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Legislative History

School Funding. Worker’s Compensation.
Protecting Small Businesses. Energy Cost Savings.

Click here to read the
official State Senate biography
of Denny Altes. [PDF]

These are just a few of the issues advocated by Denny Altes.

Over the years Denny Altes has been the sponsor or co-sponsor of a number of bills covering a wide range of issues. Denny Altes has served on almost every legislative committee and served as member, vice-chair or chairman of fifteen committees.

Legislation Passed
Below is a list of bills that passed that were authored, sponsored or carried by Denny Altes. You can also see a list of bills co-sponsored by Denny Altes over the years. [More...]

Legislative History

YEAR	BILL #	DESCRIPTION
2001	HB1731	ALLOWED DHS TO RECOUP OVERPAYMENTS TO ESTATES AND NURSING HOMES
	HB1733	PROTECTS THE PROPERTY & PERSONAL EFFECTS OF RESIDENTS OF NURSING HOMES
	HB1743	OSTEOPATHIC BILL- BEFORE THIS OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS WERE TREATED LIKE CHIROPRACTORS IN THE LAW. THIS BILL GAVE THE OSTEOPATHIC PHYSICIANS THE SAME RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES AS M.D.'S AFTER THEY PASS THE BOARDS.
	HB1639	ALLOWS VOLUNTARY PAYMENTS TO BUY DOWN YOUR SUDA UNEMPLOYMENT RATE
	HB1591	LOWERS TAXES ON CIGARETTES TO GET THE BORDER CITY RATE EXEMPTION
	HB1059	BROADENED THE BORDER CITY EXEMPTION ON MOTOR FUEL AND GASOLINE

2003	SB57	AMERICAN HERITAGE-ALLOWS TEACHERS TO USE ANY ARTICLE OF HISTORY TO READ OR DISPLAY TO THE CLASS. YOU CAN READ A SERMON PREACHED BY AN OLD PRESIDENT. ANY PRAYER PRAYED IN THE CONGRESS OR CAPITAL, ANY ITEM OF HISTORY RELIGIOUS OR OTHERWISE. YOU CAN PREACH A SERMON AND GIVE ITS HISTORY
	SB54	REQUIRES ABC TO NOTIFY THE CITY WHEN AN AUDIT ASSESSES MORE TAXES ON ALCOHOL
	SB55	ADOPTS FEDERAL GUIDELINES ON HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
	SB60	REPEALED THE ESTATE TAX
	SB859	EXPANDED THE FT. SMITH LANDFILL LIFE TO 30 YEARS
	SB858	ESTABLISHED THE ARK-OK DISTRICT FAIR
	SB565	EXPANDED ALL STATE JUDICIAL LAWS TO EXTEND TO ALL AREAS OF A CITY
	SB265	INTRACTABLE PAIN - SET UP A PAIN COMMITTEE THAT WILL WORK W/DOCTORS REPRIMANDED FOR OVERPRESCRIBING RATHER THAN LOSING THEIR LICENSE NEEDLESSLY. SET UP A OPTION OF REVIEW FOR DOCTORS BY DOCTORS.

2005	SB1091	GUARANTEED ENERGY COST SAVINGS ACT - ALL STATE AGENCIES CAN HAVE ENERGY AUDITS AND THEN CONTRACT WITH A COMPANY WHO WILL SAVE THEM MONEY ON THEIR ENERGY COSTS. THE CONTRACT WILL BE WRITTEN THAT THE COMPANY WILL GUARANTEE THE SAVINGS AND COST OF THE CONTRACT. UAF IS IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THESE CONTRACTS TO SAVE $70 MILLION.
	SB1092	CONSTRUCTION MGT. - SET UP THE PROCEDURES TO RFPs & RFQs AND HIRE A MANAGER RATHER THAN 'HARD BID' A CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. UAF & UAMS HAVE USED THIS PROCESS TO SAVE MILLIONS AND BUILD $100 OF MILLIONS OF BUILDINGS.
	SB1093	DESIGN BUILD - FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS SETS UP PROCEDURE FOR RFPs AND RFQs TO HIRE A DESIGN ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER TO BUILD THE BUILDING
	SB1095	ENERGY COST SAVING CONTRACTS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS - DIFFERENT LAWS GOVERN SCHOOL PROCUREMENT SO THIS IS ONLY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
	SB1164	ETHICS IN PROCUREMENT - SEVERAL SCHOOLS WERE GETTING AROUND THE BID PROCESS FOR BUYING EQUIPMENT.
	SB1177	CLARIFIES THAT THE PAIN MANAGEMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE WAS TO REVIEW ANY ALLEGATIONS OF IMPROPER PRESCRIBING BY PHYSICIANS.
	SB12	SET UP TO ASSURE POST CLOSING LANDFILL FUNDS WERE USED SOLELY FOR THAT PURPOSE
	SB210	RAISED PENALTIES FOR LITTER
	SB236	REQUIRES INSURERS OF CLAIMS TO REPORT THEIR INTENT TO SETTLE CLAIMS
	SB368	REVISES WORKERS COMP TAX PROCEDURES, REQUIRES CASUALTY INSURERS TO MAINTAIN ACCIDENT PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN ORDER TO WRITE WORKERS COMP. REQUIRES PUBLIC EMPLOYEES CLAIMS DIVISION TO PAY TAX. REPEALS LARGE PORTION OF THE OLD LAW
	SB369	OMNIBUS BILL INSURANCE - MAJOR UPDATING OF THE INSURANCE CODE REWRITING THE CODE TO CONFORM WITH NATIONAL AND OTHER STATES AROUND US. LOT OF TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. BILL WAS HUGE.
	SB859	LIMITS TOW TRUCKS FROM CARRYING CARS ACROSS STATE LINES AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, REMOVING EVIDENCE.
	SB925	ALLOWS ALTERNATIVE PURCHASING FOR CITIES EXCEEDING DESIGN BUILD CONSTRUCTION MGT. OF $2M.

