Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Malone Battles For Health Issues

State Representative Percy Malone fought hard for health related measures during the 81st General Assembly.

Malone worked to get a bill passed to allow pharmacists to give immunization shots with a prescription from a doctor under specific protocols.

He said about 1,000 people died in Arkansas last year who may have been saved had they been immunized. Immunization, he added, is critical in rural areas of the state where there may not be a hospital nearby.

Another bill he sponsored would mandate insurance companies to pay for education programs for policyholders with diabetes.

This, he said, would be a credit to the insurance companies. "We're beginning to turn the corner," he said, "and realize the money they can save if people understand their condition and are in compliance with their treatment."

Malone said the more people know about their condition, the more likely they will be to follow doctor's orders.

Another health-related bill Malone sponsored dealt with mental health and insurers. The bill, he said, would end discrimination against the mentally ill by insurance companies, with mental problems being treated the same as other health problems covered by insurance plans.

Also under the bill, he said, diabetic supplies would be covered by insurance policies.

Possibly one of the most important bills he was able to push through dealt with food preparation. Under the measure, schools would be required to teach students the proper way to handle and cook foods.

Section 2 of the bill states: "The Director of the General Education Division of the Department of Education shall provide a clearinghouse for instructional materials on food handling safety. These materials shall be developmentally appropriate for students at each of the three grade clusters used in the Arkansas Health Framework: K-4; 5-8; and 9-12."

Health issues weren't the only measures Malone worked on or helped get passed. He also was involved in getting a measure through which would force anyone convicted of driving while under the influence to undergo an alcohol training program before they could get their license back.

Another legal issue he was involved in states if a person knowingly purchases stolen property, they can't deduct the amount they paid for the items to get out of the felony charge.

The value of the stolen items, Malone said, would remain at market value, not the price paid on the street. The purchaser would also still be guilty of theft by receiving.

With the tornadoes devastating portions of Arkansas, Malone learned something new, and worked to correct it.

It had been when a disaster hit and a business donated items to help, such as soft drinks for the workers, the business had to pay sales tax on the items donated.

Malone sponsored a bill which would remove the sales tax from items donated for a relief effort in times of disaster. Now, he said, business people can pull items from their inventories to help others without being taxed.

There was another important disaster-related situation he worked on. Malone said it was illegal for cities and counties to utilize their staff and equipment on private property in times of disaster.

This, he continued, posed some serious problems after the March 1 storms which ravaged Arkadelphia. So, Malone sponsored a bill to allow cities and counties to use their resources to help remove debris from private property when a disaster occurs.

He was also the sponsor of a bill which would increase the bonds cities and counties could issue through the Arkansas Department of Finance Administration and Arkansas Industrial Development Commission for industrial development.

This, he said, will help make it easier for cities and counties to work and attract new industry to their area.

For the working person, starting in July, the minimum wage in Arkansas will be the same as the national minimum wage -- $5.25 per hour.

With the state's economy growing, he said, it is important for wages to be increased for most workers.

Malone doesn't anticipate any negative repercussions, such as layoffs, because of the increased minimum wage, especially as most businesses in Arkansas already pay the national level.

In fact, he said, this could be beneficial because with more money being earned, people will tend to spend more, thereby putting more in circulation. This, he said, helps keep the economy stimulated and growing.

Talking about the school funding formula, Malone said the legislature came up with a reasonable formula.

He said there are provisions which will allow some districts to be able to increase the millage so they can provide for their students and not be out of compliance with the constitution.

He added the problem with transportation was addressed and handled reasonably for districts required to bus their students long distances.

"The bills I sponsored," Malone said, "immunization, diabetes and food preparation, will have significant impact over the years, providing we're able to get them through.

"People are seeing health care as managing costs, not care. We can help manage health care by educating the people and helping them stay well. These bills are a giant first step."

Malone said for every $1 spent on immunization, health care saves $10.

"There's a whole series of disease states we can attack by people knowing how to take care of themselves.

"Anytime we can get preventative care for people, it's a big thing. It may be a small step now, but it will be a big step in the long run."