Representative Clark Hall

Meeting — April 13, 2011 (0:00)

Bill 1836. Representative McClain, you're ready to explain the concurrent amendment. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and committee.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (47:29)

So there's not that the Bacton County wasn't included in some of this from the leadership of their county. They were informed. And I agree with the Speaker that this is not a pretty map, but we could not make one that would satisfy everybody in this room. I still would appreciate a good vote. I remind this body that the Senate has already passed this bill out.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (46:57)

And I sympathize with her position, and I can understand where she's coming from. But I also would like the body to know that I called the county judge in Sebastian County. And I asked him for some help, pushing the bill that we got out two weeks ago, and he declined.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (46:17)

In the past, we have never had to split counties. But 10 years ago, the deviation rate was 5%. Now we're at one-half of 1%. So the technicality of the mathematics gets a lot more complicated in drawing maps. I would like to say this, if I may, Mr. Speaker. Representative Bernard has done an outstanding job defending Sebastian County this whole session.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (45:41)

Ten years ago, when this body had to redraw the congressional lines, the biggest issue at that time was the splitting of Hot Springs Village, an incorporated community in the state of Arkansas. Well, Representative Smith of Hot Springs at that time had numerous objections to splitting a city. And unfortunately, we've had to continue that practice.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (16:01)

those technical corrections thank you mr speaker i am through i appreciate a vote of confidence for the work of the leadership of both the house and senate

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (14:24)

And I have never experienced any time in which any citizen of this state who has acted with decor and proper and manners has ever been denied the opportunity to express their desires and wishes in this body since I've been down here. President Murdoch, what purpose? I have a question for the

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (13:59)

have to vote before hearing Fort Smith. Thank you. We will have to, we have a, they have our opportunity, Sebastian County citizens, or any Arkansas, for that matter, to present themselves in this great hall and express their wishes, their desires, their concerns that face them on a daily basis.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (13:32)

We're meeting, the state agency is meeting at 2 o'clock this afternoon. And if they would like to be, to discuss the Senate bill, which is Senate bill 972, which we will be taking up at 2 o'clock this afternoon

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (12:32)

Since I'm not part of leadership, I am just a representative. But I would assume it would be the elected leadership of the Senate and of this House who makes those decisions based on what they feel that their body of both the House and the Senate could live with. Okay, thank

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (12:01)

And the map was actually drawn yesterday morning. You're correct at that. But the discussions have been taking place over two weeks, especially since when it became obvious that the Senate was not going to act on 1322, as we passed out of here two weeks ago. Can you clarify then, over the weekend,

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (11:44)

it was done over the weekend. Can you? The map was drawn yesterday morning based on discussions that has been taking place since Friday of last week in trying to reach some sort of an agreement that we could live with.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (10:56)

y'all have been involved in it for three weeks deeply, continuously and daily I would appreciate a good vote on House Bill 1836 and I would remind the members of this body that this is an effort of the leadership that the Senate and this body has elected to lead us. I would appreciate a good vote, and I will take a few questions if there's such.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (10:23)

that we have tried to work on due to the least amount of citizens that we can have over the .505 of one percent, one-half of one percent deviation that we feel is necessary to make it withstand any court challenges that may arise. We have managed to do this with a deviation. I appreciate y'all have listened to this for two months

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (9:33)

The exact same wording, the exact same map, the exact same deviations, and they will be sending it to us. They already sent it to us. we will be addressing that error in drafting with an amendment of our own to correct all of the deficiencies that we have found in this proposal. The deviation has been probably the most difficult part of the mathematical equation

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (8:56)

Those two townships can be and will be corrected in an amendment sent to the Senate this afternoon. The amendment has already been drafted and is ready to be sent to the Senate for their consideration in their committee meeting this afternoon. They have a similar bill that mirrors 1836, and that is Senate Bill 972 that passed out of the Senate yesterday.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (8:23)

So, ladies and gentlemen, members of this body, the map in front of you is the correct map. and its deviations are correct. However, there has been brought to our attention that between the map and the drafting of this bill, there was two precincts in Jefferson County inadvertently left out of the drafting of this bill.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (7:42)

if you would, if you would look at the map the map is correct the map in front of you is correct the deviations of each of these congressional districts they are correct there has been some maps put out on Facebook and web that is not correct They were proposals that were never engrossed. There were maps. We have drawn about a little over 400 maps trying to accommodate as many people as we could over the last two months.

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (7:11)

Well, leadership in both the House and the Senate put this bill together over the weekend, and the Senate has passed it out of their body. And they have sent it to us, and we will hear it this afternoon in the committee at 2 o'clock. there is one issue

Meeting — April 12, 2011 (6:40)

When we move 300 people out of one district or to another district, it changes all four districts. So we have to, it's a math problem. It's a mathematical problem of trying to create a map that will satisfy what we feel is the legal requirements of this bill and our obligation to the United States of America and to the Constitution of the state of Arkansas.