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House Files Health Insurance Bill
HB 1413 was filed yesterday. It is an appropriation bill to authorize funding for the Public School Employee Health Insurance program. It would authorize an additional $25 million for the health insurance program in the 2009-2010 fiscal year.
The bill has been referred to the Joint Budget Committee. The House of Representatives leadership team is still working to find a revenue source to fund the health insurance appropriation bill.
The lead sponsor of the bill is Rep. Bill Abernathy, D-Mena.
The 67 co-sponsors are: Reps. Curren Everett, D-Salem; John Hoyt, D-Morrilton; Bobby Pierce, D-Sheridan; Fred Allen, D-Little Rock; Duncan Baird, R-Lowell; Tommy Baker, D-Osceola; Monty Betts, D-Searcy; Nancy Blount, D-Marianna; Toni Bradford, D-Pine Bluff; Steven Breedlove, D-Greenwood; Jerry Brown, D-Wynne; John Burris, R-Harrison; Mike Burris, D-Malvern; Richard Carroll, G-North Little Rock; Joan Cash, D-Jonesboro; Eddie Cheatham, D-Crossett; Steve Cole, D-Lockesburg; Eddie Cooper, D-Melbourne; Larry Cowling, D-Foreman; Dawn Creekmore, D-Hensley; Robert Dale, R-Dover; Monty Davenport, D-Yellville; Otis Davis, D-Earle; Jody Dickinson, D-Newport; Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe; John Edwards, D-Little Rock; Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff; Nathan George, D-Dardanelle; Rick Green, R-Van Buren; Steve Harrelson, D-Texarkana; Eddie Hawkins, D-Vilonia; Debra Hobbs, R-Rogers; Jim House, D-Fayetteville; Keith Ingram, D-West Memphis; Allen Kerr, R-Little Rock; H. Ray Kidd, D-Jonesboro; Andrea Lea, R-Russellville; Wilhelmina Lewellen, D-Little Rock; Uvalde Lindsey, D-Fayetteville; Larry Lovell, D-Marked Tree; John Lowery, D-El Dorado; Allen Maxwell, D-Monticello; Walls McCrary, D-Lonoke; Robert Moore, D-Arkansas City; Jim Nickels, D-North Little Rock; Barbara Nix, D-Benton; George Overbey, D-Lamar; Michael Patterson, D-Piggott; Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith; David Powers, D-Hope; Beverly Pyle, R-Cedarville; David Rainey, D-Dumas; R. Gregg Reep, D-Warren; Terry Rice, R-Waldron; Johnnie Roebuck, D-Arkadelphia; Tiffany Rogers, D-Stuttgart; William Sample, R-Hot Springs; Rick Saunders, D-Hot Springs; Gene Shelby, D-Hot Springs; Garry Smith, D-Camden; Randy Stewart, D-Kirby; Linda Tyler, D-Conway; Charolette Wagner, D-Manila; Kathy Webb, D-Little Rock; Butch Wilkins, D-Bono; Robbie Wills, D-Conway; Jon Woods, R-Springdale.
The AEA appreciates the legislators who have signed on to House Bill 1413, and we appreciate the work of Representatives David Cook, David Rainey and Steve Harrelson for the public school employee health insurance bills they filed.
To ensure the bill's success, it needs a total of 75 or more co-sponsors. Those representatives who have not signed onto the bill are: Reps. Pamela Adcock, D-Little Rock; Jonathan Barnett, R-Siloam Springs; Leslie Carnine, R-Rogers; Davy Carter, R-Cabot; Ann Clemmer, R-Benton; David Dunn, D-Forrest City; Elizabeth English, R-North Little Rock; Ed Garner, R-Maumelle; Billy Gaskill, D-Paragould; Frank Glidewell, R-Fort Smith; Dan Greenberg, R-Bryant; Clark Hall, D-Marvell; Willie Hardy, D-Camden; Karen Hopper, R-Lakeview; Donna Hutchinson, R-Bella Vista; Barry Hyde, D-North Little Rock; Bryan King, R-Green Forest; Bruce Maloch, D-Magnolia; Stephanie Malone, R-Fort Smith; Mark Martin, R-Prairie Grove; James McLean, D-Batesville; Mark Perry, D-Jacksonville; Roy Ragland, R-Marshall; Lance Reynolds, D-Quitman; J.R. Rogers, D-Walnut Ridge; Mary Lou Slinkard, R-Gravette; Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville; Troy Summers, R-Bentonville; John Paul Wells, D-Paris; Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock; and James Word, D-Pine Bluff.
If any of these members represent your area, please contact them and urge them to co-sponsor this important bill.
Senate Committee Passes Tobacco Tax Bill
The Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation gave HB 1204, the tobacco tax bill, a "Do Pass." The bill will now go before the Senate.
Committee members who voted for the bill are Sens. Paul Miller, chair, D-Melbourne; Bobby Glover, vice chair, D-Carlisle; Larry Teague, D-Nashville; John Paul Capps, D-Searcy; and Steve Faris, D-Malvern.
Sharon Trusty, R-Russellville and Terry Smith, D-Hot Springs voted against the bill.
Denny Altes, R-Fort Smith abstained from the vote.
All AEA members are asked to contact their Senators to vote for the HB 1204.
U.S. Senate Passes American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Tuesday the Senate passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act by a vote of 61 to 37. The bill includes the compromise provisions agreed to under the Nelson-Collins amendment.
Action now shifts to the conference committee, which will be working out differences between the House and Senate bills. We expect the conference to move quickly and a final bill to be back on the House and Senate floors possibly by the end of the week. The bill will then go to President Obama for his signature.
Contact your Member of Congress and urge him to support efforts to provide as much funding for education as possible in the final economic recovery bill, including school modernization and state fiscal relief.
Congressman Marion Berry
http://www.house.gov/berry/
Congressman Vic Snyder
http://www.house.gov/snyder/
Congressman John Boozeman
http://www.boozman.house.gov/
Congressman Mike Ross
http://ross.house.gov/
Say Go College Program
Arkansas ranks 49th in the number of residents holding bachelor degrees or higher, but a new federal, state and local grant program administered by the state Department of Higher Education has some exciting plans to help address that shortcoming beginning early in 2009.
The highlight of the program will be Say Go College Week, Feb. 16-22, 2009. High schools across Arkansas are asked to participate in Say Go College Week by hosting daily activities during the week to encourage students to go to college. Schools will be provided with toolkits that contain items such as posters, banners and buttons promoting the value of a college experience.
Another activity marking Say Go College Week will be the selection of an online video contest winner among high school and college students. Contestants will compete for prizes awarded on the basis of the best-produced video promoting the value of a post secondary education.
The activities are designed to lead up to College Goal Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. Colleges and universities are encouraged to have activities on the respective campuses as well as to showcase the local facilities to high school groups during the week. Visit www.saygocollege.com/paying
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