State Rep. David Meeks to Seek Re-Election

State Rep. David Meeks to Seek Re-Election

District 70 Representative Promises to Continue to Advocate for Fiscal Responsibility

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                
July 18, 2013                                
Conway, AR- David Meeks, State Representative from Conway announced today that he will be running for re-election to Arkansas House District 70, which covers parts of Faulkner and Perry Counties.

“After much prayer and discussion with family and supporters, I am excited to announce that I will be seeking a third term to the Arkansas House,” Meeks said.

“Last session we were able pass income tax relief for Arkansas families and made significant reforms to our Medicaid system.  It is critical that we continue that work. My promise is that I will continue to fight for hardworking Arkansas taxpayers and families.“

Meeks was the lead sponsor on Act 133, The Human Trafficking Act of 2013 which strengthened human trafficking laws in Arkansas.

Meeks currently serves as Chairman of Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs. He also serves on the Public Health Committee and the Arkansas Legislative Council.

Thank you!

I want to say Thank you to everyone for your support and for overwhelming voting to re-elect me as the Republican Nominee for District 70.

Thank you to those that prayed. Thank you to the many volunteers who waved a sign, went door to door or made a phone call.  Thank you to those who donated whatever amount they could.

Winning the primary gives us the momentum we need to win in November.  The stakes are now much higher and I am committed to working hard to make sure our conservative message gets to all the voters of District 70.

I hope you will join me as we continue to fight to make Arkansas a better place to work and live.

Here to Serve,
David Meeks

What My Opponent Hopes Conservatives Don't See

House District 70 Candidate Comparison

Issue	Rep David Meeks	Price Dooley
Gun Rights: NRA Grade	A (Solidly Pro-Gun)	D- (Anti-gun) (1)
Same Sex Domestic Partnerships, Civil Unions	Oppose	Undecided (2)
Blocking Obamacare	Sponsored Legislation/Voted multiple times against funding healthcare exchange	“There is nothing a state legislator can do, ultimately…” (3)
States Rights	Support: Co-sponsored resolution	Unsure.  See Above.
Military Service	Yes-Honorable Discharge	No
Endorsements	Arkansas Right to Life NRA
No Climate Tax Pledge (4)	Signed/ Record of voting against every tax and fee increase.	Not signed (As of  5/10/12)

In addition Price Dooley has voted in Democratic Primaries going back to at least 2004.  So the question he should answer is who did he vote for in 2008?  Barack Obama or Hilary Clinton?  Who did he vote for in 2010? Blanche Lincoln or Bill Halter?  Did he vote for Joyce Elliot for Congress?

If he is voting for the party will he continue to vote with the Democrats?  If he was voting values what values does he have common with all the liberals listed above?

 I have a solid conservative record in the legislature and I will continue to fight for hardworking Arkansas taxpayers.  I will remain focused on important issues like job creation, spending cuts, and working on comprehensive legislation to combat Human Trafficking.

I ask the voters of District 70 to reject the negative smear campaign being run by my opponent and vote to return a proven, solid conservative to the legislature.

As always, you may contact me at david.meeks@arkansashouse.org

References:

(1)   http://www.nrapvf.org/grades-endorsements/2012/arkansas.aspx?f=11308

(2)   http://arkansasvotersguide.com/index.asp?p=compare&Officesought=State+House&District=70

(3)   http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2012/may/06/battling-health-law-dispute-gop-2-20120506/

(4) http://noclimatetax.com

My Reaction to the AG's Opinion on the Contraception Mandate

Late yesterday the Attorney General issued an opinion on two questions I had concerning the contraception mandate.  You can find the complete opinion here:  http://ag.arkansas.gov/opinions/docs/2012-043.html

Here is the bottom line of that opinion: "Second, the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution requires that any valid federal law will override a conflicting state law. Accordingly, if the regulation is a valid federal law, then any conflicting state laws—whether they be regulatory, statutory, or constitutional—will be preempted"

This should bring concern to all Arkansans.  If Obamacare is upheld and we go forward with implementing the healthcare exchanges we will be subject to whatever regulations HHS puts into place regardless of whether it is good for Arkansas or is in line with our values.

I believe this latest mandate is an assault on not only our states rights but also on our religious freedoms and will work diligently to fight against it.

