Photographs by Stephen B. Thornton
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/STEPHEN B. THORNTON 4/26/2012 High Profile cover story on upcoming Speaker of the House of Representatives Darrin Williams.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas House Speaker-designate Darrin Williams is to serve as a panelist before the National Conference of State Legislators in a discussion about prison policy.
Williams said that he’ll discuss Arkansas’ sentencing-reduction package at the Wednesday event. Williams carried the House bill that established new sentences for nonviolent crimes in an effort to limit growth of the state’s prison population.
Williams says the legislation, passed in 2011, shows that public safety can be protected while still reducing or eliminating prison time for certain crimes.
Williams, a Democrat, was voted to be House speaker for the session that starts in January, though another vote could be taken if Republicans take the House majority in the fall election.
FERDIE KACZKA Jackabbott says...
What a joke? His big achievement is to get felons back on the street to prey on the rest of us. What about getting firms to locate here to provide jobs and help firms that are laying off. Who would come to a community where felons are walking the streets?
Posted 8 August 2012, 10:22 a.m. Suggest removal