18 BUSINESS Legislative Preview JANUARY 10, 2005 LIST OVERVIEW 85th General Assembly: Major Committees

Arkansas Legislative Council Joint Committee on Educational Adequacy Legislative Chairmen: Sen. Jack Critcher and Rep. LeRoy Dangeau. Chairman: Sen. Jim Argue Members: Sens. Jim Hill, Jim Argue, Dave Bisbee, Tim Wooldridge, Paul Miller, Ruth Members: Sens. Dave Bisbee, Jimmy Jeffress and Steve Bryles; Reps. LeRoy Dangeau Whitaker, Sharon Trusty, Gilbert Baker, Percy Malone, Jimmy Jeffress, Terry Smith, Ed and Jodie Mahony Wilkinson, Steve Bryles, Hank Wilkins IV, Barbara Horn, Steve Faris, Steve Joint Committee on Educational Facilities Experience Higginbothom, Shawn Womack, Denny Altes, Tracy Steele, Mary Anne Salmon and John Chairmen: Sen. Shane Broadway and Rep. Paul Capps; Reps. Wayne Nichols, Charles L. Ormond, Bob Adams, Tommy G. Roebuck, Members: Sens. Jim Hill, Jim Argue, Paul Miller, Hank Wilkins IV, Bob Johnson and Bob Mathis, Sam Ledbetter, Jay Bradford, Ken Cowling, John Paul Verkamp, Bill H. Steve Higginbothom; Reps. Dwight Fite, LeRoy Dangeau, Bill H. Stovall III, Phillip Stovall III, Randy Rankin, David Evans, Linda Chesterfield, Stan Berry, Benny Petrus, Jackson, Betty Pickett and Janet Johnson. Not All Gone Susan Schulte, Betty Pickett, James Norton, Johnny Key, Doug Matayo, Daryl Pace, Jay Joint Performance Review Martin, Shirley Walters and Michael Lamoureux. Chairman: Sen. Terry Smith; Vice Chairman: Sen. Denny Altes Joint Committee on Advanced Communications and Information Technology Members: Sens. Jim Hill, Ruth Whitaker, Bob Johnson, Steve Higginbothom, Tracy BY JOHN HENRY Chairman: Sen. John Paul Capps; Vice Chairmen: Sen. Gene Jeffress and Rep. Jim Steele, Gene Jeffress, Jerry Bookout and John Paul Capps. Medley Judiciary Committee — Senate URING THE RECENT ELEC- Members: Sens. Sharon Trusty, Jim Luker, Jim Holt and Bobby Glover; Reps. Phillip Chairman: Sen. Ed Wilkinson; Vice Chairman: Jim Luker tion, Arkansas voters reiterated Jackson, David Evans, Buddy Blair, Stan Berry, Daryl Pace and R. Dwayne Dobbins. Members: Kim Hendren, Sue Madison, Irma Hunter Brown, Mary Anne Salmon and D their comfort with the nation’s Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development — Senate Jerry Taylor. most restrictive term limits. Chairman: Sen. Steve Higginbothom; Vice Chairman: Judiciary Committee — House Under Arkansas’ present law, Members: Tim Wooldridge, Ruth Whitaker, Jimmy Jeffress, Steve Bryles and Jim Luker. Members: Reps. Jeremy Hutchinson, Wayne Nichols, Bob Adams, John Paul passed by voters in 1992, members of Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development — House Verkamp, Randy Rankin, Booker T. Clemons, Marvin Childers, Will Bond, Chris the House of Representatives can serve Members: Reps. Wayne Nichols, Preston Scroggin, Dwight Fite, LeRoy Dangeau, Thomason, Doug Matayo, Mark Pate, Chris Thyer, Michael Lamoureux, Bruce Maloch, three two-year terms and state senators Johnnie Bolin, Travis Boyd, Randy Rankin, Booker T. Clemons, Stan Berry, Benny Petrus, Rick Green, David Johnson, Robert Thompson, J.R. Rogers, Timothy Hutchinson and can serve two four-year terms. Sandra Prater, James Norton, Scott Sullivan, Tommy Dickinson, Mike Kenney, Bill Frank Glidewell. The state’s term-limit law has been Abernathy, Roy Ragland, Monty Davenport, Lindsley Smith and Nathan George. Legislative Joint Auditing Committee in effect long enough now to have dra- City, County & Local Affairs Committee — Senate Vice Chairmen: Sen. Jim Hill and Rep. Nathan George matically altered the makeup of the Chairwoman: Sen. Irma Hunter Brown; Vice Chairman: Jerry Taylor Members: Sens. Jim Argue, Percy Malone, Bob Johnson, Kim