Splitting holidays of Lee, King floated Senate backs plan to drop old boards

A bill filed Tuesday proposes to end Arkansas’ dual celebration of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee and civilrights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson has said he wants to see the January holiday split. The joint holiday has been a point of contention for decades.

Senate Bill 519, sponsored by Sen. Dave Wallace, R- Leachville, and Rep. Grant Hodges, R- Rogers, would remove Lee’s name from the January holiday and create a memorial day for him on the second Saturday in October. State employees would get the day off in January but not on Lee’s day.

It also would require the state Education Department to develop teaching materials on King as well as lessons “relating to Arkansas and the American Civil War.”

— John Moritz

At least a dozen state boards, councils and commissions flagged as unnecessary by Gov. Asa Hutchinson would be deleted under legislation approved 28- 1 by the Senate on Tuesday.

In addition to state boards disbanded under Senate Bill 341, several others would be reduced in size as part of Hutchinson’s stated goal of government reorganization.

Sen. Lance Eads, R- Springdale, the sponsor of SB341, said some commissions were targeted because they are obsolete. Some missions have been completed, and at least one hasn’t met in over 20 years, he said.

No financial impact statement was included with the legislation, which now moves to the House for consideration.