Bill to shield carriers over blame advances
An anti-indemnification bill aimed to protect trucking companies from being held responsible for accidents that result from the negligence of a company that contracts to ship goods is moving on to the Senate.
The body's Committee on Insurance and Commerce advanced Senate Bill 755 with a unanimous vote Thursday, according to Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale. The bill, which was introduced by Woods and Rep. Micah Neal, R-Springdale, would prohibit contracts obligating a motor carrier to agree to an indemnity clause holding a shipper harmless for its own negligence.
Arkansas is one of nine states without anti-indemnification legislation protecting trucking companies.
"We've been working hard for a while trying to get everybody on board, anyone with opposition or concerns. We've been working with all parties," said Woods, who added the bill could be on the Senate floor as early as Monday.
-- Robbie Neiswanger
Bader resigns from Tyson Foods board
Kathleen Bader, a director of Tyson Foods, resigned Tuesday.
"It is with regret that I find myself unable to commit the time needed to serve on the Tyson board, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my years on the board and look forward to seeing Tyson's success in the future," Bader said in a statement from the company released on Wednesday.
Bader was president and chief executive officer of NatureWorks LLC, which makes fibers and packaging materials from renewable sources, until she retired in 2006, according to an archived version of Tyson's website.
More recently, she created RentThisGem.com in Hilton Head Island, S.C. in 2007, according to her LinkedIn profile.
"Our board of directors and the company have benefited from Kathleen's talent. ... We appreciate her contributions and wish her well in the future," said John Tyson, chairman of the board.
-- Brian Fanney
Arkansas Index rises
0.37, ends at 395.42
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, rose 0.37 to 395.42 Thursday.
"U.S. stocks moved slightly higher after the announcement that the [European Central Bank] will kick off a trillion-dollar plan to purchase government bonds and other debt starting Monday," said John Blackwell, senior vice president and managing director of equity trading at Stephens Inc. in Little Rock.
Shares of Tyson Foods Inc. dropped 2 percent, and America's Car-Mart Inc. fell nearly 1.3 percent.
Home BancShares rose nearly 2.2 percent. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. rose 1.2 percent.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 03/06/2015