Senate Ethics Committee recommends penalties for local senator

The Arkansas Senate Ethics Committee had three meetings over the past week to review complaints filed by Senate Pro Tempore Jimmy Hickey against State Senators Alan Clark and Mark Johnson.

The complaints stem from an incident at this year’s Boys State Convention. Johnson allegedly wrote down Clark’s name on a sign- in sheet as if he was in attendance for the event, according to committee documents.

Committee members after reviewing written and oral testimony from Clark determined that he admitted he did not attend the Boys State meeting on June 3 and that “he knowingly sought reimbursement from public funds by requesting another senator sign his name on the sign- in sheet for that meeting,” according to the documents.

The committee found that Clark and Johnson both violated Senate rules.

The committee is recommending both senators receive the following penalties: a letter of reprimand issued by the Senate and removal from any committee chair or vice- chair positions that they currently hold in the 93rd General Assembly.

According to the committee’s recommendation, the senators would also not be eligible for per diem and mileage for attendance at interim committee meetings for the remainder of the 93rd General Assembly and will no longer have the ability to be considered by future President Pro Tempores of the Senate for appointment to serve at Boys State, Girls State or on the Senate Ethics Committee.

According to Saline County Sen. Kim Hammer, who serves as the Ethic Committee Chair, the committee has 20 days, as of Monday, to compile the final report and to send it to the Arkansas Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Jimmy Hickey.

Hickey will then have 10 days to call a special meeting of the Senate where they will vote on the complaints to decide the penalties that will be officially issued to each senator.

Clark, who was first elected to the Arkansas Senate in 2012, represents constituents in Hot Spring, Saline and Garland counties.

Clark did not respond to comment, as of press time.