Four takeaways from the ninth week of the 95th Arkansas General Assembly
Video: Arkansas legislature activity for March 12
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Week nine of the 95th General Assembly showed an increasing number of bills becoming law.
Forty-one bills were signed into law this week, alongside legislation changing the nature of electrical utilities for ratepayers, movement on the governor's signature higher-education bill and legislation on nitrogen gas execution to the governor's desk.
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NEW LAWS
Alongside more mundane items like budget appropriations, 41 bills signed into law Thursday included legislation on campaign contributions, medical marijuana and election laws, including laws for write-in candidates. This makes 299 bills signed into law this session.
ELECTRIC UTILITIES
A bill that has garnered a lot of debate in the Senate cleared that chamber and was sent to the House on Wednesday. Senate Bill 307 changes the relationship between the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) and electric utilities by charging rates on construction projects in process.
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A related matter is a bill filed on Friday by Sen. Matt McKee (R-Pearcy) requiring the PSC to approve any power plants being closed. Part of the support for SB307 by senators, including McKee, was that Arkansas is due to lose two of its coal-fired power plants in 2030.
HIGHER EDUCATION
The House and Senate passed identical bills to put Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' higher education revamping Arkansas ACCESS for 'acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships, and standardization,' closer to becoming law. Senate Bill 246 and House Bill 1512 were transmitted to their opposite chamber, where they were voted and moved to committee on Thursday.
One sticking point with legislators was the original legislation's language stating that absences for public policy advocacy or attempts to influence legislation and political protests would count as unexcused absences. Sponsors made an amendment Monday afternoon for schools to allow an excused absence for public policy advocacy or to influence legislation if parents provide written permission, but political protests would remain unexcused.
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NITROGEN GAS
Legislation allowing the state to use nitrogen gas to execute death-penalty inmates has passed both chambers and been sent to the governor for signature as House Bill 1489. Arkansas currently has 25 inmates on death row.
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