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Committee adopts several technical and funding amendments, rejects others in voice votes
Summary
The committee approved amendments moving litter-removal duties to DOT, lowering an insurer reporting threshold, a one‑year rider on a U. of Arkansas appropriation and a technical physician‑licensure fix; it rejected matching-grant and gambling‑promotion limits after debate.
The committee considered a package of amendments across appropriations and policy items, approving some and rejecting others in a series of voice votes.
Sen. Mark Johnson’s amendment to Senate Bill 15, which shifts certain litter‑cleanup responsibilities and related advisory roles from Keep Arkansas Beautiful to the Department of Transportation (RDOT), was presented with agency witnesses and adopted by the committee. Representative Mark Perry’s amendment to lower the group‑claims data threshold from 50 to 25 employees (so smaller employers can request insurer claims data) was brought up and adopted. Representative Bridal McKenzie’s amendment to place a one‑year rider on a University of Arkansas at Fayetteville appropriation — intended to pause any direct transfers to the athletic department while lawmakers review funding and tuition impacts — was adopted. A technical amendment to a physician‑licensure pathway (adding the terms “underserved” and “primary care health shortage area”) was also adopted.
Several proposals failed. Representative Steven Walker’s amendment to convert a $500,000 appropriation into a matching grant for the Save the Children literacy program did not pass. Senator Bart Hester’s proposed cap on online sports‑betting “free play” at 5% of gross receipts drew extended accounting and jurisdiction questions and failed on a voice vote.
Where recorded tallies were not provided in the transcript, outcomes are reported as the committee declared them (adopted/failed). The committee adjourned after releasing all approved bills from special‑language status.
