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Speaker's ethics bill stalls Friday, Mar 30, 2007 By Doug Thompson Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - A Senate committee heavily amended House Speaker Benny Petrus' ethics bill Thursday, then tabled the measure for further review as the end of the legislative session nears. Petrus, D-Stuttgart, expressed concern to members of the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee that they might be trying to kill the bill. Among other provisions, the bill would lower the limit for individual political contributions from $2,000 to $1,000 and require lobbyists to file detailed reports on the money they spend on legislators, "from a cup of coffee on up," Petrus told the committee. The committee approved an amendment by a member, Sen. Ed Wilkinson, D-Greenwood, to forbid lawmakers from accepting any gifts from lobbyists. The panel acted without first discussing the change with Petrus. When given a chance to speak, Petrus said while he supported the idea behind the amendment, the bill passed the House only after much negotiation. Petrus said he hoped the amendment "was not an attempt to make the House look like the bad guys, refusing (later) to pass the amended bill, and that the real goal was not to prevent the bill from passing." Wilkinson said he "spoke from his heart" about the need for the amendment. Committee members said they had many questions about the measure and noted an attorney general's opinion had been requested. "The committee's raised numerous questions about the bill before this amendment was adopted," said Sen. Bill Pritchard, R-Elkins. "Now we have a major amendment." Pritchard moved that the committee table the bill for further study. Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, had tabled the bill for more than a week over questions he had about the bill and was the lone vote against Pritchard's motion. The bill has been before the committee since March 14. "I know the hour is late," said Sen. Randy Laverty, D-Jasper. "I know there will be criticism at those who have questions, but I have questions." Pritchard and acting committee chairman Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, assured Petrus that the motion to table was not an attempt to kill the bill. They said the committee could convene on short notice once members' questions had been answered. The committee chairman, Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, did not attend Thursday's meeting because of the death of a relative in Texas, Baker said. |
