Legislators still busy in ‘off’ year

Legislators still busy in ‘off’ year

The year 2016 proved to be an unusual one for the Arkansas General Assembly. Typically in the even numbered years, we only address the budget during the Fiscal Session. This year, as the Governor called two special sessions, we tackled everything from funding highways to streamlining government.

The legislation passed will pave the way for more improvements in the upcoming session.

The first Extraordinary Session this year addressed the framework for Arkansas Works.

Arkansas Works replaced the program previously referred to as the Private Option, which uses federal Medicaid funding to provide private insurance plans for the state’s lowest income residents. The program now provides medical coverage for more than 300,000 Arkansans.

Most of the provisions in the legislation were recently approved by Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

Arkansas Works makes changes to the program such as directing the unemployed to work training programs, requiring wellness exams, and allowing partial payment of premiums for individuals making above 100% of the Federal Poverty Level.

Another change allows us to offer incentives for employers to offer employer-based insurance to employees agreeing to leave government funded insurance plans. The federal government agreed to this provision if the employer is offering coverage for the first time.

In the Fiscal Session, we passed a $5.3 billion balanced budget which included increases to education, corrections, foster care programs, behavioral health programs and Arkansas Works. We also restored funding to previous cuts in libraries and senior citizen centers.

In the second special session, the General Assembly approved a bill to provide a match to federal highway funds for the next 5 years which will result in $1 billion to improve our roads. That legislation diverted existing revenue and does not require a tax increase.

The legislature also voted in favor of legislation implementing an expiration date for task forces that either rarely meet or have not met in some time. The efficiency bill transferred the Arkansas History Commission from Parks and Tourism to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. In addition, this bill streamlined the paperwork process for Children and Family Services workers who oversee foster care cases.

Other legislation passed in that session included eliminating a state trust fund for workman’s compensation claims while lowering the taxes for policies paid by businesses, a bill to allow school elections to share the same ballot and polling site as the general election races on election day, and the Frank Broyles Publicity Rights Protection Act which prevents someone’s image from being used for commercial purposes without their permission.

And we approved a measure to put a pause on school districts from being declared in academic distress for the 2016-2017 school year. This allows schools time to adjust while a new accountability system is being implemented.

Each year brings new ideas and new issues for the legislature to consider. We know in the upcoming session we will be asked to consider increases to education funding, changes to higher education funding, tax cuts, and much more.

The Regular Session begins January 9. We look forward to updating you frequently through the new year.

From State Representative Milton Nicks