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Disaster Relief Bills Passes After Tornadoes Hit (cont)

Published Wednesday, March 12, 1997 in the Nevada County Picayune

rs would be required to take the course or successfully complete a questionnaire on boating safety.

Reps. Judy Smith of Camden and Buddy Wallis of Malvern sponsored the bill approved by the House to establish a ratio of one full-time-equivalent nurse for every 1,000 students in a school. Ratios requiring more nurses would apply in schools with unusually high numbers of special needs students. The school nurse legislation could result in the hiring of the fulltime equivalent of 136 new school nurses statewide.

Other bills approved by the House would:

  • Expand the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program, the Governor's Scholar Program and the Governor's Distinguished Scholar Program. Bryant Rep. Shane Broadway, who managed the bills in the House, said the legislation was designed to encourage Arkansas' top high school graduates to advance their education at colleges and universities in the state.

  • Promote education about and treatment of the bone disease osteoporosis. The state Health Department will coordinate the program with support from grants. Rep. Jacqueline Roberts of Pine Bluff was lead sponsor of the bill.

  • Require public officials to forfeit their office and their retirement benefits if they are convicted of a felony related to their public service. Rep. Pat Pappas of Pine Bluf was lead sponsor of the bill, which would apply to officials elected after the legislation become law.

  • Establish a safe drinking water fund to provide financial support for water projects across Arkansas. Rep. Lisa Ferrell of Little Rock was lead sponsor of the bill.

  • Remove authority of the state Department of Pollution Control and Ecology to regulate some open-air burning, such as the burning of autumn leaves. Rep. Terry Smith of Hot Springs sponsored the bill. Open burning not regulated by PC&E still could be regulated by local governing bodies.

  • Reduce state taxes on the sale of manufactured housing. Rep. Young was lead sponsor of the proposal.

  • Withhold some state funds from schools that fail to file required reports in a timely manner. Rep. Thicksten was lead sponsor of the bill.

    The House on Friday, February 28, approved a Senate amendment to a $70 million income tax-reform bill, but rejected an amendment of legislation to ban partial-birth abortions.

    Representatives concurred in a Senate amendment to suspend the income tax relief in the event that voters in November 1998 approve an initiative to exempt food purchases from the state sales tax. If the sales tax exemption on food is considered and rejected, the income tax reform would remain in place. House speaker Bobby Hogue of Jonesboro was lead sponsor of the tax reform legislation. Rep. Tom Courtway of Conway presented it to the House.

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