LITTLE ROCK (KFSM) — Arkansas Senate Republicans voted Wednesday (Nov. 16) to change the rules regarding the committee selection process ahead of Committee on Education selections.
According to Sen. Joyce Elliot, D-Little Rock, under the rule of seniority, Senate Democrats were positioned to take four of the eight seats on the committee, which would have allowed them to block passage of legislation.
Republicans hold 26 of the 35 seats in the Senate, so before committee selection began Republicans voted to change the rules requiring that all standing committees have to be composed of at least five members of the majority party.
The new rule was proposed by Sen. Jim Hendren, R-Gravette.
There are nine standing committees:
- Public, Health, Welfare and Labor
- Judiciary
- Education
- Revenue and Taxation
- State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
- Insurance and Commerce
- Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development
- City, County and Local Affairs
- Public Transportation, Technology and Legislative Affairs
The rule change guarantees there will not be a Democratic majority on any committee and also comes after House Democrats secured a majority on the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Nov. 10.
