Interesting Emails

Posted on February 19th, 2009

The following emails were in reference to:

HB1446: AN ACT TO AMEND THE PUBLIC FACILITIES BOARD LAW TO AUTHORIZE THE FINANCING OF PUBLIC NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES.

From a propane industry representative:

We, in the propane industry do not like the thought of the natural gas industry getting new very expensive supply lines run at state expense. If they want to expand their territories, let them pay for it and do the heavy lifting themselves and leave the taxpayers out of it. This is an excuse, under the guise of a “public facility board”, to do something that is not necessary or cost effective and creates a whole new layer of governmental intrusion into private industry. Let us compete with them on a level playing field. We do not need to compete against the state also in order to make a living.

We would appreciate you helping us out again in voting “no” on this very bad bill.

From a propane company:

The propane industry has provided rural Arkansans with propane gas service for decades without public support. This bill would allow natural gas transmission lines to be built at taxpayer expense then “leased” to private natural gas retailers. This would be a very dubious use of state funds and would subsidize private companies who seem to be doing very well all on their own. If natural gas retailers want to expand their service area, they should be required to provide their own infrastructure just as any other private business would.

This is a terrible bill for the taxpayer and a terrible bill for the propane industry, an industry that has served rural Arkansans well for many, many years.

Here is an inside look at the process I follow when I receive emails like this:

Given my own personal biases those are very persuasive emails, but now I will need to research the topic today anyway. After reading the bill through once, I will talk with the sponsors of the bill and get the other side of the story and an explanation of their intent. Next I will try to determine if the bill was brought to the legislative sponsors by an organization or industry. If so, I will attempt to make contact with representatives of that group (usually a lobbyist, company president, or organizational executive director) to get their “take” on the topic. Then I will make contact with those who professionally represent the concerned party (again usually a lobbyist, company president, or organizational executive director) who sent the email.

At this point in the process, I have been well served by attempting to keep my personal bias tempered until I have evaluated the facts as presented. Often, things “on the marble” are more “complex and nuanced” than they first appear. Once I have gathered the information from the various parties, it is time to read the bill one more time, this time paying close attention to the referenced and surrounding code sections.

Sometimes, after reading the code, I have to contact an attorney in the Bureau of Legislative Research for help with legal language. Othertimes, I just filch legal advice from another legislator who is an attorney. (Maybe someday, they will need some engineering advice in return.)

As I go through the process described above and subsequent steps, I will keep you updated with a shockingly frank “inside look” at the saugage being made inside my head.

Tags: email bag, legislative process
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