Arkansas Legislative Council – September 18, 2009
Posted on September 18th, 2009
Date & Time: Wednesday, September 18, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Location: Room 171, State Capitol
Committee Information:Members on Committee
Agenda: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/11854/I7799.pdf
Attachments: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Pages/MeetingAttachments.aspx?ItemId=11854&CalType=ME&List=Meetings&btnok=nook
The Council was established by Act 264 of 1949 to collect data and information upon which legislative decisions will be made during regular session of the General Assembly. The Bureau of Legislative Research of the Legislative Council is a service agency within the legislative department of government. All members of the General Assembly have access to the Bureau of Legislative Research. The Legislative Council is the supervisory committee for the Bureau of Legislative Research, the Council coordinates the activities of the various interim committees and through the various committees provides legislative oversight of the executive branch of government. The Council consists of 36 regular members which is comprised of 20 House members and 16 Senators. In addition there are 24 ex-officio voting members and 5 ex-officio non-voting members.(A.C.A. 10-3-301)
9:05 am – Meeting called to order by the Chairman, Rep. Allen Maxwell.
9:10 am – We have a new style of revenue report. Richard Wilson in giving a presentation of the new report and various numbers. I think I like it!
9:12 am – The sales tax collections are down for 2008-2009 by 0.44 percent. The income tax collections for the same period are down 1.7 percent.
9:14 am – We are now covering the monthly revenue report. No questions or comments. Reports were adopted.
9:16 am – The cumulative deviation from DFA net general revenues available for distribution forecast is $33.216 million under forcast.
9:19 am – We are now reviewing the report from the Executive Subcommittee. The committee heard an update concerning plans for utilizing the 5th floor of the Big MAC Building. The renovation would consiste of two committee meeting rooms: one to seat 100 legislators, with a public gallery that would seat 85; the second would seat 30 members and accommodate approximately 25 members of the public. The remaining space would be occupied by legislative staff. Representiative Maxwell made a motion to recommend the current architect plan to the Arkansas Building Authority as presented and designate office space to be occupied by legilsative staff as feasible. The motion carried without objection.
9:26 am – Rep. Dismang asked what has made it necessary to make this expansion of legislative facilities. The answer is essentially, the committee rooms are full, especially for Joint Budget meetings. There is very little room for the public in the current meetings when you get legislators, staff, and agency personnel.
9:30 am – It seems Rep. Dismang recognizes the needed for public meeting space, but he wants to know details about office spaces. This was initially presented to us as needed office spaces for Bureau of Legislative Research (BLR) staff. Now we are finding out that this is not necessarily adding additional office space, but rather it will be displacing staff into the new space to clear up office space in the basement of the Capitol for legislators.
9:34 am – House Speaker Wills explained that this would also consolidate the various Bureau of Legislative Research divisions spread out over the Capitol.
9:37 am – Rep. Dismang is asking about the reasons a tunnel between the Capitol and the new spaces. The answer was that in addition to the 10.44 tons of paper that has to be distributed from BLR staff to Legislators. Another point made was needed for security.
9:41 am – Sen. Whitaker is making the point that we don’t have more legislators, so why do we now have a lack of space? She said she believed it was because of the runaway growth of state government. The senator believed that during these poor economic times, it would be a poor choice to be making these type of expenditures at this time.
9:45 am – Sen. Lafferty and Senator Wilkins have both spoken in favor to the office spaces for House members. Senator Whitaker doesn’t seem to be opposing the offices, but rather the poor choice of timing.
9:49 am – Sen. Hendren is speaking in favor of “Robbie Wills’ Project”. Much laughter around the room. There was a move of immediate consideration of adopting the executive committee report. “Immediate consideration” passed on a voice vote. We will still need vote on adopting the report. It also passed on a voice vote.
9:56 am – The Administrative Rules and Regulations report was adopted without question or comment. See attachement F.1
9:57 am – Sen. Bobby Glover is providing a report on Charitable, Penal, & Correctional Institutions report. It was adopted without question or comment. See attachment F.2
10:00 am – Rep. Flowers provided the Claims Review report. It was adopted without question or comment. See attachment F.3
10:01 am – Rep. Roebuck provided the Higher Education report. It was adopted without question or comment. See attachment F.5
10:04 am – The PEER Committee is currently reporting. Sen. Sue Madison asked for additional information about he cost and effectiveness on the educational audits.
10:05 am – Sen. Bryles moved to suspend rules to approve a budget variance for the Lt. Governor. He is requesting an emergency of a $15,000 transfer from Operations to Extra Help in their Operations Appropriation (002/HSC5100) The purpose of this transfer is to pay for an Extra Help position to work on various projects in the Lt. Governor’s office.
10:08 am The remainder of the Reports of Standing Committees were reviewed and passed without question or comment.
10:08 am There was a report of the organizational activites of the Arkansas Legislative Task Force on Autism.
10:10 am – The Performance Audit of the Levee District Oversight, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission referred by the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
10:12 am – There is a communication from the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission requesting the Legislativee Council’s advice concerning the issuance of bonds in accordance with the 2010-2011 Biennium Plan of Work for the Arkansas Water, Waste Disposal and Pollution Abatement Facilities General Obligation Bond Program, submitted by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission.
10:16 am – Sen. Lafferty asked if these bonds would be available to provide water to portions of his district. Sen. Elliott followed up by asking Randy Young if they have a process in place to locate and prioritize these items. Report reviewed.
10:22 am – Without objection, the remaining communication reports were considered reviewed. Rep. Rice asked that we go back to Item H.7 for a question. Chairman Maxwell allowed the question. Rep. Rice asked DFA director Richard Wiess how the number of vehicles held by the U of A compared with other colleges.
10:31 am – Committee approved an Interim Study Proposal 209-187 by Senator Glover, requestiong the Senate Interim Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor study the prevalence of strokes and hypertension among Arkansans.
10:34 am – Meeting adjourned.
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