Chambers hold final legislative breakfast of session

final legislative breakfast for the session was held Friday at the Benton Event Center.

All of the breakfasts were put on jointly by the Benton Area, Greater Bryant and Hot Springs Village chambers of commerce.

“They have been busy,” said Bryant Chamber President and CEO Jason Brown about the legislators from Saline County.

Each legislator took a turn talking about the legislation they are working on or have worked on.

Rep. Richard Mcgrew, a freshman legislator, started off talking about a bill recently passed that really helps places like Hot Springs Village, which he represents. The bill says if when a community invests in training a law enforcement officer and then another poaches that officer away, the community that takes the officer has to reimburse the first community for part of cost.

He is also working on a bill that would increase rights for tenants.

“I believe we are going to get something passed this session,” Mcgrew said.

He discussed a bill that would protect seniors by allowing financial institutions or the attorney general to delay transactions to determine if they are fraudulent.

Another bill requires the holocaust to be taught in schools and another allows for the teaching of creationism.

He spoke about the legislature returning the governor’s veto about not changing a child’s gender before the age of 18.

Sen. Kim Hammer said the legislature is about two weeks from the end of session. He believes it will go into recess instead of adjourn because the state is waiting on census numbers for redistricting. When those come in, the legislature would return to session to deal with that.

Hammer reported the state still has strong revenues and the long-term fund continues to grow.

He talked about the issue the state had with unemployment, explaining the software the state uses is 50 years old. He described it as a “classic overload.” The bill he ran will redirect a portion of money for the unemployment trust toward paying for new software until that software is paid for.

“This is something that has been needed for a long time,” Hammer said.

He plans to file a bill on Monday to look more closely at the share services savings. It would required documents to be filed showing savings and adjust the definition of savings to mean the money is saved and not just used somewhere else.

He discussed the Emergency Powers Act which requires approval from the legislature for a state of emergency or mandates from the Arkansas Department of Health.

Rep. Lanny Fite said much of the election legislation being passed is modeled on how Saline County handles its elections.

“It speaks well of the county,” Fite said.

He added his colleagues are amazed at how the community came together to create the CTE center.

He has a bill that will help broadband improvement districts allowing them to apply for grants to expand broadband access.

HB1690 will put a penalty in place for cities that use money meant for street in their general funds and require those funds be paid back.

Hammer told the audience Sen. Alan Clarke could not attend due to a death in the family and Rep. Tony Furman’s wife is having her baby. Rep. Keith Brooks clarified it is the couple’s third child.

Hammer said Furman is working on a bill to allow foster children who choose to leave the system and age 18 to come back into the system if they decide to until they are 21.

Brooks said he is working a on bills to strengthen education laws in the state. He has also been working on election reform.

He is working to update legislation which allows small organizations to join together to get employees health insurance. He said the regulations were too strict and he wanted to make it easier for businesses.

He is also working on a bill to network dyslexia specialists at schools.

After the legislators spoke, they took questions.

One audience member asked legislators to consider the return on investment when spending the stimulus money from the federal government. He also wanted them to support SB 298, which characterized as being in answer to unconstitutional executive orders from the federal level.

In response to his comments, Hammers said they have learned more from the first stimulus and feel they are on a better footing.

Linda Smith, with the Central Arkansas Development Council, asked if funds to assist those with rentals can also be used to help those with mortgages.

Hammer was not sure because he has not gotten all the requirements, but he said that would be part of the discussion.