Week 5 Legislative Report 2021

This bill seeks to turn Arkansas into Pennsylvania or other states which through voting integrity standards out the window by promoting election fraud opportunities. Primarily this bill changes election laws related to absentee ballots to increase the opportunity for election fraud and stealing elections. The bill would allow for late delivery of absentee ballots to be accepted 10 days after the election. Currently they are due by the closing of polls on election day. Also, alarming is the fact that this bill would allow people to “cure” their provisional ballots by up to the day of certification of the vote as opposed to the Monday after the election. Curing a vote may even be done by phone in some instances. Notices to people letting them know they must cure their ballots must be sent within 24 hours. The bill also allows broad rule making authority to the state board of election commissioners, including the storage of materials and over labeling of boxes. This is truly a bad bill.

SB230 – Unlimited Assistance by Third Party Persons when Voting – OPPOSE

By: Sen. Clarke Tucker (D – Little Rock)

This bill would remove the current six-person cap on how many people a third party may legally “assist” with voting. This would in effect allow a person to “assist” an unlimited number of people with voting and opens the door for ballot harvesting.

SB231 – Stripping Felons of State Retirement Benefits – SUPPORT

By: Sen. Mark Johnson (R – Little Rock)

This bill would strip state retirement benefits from those who are convicted of a felony related to their duties of their office while serving as a public employee. This would prevent persons from defrauding the public by stealing money or fraudulently directing money back to themselves while abusing their office. This would help with the “Jon Woods” situation where he directed millions of taxpayer money to entities who then gave kickbacks to Woods.

SB252* – Prohibiting an Office in Communist China for AR Economic Development – SUPPORT

By: Trent Garner (R – El Dorado)

The bill would prevent the Arkansas Economic Development Commission (AEDC) from establishing or maintaining an office in Communist China (the country that in 2020 unleashed the Covid 19 virus on the world, resulting in: 1) rapidly repressing freedom, 2) killing millions of people, and 3) attributing to the defeat of President Trump for a second term.) The former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has been warning state governors and local governments for more than a year (and as late as last week) to be cautious in dealing with the Communist Chinese as they are cunning and the largest threat to our national security.

(Status: There are special interests groups, including Tyson Foods, Farm Bureau, the Governor’s office, and AEDC, who oppose this bill and were successful last week in killing it in committee with the “No” votes of Senators Cecile Bledsoe, Jane English, Breanne Davis, and Clark Tucker. Senators Trent Garner, Bob Ballinger, and Jason Rapert supported the bill.)

HB1368* – Special Election Reform – SUPPORT

By: Rep. David Ray (R – Maumelle)

This bill would require that special elections, including those raising taxes, must be held on the primary or general election dates in election years or on set dates in May and November in non-election years. Exemptions for natural disaster emergencies and undue hardships are built in. This is a good bill that ensures greater voter engagement and turnout for important tax increases and other elections in local communities, preventing taxation without representation.

(Status: This bill was defeated this past Thursday on the House floor. For a record of votes see: https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Votes?id=HB1368&rcs=1919&chamber=House&ddBienniumSession=2021%2F2021R

One would expect Democrats (who openly support tax increases) to vote “no” on this bill. Therefore, we will only report the 36 Republican “no”, “not voting”, or “present” votes who defeated this bill and encourage you to contact your legislator to inform him or her of your position: https://legiscan.com/AR/rollcall/HB1368/id/996196

36 R’s Voting “no=N”, “not voting=NV”, or “present=P” to defeat this tax reducing bill:

Barker, Sonia Eubanks-N

Berry, Stan-N

Bragg, Ken-NV

Cavenaugh, Frances-N

Christiansen, Craig-N

Coleman, Bruce-N

Cooper, Cameron-NV

Cozart, Bruce-N

Dalby, Carol-N

Davis, Marsh-N

Deffenbaugh, Gary-N

Eaves, Les-NV

Evans, Brian-N

Fite, Charlene-N

Fite, Lanny-N

Fortner, Jack-N

Haak, Delia-N

Hawks, Spencer-NV

Hillman, David-N

Jean, Lane-NV

Jett, Joe-N

Johnson, Lee-N

Lynch, Roger-N

Maddox, John-N

McGrew, Richard-N

McNair, Ron-N

Rye, Johnny-N

Shepherd, Matthew-NV

Slape, Keith-N

Smith, Stu-N

Tollett, David-N

Tosh, Dwight-NV

Vaught, Deann-NV

Warren, Les-N

Watson, Danny-N

Wooten, Jim-N

If your R House member is not on the above list, that means he or she voted to pass this very good tax reducing bill. Please thank those voting “yes” for their vote for lowering taxes.

