Today in House Judiciary

We've worked our way through much of the session's work in Judiciary, and the only new items on the agenda are bills and amendments that arrive from the Senate. We're down to 36 bills on the active calendar. 31 others are on the deferred calendar and can be moved back to active with two days' notice.

We have three special orders first up this morning, all from Rep. Butch Wilkins. One includes a modification to the fleeing statute, which previously failed in committee last week when members objected to a mandatory six-day jail sentence for fleeing by vehicle (by contrast, the mandatory sentence for DWI 1st is one day, which, in practice, is normally sentenced as "time served" for the booking process). We're expecting an amendment to be presented in committee, and the bill will be re-presented for the final time today.

Elsewhere on the agenda, we'll take up a couple of DWI interlock device bills and the proposed DeAunta Farrow Act, which would prohibit the sale of imitation toy guns to minors. This bill stems from a minor carrying a toy gun who was shot and killed by West Memphis police. I understand Wal-Mart may present some objections. Other gun bills on the calendar include the bill to allow the carry of open firearms (Martin) and an enhanced version of the castle doctrine (English). Rep. Lindsley Smith is also going to present the Arkansas False Claims Act this morning. Here's the full agenda.