Legislature Kicks Off 2021 Session Without Usual Pageantry

Despite all the many plexiglass barriers, gallon bottles of hand sanitizer everywhere and masks galore, the Arkansas General Assembly got started last week but without many of the usual opening day crowds, pageantry and ceremony.

Gone were photographs of entire families in the chambers to stand with their oath taking adult moms or dads.

Gone were the galleries filled to overflowing with lobbyists, political insiders and hangers- on, who worked so hard this past election season to see those who won seats or repeated their elective success come back for another session — the 93rd General Assembly of Arkansas’ government since 1836.

But ever present will be a lame- duck governor, as Gov. Asa Hutchinson is now in his final two-years of an eight-year term before being term-limited by the Arkansas Constitution. In his 7th year in office as the state’s chief executive, the governor last week delivered a very different “State of the State” address.

And the fireworks of first blush legislative bills have already begun with some breathtaking fireworks of their own in this session.

To wit: State Senator Bob Ballinger, R- Ozark, who represents Senate District 5, a microcosm of tiny slivers of Washington, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson and Sebastian counties, along with all of Madison County, introduced a newer versions of the controversial “Stand Your Ground” bill in the state Senate on Day 2 of the session.

Never one to shy away from gun legislation or what are perceived as personal freedoms, Ballinger says the bill has been reworked from the 2019 try on the same bill. The state’s prosecuting attorneys, as an organization, have “signed off ” on the changes in the bill, Ballinger told a restacked state Senate Judicial Committee, which passed the bill 5-2 after a two-hour debate.

In 2019, Ballinger, a senate newbie, had his “Stand Your Ground” bill defeated and soundly debased in committee, by veteran lawmaker, Senator Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff.

Nothing akin to that happened last week, the bill passed out of committee and heads on to the Senate calendar and eventually, barring some type of seismic defeat, to the House.

Gov. Hutchinson in the “State of the State” speech again tossed his support to an enhanced “Hate Crimes,” bill introduced by his nephew, state Senator Jim Hendren, R- Gravette. Arkansas is only one of three states without some type of “hate crime enhancement” of felonious crimes committed against its citizens.

Last week, area lawmakers filled many of the photos of the opening day of the session from Little Rock.

Democratic lawmakers, Megan Godfrey, D-Springdale, and Nicole Clowney, D-Fayetteville, were photographed adjusting each other’s red carnations, given on the opening day swearing in.

Republican House committee chairwoman, Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren, who represents western Washington County, was again named to lead the House committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. She was in a photo helping House Speaker Matthew Shephard, R-El Dorado, with his boutonniere for the swearing-in ceremony. The next day, Fite and Republican Robin Lundstrum, R- Elm Springs, were seen applauding Gov. Hutchinson at a joint session to deliver his “State of the State” speech.

— Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at maylontrice@yahoo.com. The opinions expressed are those of the author.