I stand with the majority of Arkansans who oppose this encroachment on our freedoms. I stand with Cardinal Dolan, Pastor Rick Bezet and the others of faith who have said they will not comply with this mandate.  I hope you will stand with us.

Here to Serve,
David Meeks

If at First You Don't Succeed: Healthcare Exchanges

“The governor has said before that he will not act unilaterally against those wishes [applying for a federal grant to set up a healthcare exchange], and he does not plan to change that stance,” Beebe spokesman Matt DeCample said."

The above statement was made on back on August.  Fast forward to just last week when the Governor says this:

"To that end, this past week, I endorsed  Arkansas' involvement in a Federal Exchange Partnership. This partnership will allow us to apply for the federal money that will permit us to meet our legal requirements using as little state funding as possible."

Yes, you read that right.  Governor Beebe is now moving forward with implementing as much of Obamacare as he possibly can despite a Supreme Court ruling that could come as early as mid-2012.  Here is a link to a news article on it: http://www.5newsonline.com/news/sns-ap-ar--healthoverhaul-arkansas,0,2036597.story

The Federal Exchange Partnership that is mentioned is nothing more then an end-around the legislature.  In fact, neither the Governor nor Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford testified before a legislative committee before pursuing this latest round of grant money.

According to what I have been told, the decision on the grant will be made sometime in early February.  This will need to be watched closely as the Fiscal Session starts in February and the money will need to be appropriated. 

Arkansans have overwhelmingly rejected Obamacare, yet the Governor continues to try to move forward with it.  

I will continue to fight for you.  Thank you once again for the opportunity to serve you.

If you any questions or comments, feel free to contact me:  david.meeks@arkansashouse.org

Promises Made, Promises Kept

One of the most important, if not most important thing a person can and should do is keep promises they have made.  In a day and age when people are disgruntled at those they have elected because of those officials not keeping their campaign promises, I looked back at the promises I made.  These promises are posted were posted on my previous website found here: http://whoisdavidmeeks.com/issues.html


Below is just a summary of the promises I made and kept.  As we go along, I will post more on my record.  If you have any questions about anything in particular, feel free to contact me:  dmeeks72@gmail.com

Create Jobs by Cutting Taxes

□  Co-sponsored the Capital Gains Tax Reduction, the Grocery Tax Cut, and the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday.  Also supported the reduction in the Used Car Sales Tax.

□  Fought against an increase in the severance tax which threatened to cost jobs in the natural gas industry.

□ Voted against every tax or fee increase.

Curb Spending and the Growth in Government

□  Voted against the state budget, which increased state spending by over $80 million.

□  Supported the Online Checkbook Bill, which will bring greater transparency to state spending.

Protecting State’s Rights

□  Sponsored HB1053- Healthcare Freedom Act (To protect Arkansans from being forced to purchase health insurance)

□  Co-Sponsored HCR1010- Claiming State’s Rights Under the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

Family/Life

□  Co-sponsored SB113, An Act To Prohibit Health Insurance Exchange Policies From Offering Coverage For Abortions Except Thru a Separate Rider.

Gun Rights

□  Supported several Pro-Gun bills such as the Arkansas Firearms Freedom Act.

Week in Review at the Capitol- March 18th

Sorry, I didn't post about the week of March 11th. Here is a very good post about what happened that week from Laurie Masterson: http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-picked-wrong-week.html

Now onto the week ending March 18th...

After weeks of dancing between an assortment of proposed tax cuts, House and Senate members came together like a good old fashioned do-si-do, announcing a deal to cut $35 million in taxes for Arkansans. From striking a deal on tax cuts to passing prison reform legislation, lawmakers did plenty of heavy lifting during week ten of the legislative session.

Earmarks didn’t stand a chance in the Arkansas House when members kicked off an eventful week, voting to reject appropriation bills that would have funded local pet projects for lawmakers. Rather than continuing an irresponsible state earmark practice, we opted to use this money from the General Improvement Fund to enhance the state overall.

A measure to toughen laws on sex offenders was passed by the full House on Monday. If approved by the Senate, the bill will prevent Level 3 or Level 4 sex offenders from working in organizations where children sixteen and under and present, such as daycares.

A bill to increase the severance tax on the natural gas industry was withdrawn this week after facing a swarm of opposition from concerned citizens and legislators. The tax increase would have killed jobs and crippled one of Arkansas’ most valuable industries.

