Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Income taxs reform legislation, one of the major initiatives of the 81st General Assembly's regualr legislative session, won approval in the House of Representatives and eventually should deliver tax relief of more than $70 million a year.

State representatives ended the fourth week of legislative session on Friday, February 7, by adopting the income tax reform legislation sponsored by House speaker Bobby L. Hogue of Jonesboro and 82 co-sponsors. Rep. Tom Courtway of Conway presented the legislation to the House and described the proposal as #"the most significant tax reduction in many, many years in this state."

Also during the week, representatives approved bills to outlaw the so-called partial-birth abortion procedure, to lift state regulations on home-school students and to change the state's compulsory school attendance law.

Major provisions of the income tax reform proposal include raising the standard deduction from $1,000 to $2,000, eliminating the so-called marriage penalty and allowing couples to claim a $4,000 deduction instead of the $1,000 now allowed, enacting a tax credit for working families to claim for a portion of social security taxes paid, doubling the child-care tax credit and eliminating the capital gains tax on the sale of a home.

The legislation also would increase the number of low-income families exempt from paying income taxes, broaden eligibility for older, lower income homeowners to receive rebates on property taxes paid, and create a method for tax indexing so inflation alone will not push taxpayers into a higher bracket.

Reps. Jim Hendren of Sulphur Springs and Stephen Simon of Conway co- sponsored the bill approved by the House to prohibit in Arkansas the performance of partial-birth abortions. Violation of the law could result in a doctor being charged with a class D felony. A defense against such a charge could be that the abortion was performed to save the life of the mother and that no other form of abortion would have worked.

Simon also was lead sponsor of the bill to eliminate the state Department of Education's regulation of home-school students, school-age children who are taught at home. In addition to eliminating the regulatory provisions, the legislation would remove requirements that students educated at home be tested annually. It would provide, however, that if a home school student later enrolls in public school, the students would be tested for appropriate grade placement.

Rep. Ed Thicksten of Alma was lead sponsor of the bill to reduce the compulsory school attendance age from 17 years old to 16 years old. The higher age level, which covered students until they turned 18, was designed to keep students in school longer. Linked to the compulsory attendance law was another incentive for young people to stay in school -- the requirement that young people under 18 either be in school or be a graduate of school to receive a driver's license.

The change in the compulsory school attendance law would require students to stay in school until they turn 17. Supporter said the change could promote discipline by not forcing older teenage students to attend school if they did not want to.

Among other bills approved by the House during the fourth week of the legislative session were proposals to:

• Authorize schools to use registered volunteers to assist with extra- curricular activities and interscholastic sports. The volunteers would submit to criminal background checks and be required to undergo mandatory training. Rep. Joe Molinaro of Sherwood sponsored the bill.

• Prohibit candidates from appearing on an election ballot as the representative of more than one political party, or as the candidate of a party and as an independent candidate. Rep. Bobby Lee Trammell of Jonesboro sponsored the bill.

• Provide for the supervision and regulation of the finances of county and regional industrial development commissions as a means of protecting those who invest in them. Rep. Ed Wilkinson of Greenwood sponsored the bill.

• Add an additional member to the board of directors of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. The new ADFA board member would be a public housing or community development professional. Rep. John Dawson of Camden sponsored the bill.

• Require that licenses visibly indicate the age range of drivers if they are under 18 or under 21 at the time the license is issued. Such designations help merchants screen those who are under-age from purchasing restricted items, such as tobacco or alcohol products. Rep. Richard Simmons of Rector sponsored the bill.

• Create a Fraud Investigation Division within the State Insurance Department and provide the department with additional authority to investigate insurance fraud and pursue legal action against offenders. Rep. Bobby Newman of Smackover sponsored the bill.

• Authroize a legislative study on the number of reports agencies are required to produce and to determine whether the reports are necessary, how many should be produced, and how they should be made available for distribution. The study that could result in the reduction of paperwork generated by state agencies is to be completed within two years. Rep. Charlotte Schexnayder of Dumas was lead sponsor of the bill.

• Transfer administration of the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame to the State Department of Parks and Tourism. The Hall of Fame now is governed by a separate board. Rep. John Miller of Melbourne sponsored the bill.