Northwest Arkansas Area Lobby Day a Great Success!

Several of our members from the northwest corner of the state made their way past all the fallen trees limbs to Little Rock yesterday for a very successful first Lobby Day of the 2009 legislative session!  Representatives of the OMNI Center, the Hispanic Women's Organization, and the Arkansas Support Network attended along with a group of college students.

Over breakfast, they were given a brief legislative overview of top issues, including: the tobacco tax increase to support a state-wide trauma system and improved health care, legislation to improve energy efficiency, proposals to limit services to immigrants, and more.  After a short introduction into the political process, the group walked to the Capitol to witness several legislative committees in action.  Outside the House Judiciary Committee hearing room, the group met with Rep. Jim House, District 89, Fayetteville, who was pleased to see such a large delegation from his part of the state expressing their views on these hot topics.

After lunch, the group returned to the Capitol to lobby their legislators, meeting with Representatives Lindsley Smith (Dist. 92, Fayetteville), Les Carnine (Dist. 94, Rogers), Mary Lou Slinkard (Dist. 100, Gravette), Debra Hobbs (Dist. 96, Rogers) and Duncan Baird (Dist. 95, Lowell).  Reps. Hobbs and Baird were kind enough to include the group in a photo session, followed by a tour of the Capitol.  All in all, a very successful day in an effort to bring balance to the political process in Arkansas!