100 years ago
March 2, 1921
• No legislation that can be considered in the brief time before the legislature adjourns is regarded by members of the Senate and House as more important than the highway bill to be presented by the joint committee appointed for that purpose. Since the Senate refused to accept the Smith bill, which was passed by the House and went to the upper body strongly recommended by Governor McRae, and since the House lost no time in tabling Senator McFerrin's bill, which provided for a 50-50 division between the counties and the State Highway Department of revenue derived from the automobile license tax, many are wondering if the joint committee will be a success or whether they will "agree to disagree."
50 years ago
March 2, 1971
• Governor Bumpers' freeze on hiring and equipment purchases by state departments was greeted with delight Monday in the legislature. Several legislators said the executive order would improve the chances of acceptance of the governor's tax program, although they said they do not think the freeze was designed for that purpose. The governor sent a memorandum to department heads Saturday telling them not to fill vacancies or buy new equipment without his approval during the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
25 years ago
March 2, 1996
• It's hard enough for developers laying out a new subdivision to keep one city's planning regulations in mind. But two? Both the North Little Rock and Maumelle planning commissions say a nine-square-mile area in Pulaski County west of Camp Robinson is within their city's five-mile planning boundary. A planning boundary is an area bordering a city's limits that the city expects to one day annex. The boundary doesn't give a commission the authority to regulate building codes or to deny subdivision development, but only the power to make sure certain standards -- such as streets and utilities -- are met.
10 years ago
March 2, 2011
• Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday that concerns about his prison-overhaul bill raised by the state prosecutors association have been resolved and he is close to a consensus. Beebe told reporters that the legislation could be filed within the next 24 hours. Monday is the last day to file bills this session without a suspension of the rules. The measure is expected to focus on reducing the rate of growth in the prison population by changing sentencing laws to keep violent offenders behind bars while diverting future felons in nonviolent cases, including drug users, to treatment and monitoring.