In an effort to reduce escalating prison costs and curb inmate overpopulation, on Wednesday the House passed a measure to initiate positive reform in our state prison system. When signed into law, the bill will lessen sentencing for some non-violent offenses, expand alternative sentencing programs and potentially save the state $875 million over the next decade. Although we took a step in the right direction, our work as lawmakers to improve our state prison system is far from over.

If you want less of something, tax it. Unfortunately for Arkansans, midweek Democrat Senators on the Revenue and Tax Committee voted to block House Bill 1002, the Capital Gains Reduction Act, from reaching the full Senate floor for consideration. The bill, which passed the House with bi-partisan support, would have exempted new investments made in Arkansas after July 1, 2011 from the 4.9 percent capital gains tax. Arkansas’ high capital gains tax is hindering entrepreneurial spirit from materializing in the state. Reducing the capital gains tax would have unleashed Arkansas potential to become an engine for job creation and a magnet for business development.

Over the course of the legislative session, ten tax cuts have been proposed by House and Senate members. After mounting pressure from conservative lawmakers to hold the line on state spending and provide tax relief to Arkansans, six tax cuts totaling $35 million were agreed upon Thursday by both chambers and the Governor. The variety of tax cuts, three from the House and three from the Senate, include, a back to school sales tax holiday, single parent tax cut, an increased tax credit for ecotourism, tax cuts on used cars and manufacturers’ utilities, and a half-cent reduction in the grocery tax. By reducing the $109 million spending increase in Governor Beebe’s proposed 2012 budget, House and Senate members were able to decrease revenue flowing into state coffers to cut taxes and protect the pocketbooks of Arkansans.

Beginning July 2012, natural state citizens will be given an “online checkbook” to track state spending and monitor how your tax dollars are being spent. The measure, advocated by Lt. Governor Mark Darr, was signed into law Thursday and will undoubtedly enhance transparency in government and encourage public input as to how our state spends your money.

What to watch for:

It looks like this is finally the week the Democrats will try to push thru bills that will allow Obamacare to be implemented here in Arkansas. Late on Friday, Representative Hyde-(D) amended HB2138 to include language that will allow the state to implement the unpopular and job-killing Obamacare. You can view the language of the amendment here: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Amendments/HB2138-H1.pdf

State Senator Johnny Key released the first of many congressional redistricting proposals this week. Keep in mind, the Legislature is charged with redrawing Arkansas’ four congressional district using 2010 Census data. Expect to see additional bills surface in the remaining days of the session.

The state of Arkansas currently owes the federal government an estimated $330 million in unemployment benefits. Arkansas is one of thirty states to borrow federal money to compensate for the number of individuals collecting unemployment benefits. Two Senate bills addressing this debt are currently en route to the Arkansas House.

With only three weeks left before the House is scheduled to recess, I will continue to work tirelessly to represent your views and values for a better, more competitive Arkansas. From Capitol Hill to our community, my top priories have always been to responsibly cut taxes for all Arkansans, promote job creation, protect Arkansas families and move our state forward.

As your Representative, I am honored to serve you in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. My email is david.meeks@arkansashouse.org

I also encourage you to visit www.arkansashouse.org where you can view live-stream committee meetings and proceedings happening on the House floor from anywhere in the state.

Week in Review at the State Capitol- February 25th

What do you get when you cross wild hogs with tax cuts and the Second Amendment? If you guessed week seven of the 88th General Assembly, then you’re correct.

House members began an eventful week on President’s Day, which since 2001, is also recognized as Daisy Gatson Bates Day in Arkansas. We passed a resolution to honor the life and legacy of Bates, who worked as a civil rights leader and advisor to the “Little Rock Nine” as they integrated Central High School in 1957.

A government mandate to require Arkansans to buckle up in the back seat of a vehicle failed to pass the House on Tuesday with a vote of 34-57. House Bill 1356 is an unnecessary intrusion into the private lives of Arkansans, and would have established a $25 fee for adults caught not wearing a seat belt in the back seat.

A tax cut trio is en route to the Arkansas House, after the full Senate passed three measures on Tuesday. Senator Gilbert Baker's Senate Bill 274, a used car tax reduction which raises the exemption on used car sales from $2,500 to $5,000. Senator Bill Sample's Senate Bill 275, a manufacturers' utility tax cut which cuts the sales tax manufacturers pay on natural gas and electricity from 3.25 percent to 2.75 percent. Senator Larry Teague's Senate Bill 276, a grocery tax reduction which cuts the sales tax on groceries by a half-cent.

