Arkansas House Bills 1022-1031; Tourists, Paperwork, Government Salaries, Levees, Assaults, Mental Health, Wrecks and Racing

Texas, Racetrack (Photo credit: Parker Knight)

Over halfway through all the House Bills files…so far. If you read the post I reblogged here you’ll understand why I’m focusing on all the minutia of every bill.

• HB1022 is a law that would simply make a section of highway a tourist attraction. Nothing too disturbing to me.
• HB1023 streamlines county government paperwork, like tax bills, by giving you the option of going paperless. And the county sheriff or collector can apply the savings from not having to mail it to your tax bill.
• HB1024 is a bill that you should pay attention too. It passed the Legislature but you need to know the cost of government in Arkansas as far as salaries are concerned. $38,485,197 total. See the bill for the breakdown.
• HB1025 deals with counties that share levees and who pays for the upkeep. This bill would increase the millage tax on properties in danger of overflow from a broken levee. Does this apply to you?
• HB1026 would make Aggravated Assault a Class C Felony, which means stronger punishment for those charged if it’s one of the following assaulted: law enforcement officer, firefighter, code enforcement officer, employee of a correctional facility while acting in the scope of his or her duty, A school employee, people older than 60 and younger than 12, A physician, a person certified as an emergency medical services personnel, a licensed or certified health care professional, any other health care provider; or an individual who is incompetent.

Who the law wouldn’t apply to his a cop on the job, or someone acting in defense of themselves or in defense of a third party. That’s comforting. The bill goes on to upgrade the degrees of assault’s punishment level for the above mentioned. My question is why upgrade for those listed and not make it as strong offense to assault people between the ages of 13-59?  Call and ask them, I am.

•  HB1027 is nothing more than what the title says. Literally. That’s just lazy.
• HB1028 takes the money spent on government employees salaries subtracted by what was budgeted. Any leftover money goes towards a future cost-of-living raise or for a 27th pay period.
• HB1029 promotes mental health care for kids in trouble with the law. I want to know if we foot the doctor bill?
• HB1030 from what I can tell is after you have a wreck then no one will be able to pester you for business that would benefit from the wreck for 60 days.
• HB1031 makes it easier to build a racetrack in Arkansas.

Any of these concern you?

	HB1022	TO INCLUDE WHITE COUNTY IN THE DESIGNATED ROUTE OF ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HIGHWAY 67.		Gillam
	HB1023	TO ALLOW COUNTY OFFICIALS TO STREAMLINE DELIVERY OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS.		Mayberry
	HB1024	THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION ACT FOR THE ORDINARY EXPENSES OF THE EXECUTIVE, JUDICIAL AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES FOR THE 2013-2014 FISCAL YEAR.		Joint Budget Committee
	HB1025	CONCERNING AN ALTERNATIVE SYSTEM OF ASSESSMENTS BY A LEVEE DISTRICT INCLUDING MORE THAN TWO (2) COUNTIES.		McElroy
	HB1026	TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR AGGRAVATED ASSAULT AND MISDEMEANOR ASSAULT IF COMMITTED AGAINST CERTAIN PERSONS.		B. Wilkins
	HB1027	CONTROL OF INVASIVE SPECIES IN ARKANSAS WATERWAYS.		B. Wilkins
	HB1028	CONCERNING THE TRANSFER OF GENERAL REVENUE RELATED TO SALARY SAVINGS; TO CREATE A SALARY SAVINGS FUND; TO USE THE SALARY SAVINGS FUND FOR COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENTS AND TWENTY-SEVENTH PAY PERIODS; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.		Love
	HB1029	TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR ALLEGED CHILD OFFENDERS.		D. Altes
	HB1030	CONCERNING THE USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES; TO REGULATE THE RELEASE OF MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT REPORTS.		D. Altes
	HB1031	CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF MOTOR VEHICLE RACING FACILITIES.