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Posts tagged
'Issue 3'

Strange bedfellows in the fight against corporate welfare

I find myself in league with some unusual allies, including Rep. Nate Bell, in opposition to the legislatively referred constitutional amendment that would pledge state revenues to support huge loans to private business and also legalize taxpayer subsidies of chambers of commerce. The political majority takes fiscal prudence, but this and a new office building for Insurance Commissioner Allen Kerr show they don't put their savings where their mouths are.
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Attorney general: Past service counts under new term limits amendment

Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has delivered an opinion on whether counting begins anew on legislative service under term limits with passage in 2014 of Issue 3, now Amendment 94. He says no.
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Pay commission update: Much work to be done

The commission studying state official pay increases needs some research help. And, it heard today, there's some conflicting factors in the question of whether the state can afford pay increases it might recommend.

Pay commission meets; no cameras running

The independent citizens commission that is reviewing with state lawmakers, state officials and judges deserve a pay raise will meet at 8:30 a.m. today at Room 272 of the Capitol. Too bad it's not going to be streamed live on the web for greater public accountability.
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Should Arkansas elected officials be paid more than unelected Arkansans?

Some advice for the new politicians' pay commission: Don't get carried away. Where did this idea come that increasing pay at the top (lawmakers, economic development directors) would trickle down on the least of us?

Legislators looking for outs on new ethics amendment

Already lobbyists and legislators are looking for angles to get around the new ban on gifts by lobbyists and people who employ them to lawmakers. Many seem desperate to hang onto their Razorback freebies.
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Issue 3? What Issue 3? Lobbyists slop hogs at lunch break deemed 'special event'

The lobby has now figured out if you call a lunch break for a legislative committee a special event you can feed freebies to legislators. Or at least you can as long as people like Sen. Missy Irvin decree that it's acceptable.

Today's Issue 3 wrinkle: Which amendment trumps

A mounting list of questions remain to be answered about implementation of Issue 3, the constitutional amendment that opens the door to pay increases and longer service by legislators, but also imposes some new ethics restrictions that the lobbyists are already dodging nimbly. Here's another:
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Oaklawn admission to be free; no racing passes for legislators this year

Oaklawn Park has answered the question about whether legislators will continue to get hundreds of dollars worth of free passes to thoroughbred races after adoption of Issue 3, which bans most gifts of value by lobbyists. It's not going to charge admission to anyone this year. Now what about Razorback football tickets?

Free food and drink continue for Arkansas legislators through ethics amendment loophole

Ethics amendment? What ethics amendment. Lobbyists are wining and dining legislators for free every day this week at breakfast, lunch and dinner under a loophole already being exploited to the hilt.
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The session filing begins with tort reform and ethics

Bill filing for the 2015 and measures on tort reform and ethics — both with specifics yet to be determined — were the first in the hopper.

Issue 3 presents an issue for crayon gifts

Benji Hardy reports from a legislation Education Committee meeting today that a group of parents and students appeared today and give members boxes of crayons as part of their presentation. Did that run afoul of Issue 3?
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