Yesterday there was some movement on the Tim Tebow bill that allows home school students to try out for extracurricular activities at their local public school.
The bill passed the Senate Education Committee yesterday, and is on its way to the entire Arkansas Senate for this week.
If you would like to contact your senator about this bill, you can leave a message for him or her at (501) 682-2902.
Rep. Collins-Smith has filed a bill to opt Arkansas out of funding abortion under the recently-passed federal healthcare law.
HB1872 accomplishes what SB113—which was filed earlier this session—would have: It ensures Arkansas won’t be using any tax money to pay for abortion.
Below is video of Rep. Linda Tyler (D-Conway) adjourning the House Public Health Committee immediately after a voice vote on HB1979, ignoring the request for a roll call vote.
HB1979 was a pro-life bill that would have prohibited abortion at state-owned or operated facilities like UAMS, except to save the life of the mother.
House Rules say that when I vote is taken, if two members of the committee raise their hands asking for a roll call vote, where committee member’s names are called and votes recorded individually, the chair of the committee should order a roll call vote be taken.
Here’s the problem: At least two representatives clearly asked for a roll call in that meeting. Rep. Mayberry (whose hand you see go up in the video) and Rep. Lea raised their hands and asked for a roll call. Rep. Tyler, however, declared she didn’t see two hands, and immediately adjourned the committee.
I personally think this is a case of the Chair seeing what the Chair wants to see (like when a Committee Chair declares a quorum is present for a meeting when less than half the committee is actually there). Voters need to let Rep. Tyler know that they disapprove of heavy-handed conduct like this in committee meetings.