Hendren, Shane legislative body, particularly in the Members: Dave Bisbee, Kim Hendren, Shawn Womack, Sue Madison and Tracy Steele. Broadway, Shawn Womack, Jim Luker, Sue Madison, Gene Jeffress, Jerry Bookout, House of Representatives. The session City, County & Local Affairs Committee — House Irma Hunter Brown, Randy Laverty, Jim Holt, Bobby Glover and Jerry Taylor; Reps. beginning Monday will bring 38 true Members: Reps. Bob Adams, Dewayne Mack, Bill H. Stovall III, Phillip Jackson, Will Tommy G. Roebuck, Stephen D. Bright, Buddy Blair, Lenville Evans, Sandra Prater, Scott freshman out of the 100 representa- Bond, Mark Pate, Jim Medley, Michael Lamoureux, Curren Everett, Nancy Duffy Blount, Sullivan, Janet Johnson, Tommy Dickinson, Mark Pate, Jim Medley, Mike Kenney, Eric tives. There is only one new Senator, George Overbey, Eddie Cooper, Wilhelmina Lewellen, David Johnson, David Rainey, Harris, Curren Everett, Bill Abernathy, Nancy Duffy Blount, Allen Maxwell, David Wyatt, Jerry Taylor of Pine Bluff, who beat the Beverly Pyle, Bill Sample, Ray Kidd, Steve Harrelson and Frank Glidewell. Bruce Maloch and Roy Ragland. incumbent, Brenda Gullett in the Economic and Tax Policy Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee — Senate Democratic primary. But Taylor isn’t a Chairman: Sen. John Paul Capps Chairman: Sen. Jack Critcher; Vice Chairman: Jerry Bookout true rookie: He served two terms in the Members: Sens. Jim Hill, Dave Bisbee, Tim Wooldridge, Jack Critcherand and Percy Members: Percy Malone, Barbara Horn, Steve Faris, Bob Johnson and Shawn House. Malone; Rep. Bill H. Stovall III. Womack Because of house-swapping legisla- Education Committee — Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee — House tors like Taylor, there’s more experi- Chairman: Sen. Jim Argue; Vice Chairman: Jimmy Jeffress Chairman: Rep. Jay Bradford ence than one might suspect in the Members: Dave Bisbee, Steve Bryles, Hank Wilkins IV, Shane Broadway and Gene Members: Tommy G. Roebuck, Bill Pritchard, Shirley Borhauer, Kevin Goss, Stan Legislature. At least for a while. Jeffress. Berry, Sandra Prater, Johnny Key, Denny Sumpter, Janet Johnson, Daryl Pace, Jay Shane Broadway of Bryant, who Education Committee — House Martin, Jim Medley, Arnell Willis, Roy Ragland, Willie Hardy, , Gregg served three terms in the House Members: Reps. Joyce Elliott, Dwight Fite, LeRoy Dangeau, Jodie Mahony, Linda Reep, Dustin McDaniel and nonvoting member Rep. Stephen D. Bright. before seeking and winning a seat in Chesterfield, Jeff Wood, Robert Jeffrey, Betty Pickett, James Norton, Tommy Dickinson, Public Retirement & Social Security Programs — Joint the Senate. Jay Bradford of White Shirley Walters, Mike Kenney, Marilyn Edwards, Curren Everett, Bill Abernathy, Nancy Chairman: Sen. Jimmy Jeffress; Vice Chairman:Sen. Steve Faris Hall, who served eight terms in the Duffy Blount, Mark Martin, Rick Saunders, David Rainey and David Cook. Members: Sens. Paul Miller, Steve Bryles, Barbara Horn, Shawn Womack, Jim Luker, Senate (before term limits) before Joint Education Reform Oversight Committee Gene Jeffress, Jerry Bookout and Jerry Taylor. seeking and winning a seat in the Members: Sens. Jim Argue, Dave Bisbee, Jimmy Jeffress, Steve Bryles, Hank Wilkins Public Transportation — Senate House. IV, Shane Broadway Chairman: Senator Tracy Steele; Vice Chairman: Jim Holt And there’s Rep. Jodie Mahony of Joint Committee on Energy Members: Ruth Whitaker, Gilbert Baker, Denny Altes, Randy Laverty and John Paul El Dorado, who served Union County Chairman: Sen. Percy Malone; Vice Chairman: Sen. Sharon Trusty Capps. as a representative from 1971-93, then Members: Sens. Jim Argue, Dave Bisbee, Jack