HB1371 – School Choice Tax Credit Scholarships – SUPPORT

By: Rep. Ken Bragg (R – Sheridan)

This bill would create a tax credit scholarship program to fund scholarships for the education of K-12 students. A dollar-for-dollar income tax credit would be provided (up to $10 million in the first year) for individuals and businesses who donate to the scholarship program. The program would be split with public-school grants ($6 million) and private school scholarship accounts ($4 million). Per student funding of about $7,000 per student would be available. The scholarships would only be available for students transferring from a public school to a private school and whose family is no more than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. This is about $72,000 for a family of four. This is a good bill that expands school choice opportunities for lower-income students in Arkansas.

HB1403 – Reducing the Top Income Tax Rate – SUPPORT

By: Rep. John Maddox (R – Mena)

This bill would reduce the top income tax rate in Arkansas from 5.9% to 5.8%. It would also reform the tax brackets for top income earners (those above $79,300) to where the first $0-$4,000 is taxed at 2%, $4,001 – $8,000 at 4% and $8,001 and above at 5.8%. Though a small tax relief bill, it still should reduce the overall taxes flowing to government and keep money in the pocketbooks of hardworking Arkansans to invest or stimulate the economy how they see fit.

HB1416 – Work from Home Freedom – SUPPORT

By: Rep. Kendon Underwood (R – Rogers)

This bill would prohibit local governments from preventing people from working from home with local ordinances that are overbroad. Localities could still have regulations such as preventing odors from residences, no billboards/advertisements, and other health and safety regulations.

HB1428 – Repeal of Arkansas Works, Transition to Medicaid Fee for Service – SUPPORT

By: Rep. Josh Miller (R – Heber Springs)

This bill would repeal the Arkansas Works Obamacare program. That program provides free health insurance to able-bodied, working age adults most of whom do not work at all. Instead of spending hundreds of millions to buy private health insurance on the enrollees, that may or may not ever be used, the Medicaid expansion program would transition to a fee for service for this same group of enrollees. This means only those services actually provided to the enrollee would be paid for by taxpayers. This change in system could save the taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars per year. In anticipation of the additional welfare programs to be imposed on the states likely to come out of Washington DC under the Biden Administration, it is more important than ever that Arkansas prepare now for such savings that this bill will provide.

HB1431 – Increased Sales Tax Exemption for Used Cars – SUPPORT

By: Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R – Elm Springs)

This bill would increase the sales tax exemption for used cars from the current $4,000 to $10,000, effective when/if the bill becomes law rather than a phased in approach. As a rural state with limited-to-no public transportation options, personal vehicles are critical for workers to get to work. Nearly all Arkansas workers commute to work by private vehicle. Unfortunately, Arkansans are being subjected to double taxation. Any used cars over $4,000 are again subject to the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax, in addition to local sales taxes. Low-income workers in particular may be able to finance a used vehicle but unable to pay the significant (and perhaps unexpected) sales taxes. Arkansas already charges sales tax on new vehicles, so used vehicles that get resold—or resold multiple times—are being taxed repeatedly. This bill addresses that double taxation for vehicle sold for $10,000 or less and provides more economic freedom for Arkansans as they work, live their lives, and engage in the local economy.

SJR3 – Allowing the State to be Sued – SUPPORT

By: Sen. Alan Clark (R – Hot Springs)

This proposed constitutional amendment would allow the state of Arkansas to be sued just like any other person can be sued in a civil court. This should provide greater restraints on government abuse of the rights of Arkansans as the state would fear retribution of being sued and losing.

Week 4 Summary of CFA Bill Analysis (see Details HERE):

OPPOSE

None this week.

SUPPORT

HB1254 – APRN as Primary Care Provider within Medicaid Program – SUPPORT

STATUS: Referred to House Public Health, Welfare, Labor Committee

HB1231 – Rejecting the 1619 Project in Public Schools – SUPPORT

STATUS: Referred to House Education Committee

HB1227 – No Minimum Wage While Off Duty for Truck Drivers – SUPPORT

STATUS: Passed by House and Senate, Sent to Governor

SB208 – Updated “Meeting” Definition for FOIA; Updated Groups Subject to FOIA – SUPPORT

STATUS: Referred to Senate State Agencies Committee