A measure banning absentee lobbying is headed to Gov. Mike Beebe's desk, after encountering a small roadblock in the House Thursday that led to an emergency committee meeting in the middle of the House's session.
Lawmakers were considering the ban, backed by Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, when Rep. Jon Woods asked that the bill be re-referred to the House Rules Committee for more debate, and his motion was approved.
That committee meets only on Wednesdays, so without an emergency meeting the ethics bill would have been dead for the session, which is scheduled to wrap up next Thursday. The committee once again approved the bill, and the House immediately considered the measure and passed it on an 88-10 vote. Woods voted in favor of the bill.
The measure bans lobbyists from paying for lawmakers' meals or drinks when the lobbyists are not actually present. The bill, by Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, also includes fines for lobbyists who purposely don't register with the state within five days of beginning lobbying activities and requires lobbyists to file their activity reports with the state online, starting in 2010.
"Although the bill had some questions this afternoon and had to go back to the House Rules committee, it again passed unanimously and ultimately passed the House with 88 votes," McDaniel said. "I am proud of the effort put forth by so many to polish a bill that will promote and preserve the integrity of our government."
Beebe said Thursday he'd sign the bill into law.
Also Thursday, a House committee advanced a $42 million income tax break for capital gains on Arkansas property. The bill by Rep. Ed Garner, R-Maumelle, affects both individuals and corporations that earn capital gains on Arkansas property and investments in Arkansas-based companies.
The drop in revenue would hit the state in fiscal year 2011. But Garner argued that the number didn't factor in the economic boost the state would get from companies relocating in Arkansas and investing more money in the state.
"This specific tax has the biggest bang for the buck in terms of a company coming here," Garner said.
But Beebe said later that the state just can't afford the tax break, even though the proposal wouldn't go into effect until Jan. 1, 2010.
"What are you doing to some future governor that you don't know what the effect's going to be?" Beebe said. "I try to be open-minded ... I don't know how we'd ever afford it."
Also Thursday, the House approved a proposed constitutional amendment for the 2010 general election ballot that would change the way the state can issue bonds to attract major industries to Arkansas, while the Senate endorsed a proposal for a constitutional right to hunt and fish.
In other business Thursday, the Senate gave final approval to a bill that would exempt the city of Marion from a recently enacted increase in Arkansas' cigarette tax.
Under current law, cities defined as border cities can charge the bordering state's cigarette tax if it's lower than Arkansas'.
By a 26-6 vote, the Senate voted to extend that break to include cities that adjoin border cities that are separated by a navigable river from a city in another state that is located in a metropolitan statistical area, with a population of at least a million. Marion is the only city that meets this expanded definition.
The Senate also voted to increase the per-student funding formula for public schools, which would result in an overall increase of $69 million.
The Senate voted unanimously to increase per-student funding for state schools from $5,719 to $5,905, starting in the fiscal year that begins July 1. In addition, the legislation also calls for an additional $35 per student, which is labeled as enhanced funding above what the Legislature has determined is needed to adequately educate the state's children.
The chamber also rejected a proposal to restrict the restraint of pregnant inmates who are in labor.
By a 13-14 vote, the chamber voted down a proposal by Sen. Mary Ann Salmon, D-North Little Rock. It would prohibit prisons from restraining pregnant inmates during labor, transport to a medical facility, or delivery of a child, unless the prison determines that the inmate is a flight risk, or due to the health and safety of the prisoner.
The measure was opposed by the state Department of Correction. Salmon said her proposal mirrors what is already prison system policy.