Thursday on the floor of the House

There are a few items of note on today's agenda: the lottery clean-up bill, the ethics legislation brought by AG Dustin McDaniel, a resolution and bill that implements joint rules regarding the filing of bills during the fiscal legislative sessions, and the proposed constitutional amendment (HJR1007) to restructure Amendment 82 regarding superprojects.

HJR1007 (Restructuring of Amendment 82): We approved this proposed constitutional amendment by a vote of 98 for, 0 against, and 1 (Lea) voted present. Rep. Greenberg did not vote.

Fiscal session rules/statute: SCR10 and SB820 amend the joint rules and Arkansas law to establish deadlines for filing bills and resolutions during the new fiscal legislative sessions. The resolution (SCR10) was adopted by a vote of 90 for and 8 against. SB820 passed 96 for, 1 against (Lea).

Ethics: Rep. James McLean is carrying SB867 for Sen. Faris and AG Dustin McDaniel. The bill prohibits absentee lobbying, which apparently does or has happened here in Little Rock. Absentee lobbying is the practice of a lobbyist sending a credit card or leaving payment for dinner, etc., for elected officials. I can honestly say that I've never seen it, but others have. It does contain an exemption for a "special event," which is defined by Ark. Code Ann. §21-8-402(20). Rep. Garner spoke against the bill, and Rep. Woods moved to refer the bill back to committee. The motion passes by a vote of 45-41, with 1 voting present (required a majority of the quorum). The bill goes back to House Rules.

So, in accordance with the House Rules, the Rules Committee convened during the floor votes and re-voted SB867 back out of committee. House Rules Chair Robert Moore made the committee report, and the House picked back up on debate of the bill where we left off when the motion was made. The bill ultimately passed by a vote of 88 for, 10 against. It now goes to the governor. What a day.