2007	SB55	ADMINISTRATIVE RULES THAT IMPACT SMALL BUSINESS. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ASKED ME TO CARRY THIS BILL. BEFORE ANY RULE CHANGE BY ANY AGENCY CAN BE IMPLEMENTED A STUDY MUST BE DONE TO SEE IF THE RULE CAN BE CHANGED TO HELP SMALL BUSINESS WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE OBJECTIVE OF THE RULE, IF IT AFFECTS SMALL BUSINESS THEN AN IMPACT STATEMENT MUST ACCOMPANY THE RULE TO THE DIRECTOR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
	SB182	MANDATED BLINDER RACKS ON PORNO MAGAZINES AT BOOKSTORES
	SB985	FIREFIGHTERS AT 188TH ALLOWED TO SELL THEIR LEAVE TIME WHEN THEY RETIRE.
	SB967	TOWING AND RECOVERY BOARD - UPDATES THE CODE ON NON-CONSENT
	SB969	TOWING AND RULES CONCERNING TOWING AND RECOVERY AND STORAGE

2009	SB217	REQUIRES DRUG TESTING ON MAJOR ACCIDENTS, WE HAD A CONSTITUENT KILLED BY A METH DRIVER WHO WALKED FREE. 6 AGENCIES WERE INVOLVED IN COORDINATING THIS EFFORT. SHERIFFS ASSOC. CORONERS OFFICE, STATE POLICE, ATTORNEY GENERALS OFFICE, ARK. CRIME LAB, GOVERNORS OFFICE ALL IN MY OFFICE AT THE SAME TIME. [More...]
	SB218	EXEMPTS CASH SURRENDER VALUE OF A LIFE INSURANCE POLICY FROM CLAIMS OF CREDITORS UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. [More...]
	SB401	ALLOWS USE OF RAINWATER FOR NON-POTABLE USE. ARVEST HAD BUILT A LEED (GREEN) BANK IN FAYETTEVILLE AND THE HEALTH DEPT. WOULD NOT LET THEM USE RAINWATER FOR FLUSHING THE POTTY. WE FIXED IT. [More...]
	SB896	SCHOOL FUNDING - CORRECT COUNTY MISAPPLICATION OF FUNDS
	SB5	MANUFACTURING UTILITY SALES TAX REDUCTION (TOM DUNCAN) CAME TO LR TO TESTIFY AND OUT OF THE MEETING SEVERAL OF US CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO REPEAL THE TAX OF MANUFACTURING UTILITIES. [More...]
	SB9	HISTORIC STRUCTURES TAX CREDIT FOR REHABILITATION. [More...]

2011	SB 345, Act 304	Prescription Drug Monitoring- For the last four sessions I was the only one that carried a similar bill to keep dangerous prescription drugs off the street. Ft Smith Police say over a hundred people a year die of OD on prescription drugs. Every state around us has had this for years, so you know where they were coming to buy their drugs.
	HB 1369, Act 757	Sales Tax Holiday- I have been carrying a similar bill since 2003. All the border states have this back to school holiday and so the other states were getting the revenue from our Merchants and our state. This will stop the bleeding and increase Income Tax ( as well as income for our merchants.)
	SB 276, Act 755	Grocery Tax Repeal- I was the only one carrying this since Sen Canada retired (2003) The Governor finally made it a Campaign pledge and we are getting it done. Ar is one of only five states that have a grocery tax.
	SB 275, Act 754	Manufacturers Utility Tax Repeal- Arkansas cannot afford to spend as much money as other states do to buy jobs. We have to be creative and competitive. This came about as a visit from Tom Duncan (plant mgr of Norton-Alcoa, St Gobain) who testified before my committee about the unfair tax burden we have on Manufacturers and how they can't compete with other states. This too became a Governors Campaign pledge so we are getting it done.
	SB 766, Act 1203	Higher Education Funding Formula- We are next to last in funding per student, Since we became a four year school, we have been treated like a hybrid or mutant and we haven't received the full funding to compete with the other four year schools. Maybe this will help us to get the same funding per student as the other four year schools get.
	HB 1953, Act 1046	Impoundment of Uninsured Vehicles - Too many people are driving without insurance. This law will allow police to impound a vehicle if they habitually run without insurance. This will put more teeth in the law to be able to enforce it.

I am proud to currently be serving on the following committees:

Joint Budget Committee
Joint Budget Committee - Pre-Fiscal Session Budget Hearings
Joint Budget Committee Fiscal Session Budget Hearings
JBC-Claims
Energy - Joint
Public Transportation - House
Public Transportation - House Public Transportation and Rail Subcommittee
City, County, and Local Affairs Committee - House
City, County, and Local Affairs - House Planning Subcommittee
Non-Voting: Insurance and Commerce - House
Alternate: Legislative Joint Auditing - Educational Institutions

Questions? Comments? Send Denny an email by clicking here.
"Your questions and comments are important to me and I welcome the opportunity to discuss issues that are important to you.
Together we can make a difference!"

State Capitol
Week in Review

Jan 20, 2012

While we are still reviewing budget requests for the upcoming fiscal session, one thing has become abundantly clear...[More...]

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