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Legislative briefs Wednesday, Jan 31, 2007 Compiled by Arkansas News Bureau Bill to require notification of suspension endorsed The House Education Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill named for a Searcy teen-ager who died of a drug overdose while his parents thought he was at school. Rep. David Evans, D-Searcy, sponsored House Bill 1145, which he has proposed naming "Webb's Law" after Webb Killough, a Searcy High School student who died in May. On the day of his death, Killough's father dropped him off at school in the morning, unaware that he had been suspended. Evans' bill would require schools to notify parents immediately when a student is suspended. It goes to the House. ------- Senate passes bills on sex crimes, other issues The Senate passed a bill Tuesday requiring courts to inform school districts when one of their students has been arrested, detained or convicted of sexually related crimes. House Bill 1041 by Rep. Shirley Walters, R-Greenwood, passed 35-0 and goes back to the House for concurrence with a Senate amendment. Another bill by Walters, HB 1071, would require that substitute teachers who have remained in a class for 31 days and have a bachelor's degree stay in that class until the return of the regular teacher. It also passed 35-0 and goes to the governor. Senate Bill 110 by Sen. Paul Miller, D-Melbourne, passed the Senate 33-2 Tuesday and would allow car dealers to enter debt cancellation agreements with customers without being regulated as insurance. The bill goes to the House. House Bill 1042 by Chris Thyer, D-Jonesboro would allow "consolidated utility districts," which under the bills wording would be unique to Jonesboro, to purchase interest in out-of-state utilities. It passed the Senate 35-0 and goes to the governor. ------- Bill restricting lawmakers from lobbying clears committee A bill that would prevent a state legislator from becoming a registered lobbyist for at least one year after his term of office expired was recommended Tuesday by the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. Senate Bill 16 by Sen. Robert Thompson, D-Paragould, goes to the Senate. ------- Bill to allow Legislative Council to meet during session advances The Senate State Agencies and Governmental Operations Committee amended and advanced House Bill 1104 by Rep. Chris Thyer on Tuesday. The bill would allow the executive subcommittee of the Legislative Council to meet while the Legislature is in session, but limit its role during sessions to personnel matters and operations of the Bureau of Legislative Research. The bill goes to the Senate. ------- Bill tightening Senate confirmation of appointees favored A bill that requires the governor to seek Senate confirmation of his pending appointments at the beginning of any special legislative session was recommended Tuesday by the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Legislature meets in regular session every two years, and governor's appointments have gone that long before Senate confirmation, in some cases. Senate Bill 10 by Sen. Percy Malone, D-Arkadelphia, goes to the Senate. ------- Civil immunity to some dentists endorsed The House public health committee endorsed legislation Tuesday which would extend civil immunity to dentists and oral health professional who volunteer their services at free or low-cost dental clinics House Bill 1282 by Rep. Nathan George, D-Dardanelle, goes to the House. George told the committee the legislation is needed because a two-day dental clinic is planned in Little Rock on May 18 and 19. He said his bill adds dentists to the state Charitable Immunity Act, which already includes doctors, nurses and other health care providers. More than 100 dentists are expected to participate in the event and as many as 1,000 people are expected to seek dental care. While the bill would provide the dentists with civil immunity, it would not protect dentists from willful misconduct or gross negligence lawsuits, George said. ------- Bill to permit carrying of large knives advances The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday endorsed a bill by Rep. Jim Medley, R-Fort Smith, to repeal a section of Arkansas law concerning carrying a knife as a weapon. The bill would repeal a law that says a person carrying a knife with a blade 3 1/2 inches long or longer is considered to be carrying a weapon. Medley has said the bill would protect people who carry knives for legitimate purposes, such as hunting or fishing. The original version of the bill would have changed the wording of the law, but the committee approved an amended version that would repeal the law completely. The bill goes to the House. ------- Education panel advances school bills The House Education Committee on Tuesday advances a series of bills intended to set policies at public schools and colleges. House Bill 1274 by Rep. Dawn Creekmore, D-Hensley, would require institutions of higher learning to adopt policies for notifying students when the institutions receive information from law enforcement about sex offenders in the community. Senate Bill 44 by Sen. Jimmy Jeffress, D-Crossett, would require school districts to permit access to recruiters for the Arkansas Math and Science School in Hot Springs. SB 38, also by Jeffress, would require higher education institutions to adopt policies for collecting money owed by students. The bills go to the House. Also Tuesday, Rep. John Paul Wells, D-Paris, pulled from consideration HB 1039, which would reduce the physical activity requirements for public school students. Wells said he would rework the bill. Several committee members raised concerns about the bill, including Rep. Janet Johnson, D-Bryant, who said she could support the measure for high school students but not for younger students. ------- Judiciary panel endorses weapons, maltreatment bills The House Judiciary Committee advanced legislation Tuesday which would exempt a person with a state concealed weapons permit from a law than bans center-fire weapons from certain areas. Senate Bill 85 by Sen. Terry Smith, D-Hot Springs, previously passed the Senate and goes to the House. The committee also approve House Bill 1288 by Rep. Earnest Brown, D-Pine Bluff, which would require the Department of Health and Human Services to provide notice of the status of a court proceeding related to an administrative hearing concerning alleged child maltreatment. The bill goes to the House. Brown pulled from consideration HB 1207, which would exempt death or disability benefits of public employees from garnishment, attachment, levy, execution or other legal process. Some committee members questioned whether the bill would prevent collection of legitimate debts, such as child support. Brown said he plans to revise the bill and present it again to the committee. |
