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Arkansas Senate unanimously passes bill to keep settlement funds for state abuse victims
Summary
The Arkansas Senate passed Senate Bill 13, sponsored by Senator Wallace, to protect funds set aside from national settlements for Arkansans who were victims of child sexual abuse; the measure passed 33-0 and will be sent to the House.
The Arkansas Senate on a unanimous vote approved Senate Bill 13, a measure intended to ensure money set aside from nationwide settlements related to child sexual abuse remains available to victims in Arkansas. The chamber recorded a vote of 33 yea and 0 nay; the bill will be transmitted to the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Senator Wallace, sponsor of the bill, told colleagues the measure amends a law enacted two years earlier and aims to preserve funds allocated to Arkansans from a national settlement. "This is an amendment to a a a bill, a good bill that we wrote 2 years ago," Wallace said, adding that about "500 individuals" in Arkansas were affected and that the bill would keep money awarded for those victims in the state.
During floor discussion Senator Hickey questioned whether the bill contains language to protect the remainder of the statute if a court were to find the measure could not be applied retroactively. "Do we need a clause within within within this that then says that the rest of this statute would remain in place, or will that be automatic? Do we have the severability or do we need a severability clause?" Hickey asked. Wallace responded that he had run the bill past legal counsel and believes it applies to the specific pot of money currently set aside for former children of Arkansas, and that changes could be made later if necessary on the House side.
No legislators spoke in opposition on the floor. After the roll call and announcement of the tally, the president instructed the secretary to transmit the bill to the House. The transcript does not record additional amendments or a recorded individual vote list in the final announcement beyond the 33-0 tally.
The bill was presented as a targeted protection of settlement funds for Arkansas victims; further legislative steps will take place in the House of Representatives.
