Arkansas committee backs bill to bar solid-waste board members with financial ties to landfill firms

State Representative Robin Lundstrom, District 18, told the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee that House Bill 1575 would bar people who have a financial interest in a firm, business or organization that owns, operates, represents or applies for a solid-waste licensing permit from serving on related boards in the future.

The bill, as presented by Representative Lundstrom, is aimed at preventing perceived or actual conflicts of interest on local solid-waste and related licensing boards. “What happens right now is we have had in the past people that are members of the PC and E board who work for landfills that they are the referees of. That is not appropriate,” Lundstrom said. She told the committee the change would not remove current board members: “No. It will not. This is for future.”

Representative Lademan moved a do-pass recommendation. There was no recorded roll-call tally in the committee transcript; members approved the motion by voice vote and committee leadership announced the bill had passed out of committee “as amended.” Lundstrom acknowledged an amendment adopted earlier in the hearing that removed a section of the bill the sponsor and staff had agreed was unnecessary.

Committee members asked whether the bill would force any current board members to resign; Lundstrom said it would not affect incumbents or pending expansions, only future appointments. Lundstrom also said she had consulted with the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment and members of local solid-waste boards who had called to suggest improvements.

The committee made no additional changes on the floor of the hearing and approved the bill to move forward.

The committee hearing record shows only a voice vote; no individual vote tallies or abstentions were entered in the transcript.

Looking ahead: the bill will proceed from committee for further consideration in the legislative process.