After a week off due to snowmageddon on top of the pandemic in Arkansas, the General Assembly will come back this week to work and hopefully be a little more settled than the last couple of high-stress, anxiety-filled days in Little Rock.
Their 43 bills and joint resolutions filed for potential Constitutional questions to be placed on the 2022 ballot for voters' approval or disapproval finally met the deadline.
One legislator, very much in a dose of reality amid all the bluster and cluster of getting these 43 different pieces of legislation filed, succinctly said:
"I think I'm voting no on all of them. We are amending our state's Constitution way too often and too much."
That sentiment I cannot agree with more.
More words equal more amendments, I have always said.
Here are only some of the 43 proposals the Legislature might vote on to place on the 2022 ballot for the voter's consideration. Of the total, the Legislature can approve three amendments to place on the ballot.
These are some of the ones, I will be watching. In the (parenthesis) is my take on why I am watching these bills.
• SJR16: An amendment providing that interscholastic or intramural athletic teams that are sponsored by a public school shall be expressly designated based on biological sex. This amendment would prevent transgender athletes from competing with athletes of differing biological genders. (No, this is a waste of time and taxpayer legal resources.)
• SJR15: An amendment requiring the governor to convene an extraordinary session of the General Assembly when declaring an emergency by executive order or proclamation. (Not needed).
• SJR13, HJR1023: An amendment to protect Arkansans' rights to keep and bear arms. (Not needed, Second Amendment protects this).
• SJR6: An amendment requiring the General Assembly to establish by law a revised election process. The amendment, if passed, would require the General Assembly to create a process in which candidates in a primary election, special primary election or election for non-partisan office, appear on a single ballot regardless of political party affiliation, and the top two candidates for each office will advance to the general election or special election. (No, No, No. This will lead Arkansas to have total chaos and runoffs like those held in Georgia and runoffs back into January after a November General Election).
• HJR1019: An amendment providing that supreme court justices, court of appeals judges, circuit judges and district judges shall be elected on a partisan basis. It would eliminate non-partisan elections of these officials. (No, No, No.)
• HJR1018: An amendment to allow lottery proceeds to be used to provide scholarships and grants for Arkansas citizens enrolled in vocational and technical schools and institutions. It would allow students in vocational and technical schools to receive Arkansas Scholarship Lottery funds. (Not a bad idea).
• SJR8, HJR1014: An amendment permitting limits on awards of punitive and non-economic damages. The amendment would allow the Arkansas General Assembly to set awards for civil death and injury claims. (No. This is the old Tort Reform debate, so No, No, No.)
• HJR1005: An amendment to require that certain measures presented to voters for approval shall be approved when receiving at least 60% of votes cast on the measure. The amendment would raise the percentage of votes from a majority to 60% of those cast to adopt a constitutional amendment. (No, No, No).
• HJR1004: An amendment concerning the taxation of personal property and real property in the state of Arkansas. The amendment would give the Arkansas General Assembly power to reduce and eliminate personal and real property taxes by 2047. (No, No, No.)
• HJR1003: An amendment to provide for the maintenance and operation of libraries, capital improvements to libraries, and the construction of libraries. The amendment would allow voters in cities with a population of 1,000 or more to seek millage increases to pay for improvements, maintenance and expansion of libraries. (I kind of like this one.)
Watch these proposed amendments. I'll be watching them too.
-- Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.