State Capitol briefs

Police-protection bill OK'd by panel

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday recommended Senate approval of a bill that would impose harsher penalties for crimes committed against law enforcement officers and their families.





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Senate Bill 19 would create sentence enhancements of $500 or up to six months in jail for a misdemeanor targeting a law enforcement officer or first responder, and $5,000 or or as much as five years in prison for a felony.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, called it "common-sense legislation ... after a year of violence against police officers."

Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, said he had "heartburn" over wording that the enhancement could be sought if the victim was "perceived" to be law enforcement or a relative. The committee, including Stubblefield, used a voice amendment to remove the language. The bill will be sent to the full Senate for further consideration.

-- John Moritz

Defaced-gun bill advances in House

The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed House Bill 1039 to exempt guns manufactured before 1968 from a state law making it a felony to possess a firearm with a defaced serial number. Federal law required gun-makers to include serial numbers starting in 1968.

Rep. Andy Davis, R-Little Rock, the House sponsor of the bill, said serial numbers started appearing on some guns prior to the federal guidelines, but defacing them would not have been a crime until 1968. Possessing a gun that was defaced before it was illegal would still be a crime under current Arkansas law, Davis said, hence the need for his bill.

The bill goes to the full House for further consideration.

-- John Moritz

Board, commission appropriations sail

The Legislature's Joint Budget Committee on Tuesday advanced more than three dozen appropriation bills for state boards and commissions that are funded through fees and/or special revenues.

These appropriation bills for fiscal 2018 ranged from Senate Bill 64 for the Capitol Zoning Commission to SB74 for the Towing and Recovery Board to House Bill 1106 for the Rice Research & Promotion Board. Fiscal 2018 starts July 1. The bills next will be considered in their respective chambers of origin.

The Joint Budget Committee co-chairman, Sen. Larry Teague, D-Nashville, said the committee probably won't begin considering appropriation bills for agencies that receive general revenue for another week or two.

-- Michael R. Wickline

Proposals expand skilled nurses' use

Several lawmakers filed bills Tuesday to give full practice authority to advanced-practice registered nurses working in Arkansas.

Rep. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, said the bills would help alleviate health care shortages in rural area while reducing the cost of care.

"When they are practicing to the full extent of their licensure and training, APRNs can help alleviate the serious access problems in Arkansas," he said at a news conference.

Twenty-six other states allow advanced practice registered nurses full practice authority, Hammer said.

Bills to expand the role of advanced practice registered nurses have been filed in past sessions but were not approved by lawmakers amid opposition from doctors' groups. "With the shortage of physicians against the population that we have, the idea that the APRNs are going to be putting the doctors out of business is a fallacy and not based on fact," Hammer said.

The bills include House Bill 1180 by Rep. Mary Bentley, R-Perryville; HB1181 and HB1182 by Rep. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro; and HB1186 by Rep. Karilyn Brown, R-Sherwood, according to a spokesman for the group backing the bills. Nursing groups -- including the Arkansas Nurses Association, the Arkansas Center for Nursing and the Arkansas Nurse Practitioner Association -- support the bills.

-- Brian Fanney

Capitol Police bill fetters records law

Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, on Tuesday filed legislation exempting "a record or other information related to the operations, emergency procedure and security personnel of the State Capitol Police" from public disclosure under the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

Stubblefield said he filed Senate Bill 131 at the request of the Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin's office, which oversees the State Capitol Police.

Martin spokesman Chris Powell said the bill is designed "to further protect the Capitol, its personnel, including our officers, and certain security information, measures and plans involving the Capitol Police," and the bill isn't a response to a particular incident.

"This is similar to another bill filed by Sen. Stubblefield relating to public school security," SB12, he said in a written statement.

-- Michael R. Wickline

A Section on 01/18/2017

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