LITTLE ROCK — State lawmakers, constitutional officers, judges and prosecutors wouldn’t receive raises in the fiscal year starting in July under a bill that cleared the Legislature’s Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday.
They’ve not received raises in fiscal 2011, 2012 or 2013 either, according to the Bureau of Legislative Research.
The committee voted to strip 2 percent cost-of-living raises for judges and prosecutors out of House Bill 1024 before recommending the House and Senate approve the bill. Last month, the Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee recommended these cost-of-living raises for judges and prosecutors but not for lawmakers and the state’s constitutional officers.
The raises for the prosecutors and judges would cost about $651,000, said Kim Arnall, assistant director of fiscal services for the Bureau of Legislative Research.
State Sen. Johnny Key, RMountain Home, who proposed stripping the cost-ofliving raises for judges and prosecutors out of the bill, explained that he expects lawmakers to discuss “more substantial raises” for judges later in the session because he’s been apprised by some judges that they will have “something” for lawmakers to consider.
Key said some senators want no raises for the state’s elected officials in the bill in order to have “a flat budget and to consider the other requests as they come before us.”
If House Bill 1024 is enacted into law, a bill could be introduced to change it before the 50th day of the session under legislative rules, Arnall said.
“I think this is just so that people can get a comfort level before we start making decisions,” said committee Co-Chairman Sen. Larry Teague, D-Nashville. “It is early in the game and nobody wants to deal with it today.”
Teague added that he supports a 2 percent cost-of-living raise for state employees in fiscal 2014. The Legislature will consider that as part other legislation later this session.
Afterward, committee Co-Chairman Rep. Duncan Baird, R-Lowell, noted that legislative leaders and Gov. Mike Beebe have maintained that fixing the projected shortfall in the Medicaid program is their top priority in the session.
“Whether it is [cost-of-living adjustments] or anything else, I think people are saying let’s have a broad discussion on all of these topics, he said.
Beebe, a Democrat, has proposed a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for about 30,000 state employees who don’t workat the state’s higher-education institutions in fiscal 2014. The total cost for these raises would be about $30.3 million, including $11.9 million in general revenue, in fiscal 2014, state budget director Brandon Sharp said after the committee meeting.
The average salary for these employees is $38,725 a year, and a 2 percent cost-of-living increase would increase the average salary by $774, Sharp said.
Sen. Bruce Maloch, DMagnolia, said he would like for lawmakers to consider increasing the salaries of the state’s constitutional officers later in the session, adding that the governor makes about $86,000 a year.
Baird and Teague said they don’t believe the Legislature will grant cost-of-living raises for lawmakers in fiscal 2014.
Under House Bill 1024, the annual salary of 99 state representatives and 34 senators would remain at $15,869 a year and the pay for the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore would continue to be $17,771 a year.
The annual salary for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general would continue to be $86,890, $41,896 and $72,408 a year respectively, while the salary of the treasurer, secretary of state, auditor and land commissioner would remain at $54,305 a year each under the bill.
The Senate later approved Senate Bill 7 by Sen. Eddie Joe Williams, R-Cabot, to make it easier for spouses of active military personnel to get professional licenses or certification when they move to Arkansas. Under the measure, state boards that license teachers, nurses and other professionals would be allowed to issue temporary work licenses to spouses of active-duty servicemen if they have similar credentials from another state.
The House approved House Resolution 1001 by House Speaker Davy Carter, RCabot, to change the House’s rules so legislators will have two days to review legislation after it leaves committee before it comes to a vote by the House, extending that periodby one day.
ANIMAL BILLS TABLED
In other business, two bills dealing with animals were placed on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s deferred list.
Senate Bill 13 would’vemade it a crime for average citizens to investigate allegations of animal cruelty. Nonlaw-enforcement officers who collected any evidence of animal cruelty or other animal-related crimes would have faced up to 90 days in jail.
Senate Bill 14 would have made it a crime, in many instances, to film a livestock or poultry operation without the owner’s consent. Entering such an establishment “under false pretenses” would also have been illegal.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Benton, explained the decision to sideline the bills, saying, “Since I filed those there’s been a lot of calls made and a lot of questions I need to get answered myself.” ANTI-ABORTION BILLS
At a new conference Wednesday at the state Capitol, Arkansas Right to Life, an anti-abortion organization, called for a ban on abortions on fetuses capable of feeling pain and those performed via web camera.
