An update on the bills we advocated FOR / AGAINST during the recently-completed legislative session:
SB435: right to use a paper ballot; failed on Senate floor 13-21 after passing the Senate Judiciary committee with bipartisan support. This should have been an easy YES vote for anyone in favor of election integrity.
SB71: to end affirmative action; passed Senate 18-15; failed on House floor 27-73. This bill should have been an easy YES vote for Republicans, and is consistent with the party platform, but many otherwise conservative representatives were deceived. Others were just afraid of the leftists. It passed the senate committee, the full senate, and the house committee before dying on the house floor.
HB1610: to allow secret meetings among quorum courts, city councils, and school boards passed the House 52-48 but failed in the senate committee twice. This bill was controversial because so many constituents are disillusioned by the rampant secret meetings already taking place. The bill would have legalized the practice. The sponsors were unwilling to compromise with the FOIA task force and members of the public.
HB1726: the FOIA killer bill, failed in House committee. This would have effectively destroyed the FOIA. This one was a huge win for the people.
SB250: to penalize counties which might decide to employ paper ballots by removing state funding. This bill passed and was signed into law but was predominantly replaced by HB1687. The “cleanup” bill removes the financial penalty and allows paper ballots in many instances. What started out as a loss, ended up being a win for the people.
SB81: the library bill passed the senate 24-10 with 5 Republicans voting no; it passed the House 56-44 with 25 Republicans voting no. If any bill was a Republican litmus test this session, this was it. The people won a big victory here, now having the ability to challenge explicit children’s library books.
HJR1007: a substantial sales tax increase, went nowhere, thanks to the people.
HB1468: the pronoun bill passed both chambers and will become law. Teachers will no longer be required to use the “pronoun of the week” when speaking to students.
HB1615: religious freedom passed and might help protect our rights in future health emergencies.
Many other bills were passed (some good, some bad), but these are the ones we spent significant time on. Thanks to everyone who wrote an email, called a legislator, called the capitol, or showed up to testify. You have made a difference in the future of our state.
What can be done to get better legislation (and less bad legislation)? Elect true conservative candidates who aren’t afraid to vote right.
Thanks to Re- crew for all y’all did, but We need more than doing Our best to send more conservatives to LR, as We saw with the FOIA bills and others, such a HB1588, UCC. Had Gov Noem not vetoed it in SD and said so on TCTonight, I’d/We’d might not known about it.
Meeks, Dismang sponsored this bill, as did Dismang on HB1610…a whipsaw effect. It’s on a bill by bill case. While We have the FOIA TF leaning forward, Re-, Conduit, Opportunity Arkansas, Secure Arkansas, various Tea Party groups would do well to call out the “Sturches” of this session, yet ask, was Payton much better?
Yes, we have and will continue calling them out. Payton could certainly have represented his constituents better than he did.
Thanks to everyone for their hard work. It shouldn’t be this hard to pass good conservative legislation with a Republican majority and Republican Governor. But here we are…
There’s a lot of bad representation this session. My advice is go look at your Rep & Senator to see how they voted on any “freedom” bills. There was a lot of “present”, not voting in this session. When legislators vote present/Not voting it just means they are gutless, no courage to vote. They just want to be able to say “oh I didn’t vote for that” during their re-election. We don’t send them to the Capitol to “not vote”. Stand up, vote, show us where you stand!!!!
For example: Arkansas Legislature Passes Bad Bill Legalizing Self-Serve Alcohol Vending Machines…not family friendly – see how your Rep/Sen voted-https://familycouncil.org/?p=26153
Another bill regarding Alcohol, establish entertainment districts where public drinking is legal. Act 34 See the vote -https://familycouncil.org/?p=25639
Let’s be honest, this is really Mike Huckabee’s 3rd term. 50% of Rs are trying to get close to the governor and the other 50% are afraid of her daddy.