State Capitol news in brief

Capitol Zoning bill, rider clear Senate

The Senate on Wednesday narrowly approved an appropriation bill for the Capitol Zoning District Commission that was amended to allow any person aggrieved by any agency action to appeal to the director of the Department of Arkansas Heritage.

In a 27-1 vote with Sen. Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, dissenting, the Senate sent Senate Bill 46 to the House. The appropriation required 27 votes for approval in the 35-member Senate.

Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, who voted "present," said legislation without a monetary impact requires a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate to be introduced in a fiscal session. She said senators should be careful and "follow our rules."

But Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock, who proposed the change, said he considers the provision to be a small step to provide relief to to a handful of people exasperated over the commission's decisions.

The Capitol Zoning District was created in 1975 by the Legislature to oversee the look of buildings in the neighborhoods around the Capitol and the Governor's Mansion. Its commission reviews building exterior changes and land use.

Workforce Services measure advances

The House on Wednesday approved 80-11 a budget for the Department of Workforce Services that contained a provision requiring the state to seek a federal waiver by Oct. 1 to restrict the use of the program's financial assistance to the purchase of "goods and services that are considered essential and necessary for the welfare of the family."

The restriction was proposed by Rep. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville. The House adopted Dotson's amendment 64-28 Tuesday, with 26 Democrats voting against it.

House Minority Leader Michael John Gray, D-Augusta, explained why some Democrats voted against the amendment but for the bill.

"Democrats aren't obstructionists," he said. "There were things within Workforce Services' budget that were vital, and to hold up an entire budget because of one piece of policy that we were on the record voting against -- we just felt like that wasn't the prudent or reasonable or responsible thing to do."

Gray said he did not believe the federal government would approve the waiver.

"We still maintain that that amendment was outrageous, that it was unnecessary, that it was pure coffee shop Washington, D.C., politics," he said. "It was not what Arkansans want us to do with their money and their time."

Campaign-filing bill sent to Hutchinson

In a 34-0 vote, the Senate sent Gov. Asa Hutchinson a bill authorizing the secretary of state's office to spend up to $750,000 to improve its online system for campaign-finance reporting in the fiscal year starting July 1.

Arkansas has a computer system that allows candidates to report their donations and expenses, but some lawmakers say it's unreliable and donations have to be entered one at a time.

Under House Bill 1138 by Rep. Jana Della Rosa, R-Rogers, the secretary of state's office would use money from the State Central Services Fund to upgrade the computer system and develop a better online campaign-finance reporting system. That fund largely pays for operations of constitutional officers and other core state operations.

The cost to upgrade will be about $670,000 during the first year, and the secretary of state's office has agreed to fund ongoing maintenance for the system thereafter, according to Della Rosa.

Senators designate Dismang for top job

The Senate selected Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, as the Senate president pro tempore-designate by acclamation.

Dismang, who has been president pro tempore since November 2014, was the only senator to submit his name for the post from 2017 until 2019. The 36-year-old accountant has been in the Senate since 2011 and served in the state House of Representatives from 2009-2011.

By tradition, the Senate formally elects its president pro tempore during its November organizational session in advance of the regular session.

A Section on 05/05/2016