Critcher, Hank Wilkins IV, Kim Hendren, Public Transportation — House went to the Senate from 1995-2001, Shane Broadway, Steve Higginbothom and Shawn Womack. Members: Reps. Johnnie Bolin, Lenville Evans, Sid Rosenbaum, Susan Schulte, and is now back in the House. Insurance & Commerce — Senate David Wyatt, George Overbey, Wilhelmina Lewellen, Pam Adcock, Beverly Pyle, Monty The Senate has a wealth of legisla- Chairman: Sen. Paul Miller; Vice Chairman: Percy Malone Davenport, Dawn Creekmore, Otis Davis, Lindsley Smith, Mike Burris, Bill Sample, tors with experience. Sen. Jim Hill of Members: Jim Hill, Terry Smith, Barbara Horn, Bob Johnson and Denny Altes. Robbie Wills, Nathan George, Ray Kidd, John Paul Wells and Steve Harrelson Nashville ranks No. 1 in seniority in Insurance & Commerce — House Revenue & Tax — Senate the Senate. He served in the House Members: Reps. Jeremy Hutchinson, Charles L. Ormond, Joyce Elliott, Stephen D. Chairman: Sen. Tim Wooldridge; Vice Chairman: Bobby Glover from 1993-95 and in the Senate since Bright, Ken Cowling, John Paul Verkamp, Kevin Goss, Marvin Childers, David Evans, Members: Jim Hill, Paul Miller, Sharon Trusty, Terry Smith, Steve Higginbothom 1997. Keven Anderson, Susan Schulte, Chris Thomason, Doug Matayo, Shirley Walters, Eric Revenue & Taxation — House Second in seniority is Sen. Jim Argue Harris, Chris Thyer, David Wyatt, Bruce Maloch, Willie Hardy and Mike Burris. Members: Charles L. Ormond, Preston Scroggin, Dewayne Mack, Bob Mathis, Sam of Little Rock, who served in the Joint Budget Committee Ledbetter, Ken Cowling, Travis Boyd, Bill H. Stovall III, Phillip Jackson, David Evans, House from 1991-95 and has been in Chairmen: Sen. Dave Bisbee and Rep. Sam Ledbetter; Vice Chairman: Rep. Dewayne Buddy Blair, Keven Anderson, Benny Petrus, Horace Hardwick, Scott Sullivan, R. the Senate since 1997. Next in line is Mack Dwayne Dobbins, Eric Harris, Allen Maxwell, Eddie Cooper and David Dunn. Sen. Dave Bisbee of Rogers, who Members: Sens. Jim Hill, Jim Argue, Tim Wooldridge, Jack Critcher, Paul Miller, Ruth State Agencies and Governmental Affairs — Senate served in the House from 1993-97 and Whitaker, Sharon Trusty, Gilbert Baker, Percy Malone, Jimmy Jeffress, Ed Wilkinson, Chairman: Sen. Steve Faris; Vice Chairman: Hank Wilkins IV in the Senate since 1999. Sen. Tim Steve Bryles, Hank Wilkins IV, Steve Faris, Bob Johnson, Kim Hendren, Shane Broadway, Members: Jim Argue, Jack Critcher, Gilbert Baker, Ed Wilkinson and Shane Broadway. Wooldridge of Paragould served in the Steve Higginbothom, Shawn Womack, Jim Luker, Denny Altes, Tracy Steele, Gene State Agencies and Governmental Affairs — House House from 1991-97 and in the Senate Jeffress, Irma Hunter Brown and Jerry Taylor; Reps. Jeremy Hutchinson, Joyce Elliott, Members: Reps. Bill Pritchard, Bob Mathis, Jodie Mahony, Linda Chesterfield, since 1999. Preston Scroggin, Dwight Fite, Tommy G. Roebuck, Bill Pritchard, LeRoy Dangeau, Lenville Evans, Jeff Wood, Sid Rosenbaum, Robert Jeffrey, Horace Hardwick, Betty The House is naturally less experi- Johnnie Bolin, Shirley Borhauer, Travis Boyd, Kevin Goss, Bill H. Stovall III, Phillip Pickett, Denny Sumpter, Janet Johnson, Daryl Pace, Marilyn Edwards, Mark Martin, enced, as every session should see at Jackson, Booker T. Clemons, Marvin Childers, Jodie Mahony, Keven Anderson, Robert Allen Maxwell, Rick Saunders, Robert Thompson, Dustin McDaniel and David Dunn. least a third turnover, but some of Jeffrey, Horace Hardwick, Chris Thomason, Denny Sumpter, Chris Thyer, Michael those newcomers will be senators Lamoureux and Marilyn Edwards. Source: 85th General Assembly Web site, www.arkleg.state.ar.us wanting to remain in office. ■