Self-policing local project proposals

At the urging of Rep. Jeff Wood (D-Sherwood), House Democrats have appointed two members in each legislative "class" to review the 579 filings from Democrats seeking General Improvement Fund appropriations for proposals that may run afoul of the Arkansas Supreme Court's ruling in Wilson v. Weiss. Not only will this clean up the Joint Budget Committee's calendar, it will exhibit a willingness for members to be responsible for policing ourselves. The authors of any offending bills will be asked to pull them down. In the past, legislators have been subject to some criticism in this so-called "grabfest" legislation. This is one of the many ideas Wood has devised behind the scenes for the good of the General Assembly, but he never seeks credit for any of the ideas or compromises he engineers.