Taxpayers’ Protection Amendment Filed
Senator Rapert (R-Bigelow) has filed a constitutional amendment that would require a ¾ vote from both houses of the legislature in order to raise any tax.
A Connection Between Gov. Beebe and the Poison Pill Amendment?
Last week we brought a lot of attention to SB113, sponsored by Senator Cecile Bledsoe. SB113 effectively says Under the federal healthcare law, Arkansas will not subsidize abortions with taxpayer money, except to save the life of the mother. This acts as “enabling legislation” for Amendment 68 to the Arkansas Constitution (which states that no public funds will be used for abortion—except to save the mother’s life) by applying it to the new federal healthcare law.
Poison Pill Added to Pro-Life Bill
This morning in the House Public Health Committee, Rep. Andrea Lea (R-Russellville) presented SB113 by Sen. Cecile Bledsoe (R-Rogers). SB113 was good legislation aimed at preventing taxpayer-funded abortions under the new federal healthcare law; it included an exception for the mother’s life. Eleven committee members, led by Rep. Jeff Wardlaw (D-Warren), decided to confuse the process and vote to adopt a hostile amendment—a “poison pill” intended to kill this pro-life bill.