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State representatives Sarah Agee and Bill Pritchard met with
community members Saturday to discuss legislative activity
and address concerns from forum attendees.
Legislators
were quick to address concerns over a recently introduced
bill that would to force the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville
sports teams to other in-state teams. The bill was sent to
the state agencies and governmental affairs. The bill, numbered
House Bill 1694, is expected to be "killed in committee,"
Agee said.
Representatives
Agee and Pritchard meet to discuss legislative activity
with community members.
(Photo:
Adam
Wallworth)
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Rep.
Pritchard expressed some aggravation for the bill receiving
too attention and urged voters to "pay attention and give us
some feedback on some other issues."
House
Bill 1754, an appropriation bill addressing how much the universities
will get of the tobacco settlement, is expected to allocate
more than $2 million to the UA Arkansas Biosciences Institute
for the 2002 fiscal year.
House
Bill 1303, an attempt to legalize marijuana for medical use,
was defeated when it was voted on earlier last week, receiving
a mere two votes in favor of it, according to Rep. Pritchard.
The bill would protect patients and doctors who prefer the
natural anesthesia to more expensive and harmful synthetic
pharmaceuticals and although defeated, is expected to be reintroduced
at a later session.
Rep. Agee spoke favorably about legislation that would limit
the number of liquor store permits in Washington County from
the existing law allowing one permit per a population of 6,000
residents to one permit per 4,000.
Agee
said that while some say this would restrict trade, there
haven’t been any applicants for a permit in the ten years
and the law would not affect private clubs or restaurants.
Agee offered a comparison to the law of Washington State,
which allows one liquor store per 2,500 people.
Rep. Agee is sponsoring a bill to make use of turn, or “suicide”
lanes, to merge into traffic in addition to left-handed turning
legal throughout the state.
Agee
said this is a crime "we all do" and is sometimes the only
means of entering traffic in opposing lanes.
Legislation
for a state hate crimes law recently passed both houses after
three amendments and will be considered by the house judiciary
committee Feb. 20.
The
representatives were approached with concern from an audience
member regarding underage drivers being prosecuted for having
passengers with open containers or transporting alcohol. The
sentiment from the attendee was that a designated driver is
preventing drunk driving and should not be prosecuted for
the possessions of passengers. Legislators agreed.
A
number of issues were addressed at the forum, which is designed
to provide an opportunity for residents to voice their opinion
on legislative issues. To voice your opinion, consider attending
the next legislative update March 3 at 7:30 a.m. with Reps.
Jan Judy, Pritchard, Agee, and Sen. David Malone.
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