English: The Arkansas House of Representatives Chamber: The House is equipped with an electronic voting system. On each desk is a panel of buttons; red for a “no” vote, green for a “yes” vote and yellow for a “present” vote. The vote is displayed on large boards at the front of the chamber. The stained glass dome in the House is original to the room. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
TO REPEAL THE AUTHORITY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PAY TAXPAYER FUNDS UNDER SERVICE CONTRACTS FOR ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
Bill Number
HB1145
Act Number
Status
House — Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE
Due to the sheer number of Bills and the limited amount of time, I will only address those that jump at me, such as this bill from the Arkansas House of Representatives. It’s simply a repeal of local government’s engaging in corporatism.
TO ALLOW CERTAIN MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO OPT OUT OF MEMBERSHIP IN THE ARKANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Bill Number
HB1177
Act Number
Status
House — Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC RETIREMENT & SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS-JOINT
I would like this better if it removed all of the legislators from the Retirement System. It’s a temporary part-time job, no retirement benefits for you.
TO LIMIT THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN FOR PROPERTY OWNERS’ IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS.
Bill Number
HB1192
Act Number
Status
House — Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE
The best I can understand this bill is that it strips utilities of the power of eminent domain, however the district the utilities are in can condemn and use eminent domain on areas already in use by the utility.
ESTABLISHING THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
Bill Number
HB1203
Act Number
Status
House — Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1
Apparently this is an issue in Arkansas. Who knew? It is something to be dealt with. To keep from overwhelming everyone I’ll cut it off at that and pick up the rest tomorrow.
Ah, Quartzite, the latest shining example of small-town corruption, the open sore that keeps leaking. Wall Street Journal Online has an article here titled Small-Town Politics, All-Out War by Tamara Audi.
I started keeping an eye on it after the Mayor appeared on Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano. And it appears the Town Council and the Chief of Police run that place like its their kingdom. What’s odd is nothing is coming of it. No outside authorities are looking into it or pressing charges. Just…nothing.
This highlights that while we watch the federal corruption you have to be aware of your own local politics. That’s where you make a difference immediately. And that’s where you gain a foothold in the realm of the power hungry.
Last night Gould’s City Council finally did the right thing. Repealing the blatantly unconstitutional law that forbids citizens of Gould speaking about city business without City Council permission. They repealed two other ordinances also.
Good Job Gould citizens from going to citizens to subjects to back to citizens with activism and Mayor Nash. Next step, voting out the City Council members who voted for the law in the first place.
Tomorrow the chains tighten in Arkansas. All the new laws kick in gear. ArkansasNews.com had an article on it on Sunday that you can read here. Let’s see what a few of these laws are:
Act 811 outlaws smoking in a car with a 14 year old, primary offense, you will be stopped and forced to pay 25$. This is just another way for the state to get revenue when it is enforced. If they really were worried about young lungs they’d push the limit to 18. I think a cop is more worried about that guy swerving all over the road than you smoking.
Act 1193 makes it illegal to sell scrap metal without documentation, which will push it underground where you’ll have black market scrap just because it’s easier.
Acts 48 & 71, reimburses legislators on the cheapest travel fare and prevents them from being a lobbyist for a year after their out of the legislature.
Act 142 makes it illegal to picket 300 feet from a funeral. This was aimed at Westboro Baptist “Church”. And I don’t like it on principle. You have a right to speak on any public property. If it’s privately owned, then you can keep them off.
Act 1046 let’s cops impound your car if you don’t have insurance or sufficient coverage. I don’t like this law because you shouldn’t be required to buy car insurance. It’s a wise choice, and I would even if it wasn’t required. And before you say it’s to protect whoever you may hit, I have on word for you…Lawsuit. If someone hits you and isn’t willing to repair the damage they caused, sue them. That’s why we have a civil court system. Or Judge Judy, your choice.
Sometimes we look at the national level of politics so much we forget the local, thinking it can’t be as bad as what the Congress and President are doing. But we’re wrong. The First Amendment that recognizes our Right to speak and gather is being trampled on with such audacity it makes the Federal Government envious. First example, less than a 100 miles away from me in Gould, Arkansas. The link here.
But that’s just what the ordinances do – disbanding a citizens group, forbidding the Mayor from meeting with people and stopping any groups from forming if members discuss the city without council approval.
A quote from the Story. So this town council outlaws public gatherings, censors political speech, and locks the Mayor in a proverbial box. If the Federal Government was that overt, we’d be in the streets. This is the stuff we fought a revolution over. Gould’s Town Council appears to think they’re royalty to not be questioned. And not just here, also in this town in Arizona. Quartzite. And for speaking your mind there, that Town Council will throw you in jail.
Let me set it up for you, a few citizens had a gripe about a rise in sewage rates and went to a public meeting of the Town Council. The rules for speaking at the meeting is that you have four minutes, and no insults and foul language. In this video it was less than a minute into her speaking that a Council member tried to shut her down, while the Mayor who is in charge of the meetings wanted her to speak.
Did you see that! The police chief and few of his stormtroopers broke their vow to defend the Constitution and basically told his boss the Mayor to stick it. She was within her time limit and was civil! Then a few days later the Council had a secret meeting, unannounced, which is illegal. And “fired” the Mayor and put the Police Chief in charge, which is also illegal. The succession to Mayor is next the Vice-Mayor. What to do when the law is lawless?
Here is the link to the town’s official website here(at time of writing the site had exceeded bandwidth)
The Town Code that is the law there can be read here. Note Sections 2-2-4 F which describes the mayoral powers, Section 2-4-2 Special Meetings rules and Section 2-4-3 that governs Public Meetings. Also, in a blatant rewriting and censorship in the June 28th meeting where the woman, Jennifer, was arrested I have a link to the Minutes of the Meeting. First off the announcement here and then the meeting here. Notice they didn’t record the comments but they did at a later meeting on July 7th Special Meeting here where Jennifer returns.
The back story and it’s still going on is evidence of another local government thinking they’re royalty and corruption. I’ll post the links.
While watching the national politics remember to watch your back. Small town tyrants exist, and maybe in your town.
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Local Corporatism, Congressional Retirements, Eminent Domain, and Human Trafficking; Just A Small Part of Arkansas Politics
Posted in Activism, Commentary, Current Events, Government, Life, Local Government, News, Politics, State with tags activism, Arkansas House of Representatives, commentary, Congressional Retirements, Current Events, Democrats, Eminent domain, Human Trafficking, Libertarian, Life, Local Corporatism, Local Government, News, Politics, Property Rights, Public utility, Republican on February 6, 2013 by RoninEnglish: The Arkansas House of Representatives Chamber: The House is equipped with an electronic voting system. On each desk is a panel of buttons; red for a “no” vote, green for a “yes” vote and yellow for a “present” vote. The vote is displayed on large boards at the front of the chamber. The stained glass dome in the House is original to the room. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Due to the sheer number of Bills and the limited amount of time, I will only address those that jump at me, such as this bill from the Arkansas House of Representatives. It’s simply a repeal of local government’s engaging in corporatism.
I would like this better if it removed all of the legislators from the Retirement System. It’s a temporary part-time job, no retirement benefits for you.
The best I can understand this bill is that it strips utilities of the power of eminent domain, however the district the utilities are in can condemn and use eminent domain on areas already in use by the utility.
Apparently this is an issue in Arkansas. Who knew? It is something to be dealt with. To keep from overwhelming everyone I’ll cut it off at that and pick up the rest tomorrow.
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