Credit Arkansas Senate
The Arkansas Senate failed to pass appropriations for the Arkansas Department of Commerce s 2021-2022 fiscal year on Monday. Members of the Senate voted 20-8 with five members not voting, which was ultimately not enough to pass Senate Bill 132.
In speaking against the bill, Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, said he could not vote for any appropriation that would fund and pay for the head of the Department of Commerce, Sec. Mike Preston. I’ve lost confidence in his ability to lead that critical department, Garner said. We look over the last year, we look at how contracts went to out-of-state businesses like Carvana for economic development, putting our small businesses here in Arkansas at a competitive disadvantage. We look at how he has authorized $15 million dollars for grants during the height of the pandemic without approval from this body.
Credit Arkansas Senate
A bill that would have established an online voting registration system in Arkansas failed to pass the state Senate on Thursday.
Under the bill, citizens in Arkansas, who have conducted business with the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, would have had the ability to register to vote through an online system.
Citizens would have to submit their application at least 30 days before an election in order to qualify to vote in said election. They would also have to provide a current driver’s license number or the last four digits of their social security number.
The bill also requires Arkansas Secretary of State to go through voting registration data before each election and identify and purge from the rolls any listed voter who is deceased by comparing data received from the Social Security Administration.
Credit Arkansas Senate
A bill that would implement stricter scrutiny of absentee voting applications in Arkansas has received final legislative approval and is heading to the governor s desk.
The Senate, by a vote of 27-8 on Tuesday, passed House Bill 1715. It would change several aspects of absentee voting in the state, including banning county clerks or other designated election officials from distributing absentee ballot applications or ballots to voters who had not requested them. The bill would also require the creation and approval of a uniform voter statement by the State Board of Election Commissioners.
Another part of the legislation would require election officials to verify the signatures of a voter’s absentee ballot application with their voter registration application. If the signatures do not match, an absentee ballot would not be mailed.
Credit Arkansas Senate
The Senate on Tuesday voted 24-6, with 5 present, to pass House Bill 1728. It now goes to Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
The legislation, which has had bipartisan support, makes the distinction that the use of campaign funds to pay for a candidate’s childcare expenses would not be considered as a taking of campaign funds as personal income as long as the childcare being paid for because the candidate is engaging in campaign activity.
In presenting the bill to the Senate, Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, said the Arkansas Ethics Commission has already ruled that this practice is allowed, and this bill would just codify that decision.
Credit Arkansas Senate
A bill that sets minimum housing standards for landlords in Arkansas passed the Arkansas Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 28-1, with six senators voting present. Senate Bill 594 now advances to the House.
According to the legislation, for leases and rental agreements for residential purposes, all dwelling units or single-family residences at the time a tenant moves in should have certain basic living standards such as available cold and hot water, an available source of electricity, a functioning roof as well as other requirements.
Currently, Arkansas is the only state in the country without a state-established warrant of habitability for rental properties.