The reaction to my reporting on Reimbursementgate — which, yes, has now been given a proper name, ending in “-gate,” in keeping with the rule that requires all political scandals to end that way – has made a few things…
Tag: State Senate
A Timeout For The Fab Five
We interrupt our regularly scheduled exposing of the absurdity of “reimbursements” to bring you a bit of positive news. Following last Wednesday’s first post on statutory expense payments, I requested updated records from both the House and Senate, which I…
Three Thoughts On The Reimbursement Scheme Generally
More fun with invoices coming later today, but, first, three tangentially related thoughts on reimbursements under the statute: 1. The most common response I’ve heard since starting these posts is that some legislators simply cannot afford to do the job…
Sunlight is the best disinfectant: A look at reimbursements
I wish I could say that exploiting the state reimbursement system is strictly a Republican phenomenon. Between Mark Martin and the legislators exposed as salary padding hypocrites Wednesday, one might even get that impression. The fact of the matter, however,…
Make The Veto Worth The Paper It's Written On
We interrupt your regularly scheduled bashing of Arkansas Republicans and their ridiculous ideas for a moment of praise for one Republican lawmaker. First, an observation. I have two kids — a twelve-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. Despite the gender…
Just When I Thought I Was Out, They Pull Me Back In (At 520% Interest)
Via Jason Tolbert, I see that Steve Brawner has written in defense of Senate Bill 586, which would carve certain exceptions to the constitutional 17-percent interest rate cap for loans under $5000. (In case you were wondering, that would be…
A Brief Aside
[I feel like I should state up front that no one at LobbyUp or Phillips Management asked me to write the following. This is entirely based on my own positive experience with the product. –M] Early last month, I answered…
2011 Legislative Preview: HB 1022
See here for previous posts in this series. Bill Name: AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING LOBBYIST REGISTRATION BY A FORMER MEMBER OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY Sponsors: Eddie Cheatham (D-9), 870-364-5659, eddie.cheatham@arkansashouse.org Purpose: To amend Arkansas Code Annotated §…
AR-State Senate: Luker Wants the State to Stop Punishing Communities for Leaders' Wrongdoing
Progressive Arkansas has been previewing all Arkansas state Senators as part of their 35 Senators in 35 Days series. Today was Senator Jim Luker who opined on, among other things, prison overcrowding: In his career as a senator, Luker has…
AR State Sen: Committees
Content partners Roby Brock and Jason Tolbert have a rundown of yesterday’s committee assignments in the Senate. Joint Budget – Sen. Gilbert Baker, chair; Sen. Percy Malone, vice-chair Revenue & Tax – Sen. Larry Teague, chair; Sen. Michael Lamoureux, vice-chair…