Weekly House Update
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House Bill 1393, by Rep. Chris Thyer of Jonesboro, provides for a tax deduction of up to $10,000 for those who donate all or part of a liver, pancreas, kidney, intestine, lung or bone marrow. An organ donor will be able to file itemized tax returns to deduct for expenses such as lodging, travel, lost wages and medical bills not covered by insurance.

Thyer said 17 Americans die every day while on waiting lists for transplants, and the House rose as one to applaud two members, Reps. Joyce Elliott of Little Rock and Eric Harris of Lowell, for donating organs to family members. State finance officials estimated that such tax deductions will amount to about $76,000 a year. Approved on a 98-0 vote, the “Gift of Life” bill now goes to the Senate.

Every legislative session, House and Senate joint rules set the 31st day of the session as the deadline for members to file proposed constitutional amendments. By the time that deadline rolled around February 9, representatives and senators had filed 44 House and Senate Joint Resolutions proposing the amendments.

The deadline gives members ample time to study the proposals as they come before the House and Senate Committees on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs. Those committees will meet separately, then jointly, in deciding which proposals to offer to the full House and Senate.
The state's 1874 constitution allows lawmakers to place up to four measures on a general election ballot. Three of the four can be on general topics while the fourth, if referred to the people, can deal only with the salaries of constitutional officers.

Among the topics covered by this session’s resolutions: the establishment of a state lottery; legalizing charitable bingo; changing the property tax system; allowing the General Assembly to meet in annual sessions; and allowing the state to establish a single school district for troubled districts.

Also during the week, the House approved HB 1336, by Rep. Jay Martin of North Little Rock, to add domestic-violence shelters to the list of places where drug-dealing can be met with stiffer penalties. The enhanced penalties already are in effect for drug-dealing convictions within 1,000 feet of day-care centers, schools, public parks and churches. Such convictions bring an additional 10 years in prison. The bill now goes to the Senate.

In other action during the week:

• The House gave final approval to Senate Bill 42 expanding how county clerks find jury pools. During the 2003 session, lawmakers approved legislation allowing counties to use motor-vehicle registration lists in drawing names of prospective jurors. Previously, only voter-registration lists could be used. SB 42, which was presented in the House by Rep. Rick Green of Van Buren, further expands the prospective juror pool by allowing counties to select a prospective juror pool through a random, electronic process. Only three of the state’s 75 counties currently pool jurors electronically, and supporters of the bill say the new procedure will save time as well as money. The bill now goes to the governor.
  
• The House approved HB 1106, by Rep. Johnny Key of Mountain Home, prohibiting public schools from using a student’s Social Security number for identification purposes. A similar bill giving similar protection to college students was passed earlier in the House, and both bills go to the Senate.
  
• The House approved HB 1246, by Rep. Eric Harris of Lowell, to have Senate and House proceedings in special and regular sessions broadcast over the Internet, starting in 2007. The bill now goes to the Senate. House proceedings currently are televised via cable access across much of the state.
  
• The Senate gave final approval on a 26-1 vote to House Bill 1193, by Rep. Jay Bradford of White Hall, to ban smoking on the grounds of hospitals, including inpatient and out-patient services, and medical clinics. Psychiatric hospitals and federal facilities, such as Veterans Administration hospitals, are exempt from the law. A violation can’t be reported to law enforcement officers until after medical staff ask a smoker to stop and then is rebuffed. An offense is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by a $100 fine. The bill does not prohibit the use of smokeless products. HB 1193 now goes to the he governor.
  
• The Senate gave final approval to HB 1031, by Rep. Jodie Mahony of El Dorado, to allow charitable clinics to receive donations of prescription medicine and distribute that medicine to the working poor. The bill now goes to the governor.

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