GOP not representing Arkansans with bills

The Republican Party is now officially the Trump party, not because ordinary republicans wanted it that way, but because the leadership at the federal and state levels have refused to give him up. Many Republicans are turning their backs on the party because of its embrace of backward thinking and conspiracy theories. Jim Hendren (now an independent) put it simply when asked about two bills passed recently in the Arkansas General Assembly. “Today in the Legislature, we made it easier to kill someone and harder to cast a vote. I voted against disenfranchising voters today and against SB24 when it was in the Senate. The extremes are winning.”

Of course, he was talking about the “stand your ground” bill and the voter ID bill. But the far-right has also been busy on other bills that don’t do anything to help people in Arkansas. Just last week, for instance, these bills were filed: HB 1574 is “an act concerning the reimbursement of legal fees incurred by elected state officials.” I guess they are expecting a lot of lawsuits after this General Assembly is over.

Bill 1570 is “an act to create the Arkansas Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE).” Nice acronym, but what it does is make it harder for transgender individuals to receive medical advice and help. Bill 1563 is to “amend the Arkansas Landlord Tenant act of 2007; to create a civil eviction process.” This bill makes it easier for a landlord to evict a tenant when they get behind on their rent. Just the thing we need in the middle of a pandemic with so many out of work.

Oh, and one more to add to the latest voter suppression bill. HB 1112 “eliminates the option for individuals to complete a sworn statement to cast a provisional ballot if they did not have the required photo identification.”

These bills have only been filed and they may not make it out of committee or may be defeated if they get to the floor of the House, but regardless of that, think of who these bills would benefit and see if you are a member of that subgroup. In order as listed, they benefit elected state officials, people who don’t like the LGBT community, landlords, and those who want to see minority groups disenfranchised from their right to vote.

It is time that the Republicans who were elected to the Legislature to represent Arkansans start doing just that instead of coming up with “pet peeves” bills that don’t help anyone except themselves and their small-minded agendas.

STEVEN TRULOCK

Fayetteville