The proposals are part of the group’s legislative agenda, which also includes a bill to opt out of abortion coverage in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Rose Mimms, a spokesman for the group, said the bill banning abortions by doctors via web cameras will be sponsored by Rep. Tommy Wren, D-Melbourne, and Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View. The bill banning abortions on fetuses capable of feeling pain will be sponsored by Sen. JonWoods, R-Springdale, and Rep. Andy Mayberry, R-Hensley.
The bill opting out of coverage in the Affordable Care Act will be sponsored by Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, and Rep. Butch Wilkins, D-Bono, Mimms said.
The bills are expected to be filed by next week, she said.
BEEBE HIRING
Former state Rep. Clark Hall, D-Marvell, has been hired by Beebe to be a liaison to several agencies, including the Agriculture Department and Forestry Commission, at an annual salary of $55,000, said Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample. He said Hall will replace Kathy Holt, who will leave the governor’s office to work for the Department of Arkansas Heritage.
Clark served the previous six years in the House, was chairman of its State Agencies and Governmental AffairsCommittee for the past two years, and ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year.
MILLAGE ELECTIONS
The Senate Education Committee approved Senate Bill 4, sponsored by Sen. Bill Sample, R-Hot Springs, that would allow four community colleges that were originally created as technical schools to hold a millage election for capital improvements on campus.
Current law allows millage elections, but not for capitalimprovement projects. Other community colleges are allowed to raise money for capital improvements that way, Sample said.
The affected schools would be National Park Community College in Hot Springs, North Arkansas College in Harrison, Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville and Rich Mountain Community College in Mena, Sample said.Legislative Summary This is a summary list of bills (by bill number, lead sponsor and title) introduced through Wednesday in the 89th General Assembly, except for appropriation bills, which, along with other bills and resolutions, may be found at the legislative website: arkleg.state.ar.us HOUSE HB1028, Love - An act concerning the transfer of general revenue related to salary savings; to create a salary savings fund; to use the salary savings fund for cost-ofliving adjustments and 27th pay periods; and to declare an emergency.
HB1029, D. Altes -To promote mental-health treatment for alleged child offenders.
HB1030, D. Altes - Concerning the use of a motor-vehicle accident report for commercial purposes; to regulate the release of motor-vehicle accident reports.
HB1031, D. Altes - Concerning the construction of motor-vehicle racing facilities.
HB1032, D. Altes - To require the Department of Workforce Services to conduct re-employment interviews to determine eligibility for unemployment benefits.
HB1033, D. Altes - To require employee contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Fund.
HB1034, D. Whitaker - To amend the law concerning persons required to file a statement of financial interest.
Notable Resolutions HR1003, Womack - To encourage the preservation of rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution to keep and bear arms.
SENATE SB51, B. Sample - An act to make technical corrections to the law concerning the Arkansas Fire and Police Pension Review Board.
SB52, Hester - Regarding victims’ rights in capital-punishment cases.
SB53, J. Hutchinson - To authorize foreign medical corporations to obtain certificates of registration in Arkansas.
SB54, Teague - To require the use of American-manufactured iron, steel and other manufactured products in the construction, reconstruction, alteration and improvement of public buildings and public works.
SB55, J. Woods - Regarding the penalties for violating the Uniform Motor Vehicle Driver’s License Act.
SB57, J. Woods - Regarding the Sex Offender Registration Act of 1997 and regarding therequirements of registering as a sex offender.
SB58, J. Woods - Regarding juvenile-transfer hearings and juvenile jurisdiction in the circuit courts.
SB59, Maloch - To amend Arkansas law concerning the use of campaign funds to purchase tickets to fundraising events for candidates and to amend a portion of Arkansas law resulting from initiated acts.
SB65, J. Key - To amend the Public School Choice Act of 1989.
Notable Resolutions SJR2, J. Hutchinson - The Tort Reform Amendment of 2013.
Calendar This is a calendar of public events of the 89th General Assembly for today, the fourth day of the 2013 legislative session.
HOUSE 9 a.m. Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee meets in Room 130.
9 a.m. Revenue and Taxation Committee meets in Room 151.
9 a.m. Education Committee meets in Room 138.
9 a.m. Judiciary Committee meets in Room 149.
10:30 a.m. House convenes.
SENATE 9 a.m. Insurance and Commerce Committee meets in Room 171.
9 a.m. State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee meets in the old Supreme Court chambers.
9 a.m. City, County and Local Affairs Committee meets in Room 272.
10 a.m. Senate convenes.
ALSO 8 a.m. The Minority Health Commission meets in Room 207.
Front Section, Pages 3 on 01/17/2013