea, a former House member, for the change.
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State Senator Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville, who represents much of Washington County, recently passed state Citations for the Arkansas Historical Association, marking its 75th Anniversary (1941-2016). The editorial and business offices have always been at the University of Arkansas History Department since its founding. (Writer's transparency note: I am currently serving as a board member of the AHA).
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State Rep. Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, who represents District 80, which includes Western Crawford County and Western Washington County, including Prairie Grove, Lincoln, Cane Hill, Summers and Cincinnati, has filed a bill to extend the Study Committee of the Task Force on Teacher Insurance, which has been meeting over issues within the long range of the system. This bill to continue the Task Force another two years; will require a two-thirds vote of both the House and Senate.
The original "sunset" date for the Task Force to end its studies is June 2016.
Fite is the House chair of this committee. State Sen. Eddie Cheatham, D-Crossett, is the Senate chair of the same committee.
Fite, in an email predicted smoother sailing these next few weeks in Little Rock. "...Should be easy here on out. The hard stuff is done."
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It should be noted that state Senator Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, has not filed any bills to restore the funding to public libraries lost in the last regular session
Hester made a wild proposal to de-fund or cut funding at Arkansas Educational Television Network, public television, which is state owned and state funded.
Hester has not done that either. He needs a little history lesson on AETN. If it were not for a former state Senator, the late Lee Reaves of Warren, there would be no AETN. Reaves felt so dedicated to using public television he left the safe confines of the Arkansas Senate to run AETN, based in Conway at State Teacher's College (now UCA) in the early infancy of AETN.
Funny how a little history can clarify an issue.
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Only one Arkansas Congressman made it to the Arkansas Historical Association's opening reception in Little Rock on April 21.
Congressman Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, Arkansas 4th District, was in attendance. He worked the room meeting lots of new folks. Westerman, a forestry manager by training, also served in the Arkansas House before running for Congress.
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I expect to see more and more of U.S. Senator John Boozman, R-Arkansas, in the months ahead in the same confines of Washington, Benton, Crawford and Sebastian Counties.
I also hope we will hear more on his real views on the economy as he sees Northwest Arkansas and our state.
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 05/04/2016