A bill designed to create a sales tax holiday for the purpose of back to school shopping was approved Wednesday by the Arkansas House with a 90-3 vote. Rep. Matthew Shepherd’s House Bill 1369 would exempt items such as clothing and school supplies from state sales tax the first weekend of August every year. Establishing a tax-free weekend for school shopping will allow working families, teachers and school districts to save money and better provide for students. Most surrounding states already have a similar tax-free weekend in effect. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Tax cuts will help transform our state into an economic engine for business growth and private sector job creation. In the coming weeks, the Arkansas House and Senate will negotiate which tax cuts to send to the Governor’s office to sign. What’s crucial to remember is cutting taxes does not translate into cutting essential services. Any tax cut measure passed by each chamber and approved by the Governor will be spent from the administration’s projected 2.5 percent growth in state spending. Instead of increasing state spending, we need to cut taxes and stimulate economic development.

Meanwhile, the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs House Committee has begun to review about a dozen proposals for constitutional amendments. The General Assembly is allowed to refer up to three measures to the 2012 ballot for voters to consider. One notable amendment is by Senator Jason Rapert, which would require a 75 percent majority of both legislative chambers to pass a tax increase. Most taxes, including the sales tax, can be raised with only a 51 percent majority. However, the income tax and some other taxes already require a 75 percent majority.

The House State Agencies Committee also considered a bill by Rep. Jon Hubbard Wednesday which would deny state benefits to illegal immigrants except in emergencies. This is a bill I fully supported. Unfortunately after hours of debate, the bill failed in committee with a party line vote of eight Democrats voting no and 9 Republicans voting yes.

While a thunderstorm was brewing outside the Capitol on Thursday, inside lawmakers passed a resolution to finish legislative work by April 1 and return for a “sine die” on April 27. A “sine die” is the final adjournment of the legislative session. We have a number of critical issues to tackle in the final five weeks of the session including highway funding, prison reform and congressional redistricting.

A Senate bill to strengthen Second Amendment rights was passed Thursday in the Arkansas House. The measure prevents cities or counties from taking up guns in case of emergency declared by the governor.

On Thursday, we passed a measure making it illegal to release a hog into the wild. Violators would face a $1,000 fine. Supporters of the bill say Arkansas’ wild hog population has exploded in recent years, which is ironic seeing as though we live in “Razorback Country.”

What to watch for:

· House Speaker Robert Moore revealed a $2.8 billion highway program which includes a proposal to raise the state diesel tax by 5 cents a gallon and another proposal to impose a temporary half-cent sales tax. According to the proposal, the diesel tax would be referred to voters in a special election next year while the half-cent sales tax increase would be placed on the November 2012 general election ballot.

Since commencing the session in January, lawmakers in the Arkansas House of Representatives have filed 607 bills as of Friday afternoon. Only 146 bills from the Legislature have been signed into law by Governor Beebe. The deadline to file bills is Monday, March 7.

As your Representative, I am honored to serve you in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. My email is david.meeks@arkansashouse.org

I also encourage you to visit www.arkansashouse.org where you can watch committee meetings and proceedings happening on the House floor from anywhere in the state

The Week in Review at the State Capital

Wintry weather and record snowfall didn’t prevent the House chamber from heating up week five of the legislative session. From tax cuts to sports agents and snowball fights, House members wasted no time in getting down to business.

After observing “Ronald Reagan Day” Sunday, the full House convened and as expected passed the highly publicized ethics reform legislation. House Bill 1284 will implement a one year “cooling off” period before lawmakers can become lobbyists, and remodel legislative travel policy to be more cost efficient. We also passed the senate version of the Ethics Reform Bill on Thursday. When ethics reform is signed into law, we will be the first Assembly to ever place limitations on our behavior during and after we serve the people of this great state. While this is a start, I will continue to push for a longer "cooling off" period.

Also on Monday, we passed a bill requiring sex offenders to register all electronic information, such as online social networking accounts, with local law enforcement. The bill is now headed to the Senate.

Tuesday we passed House Bill 1211, which adds spina bifida and Down syndrome to the list of conditions named in our state law defining “mental or physical impairment.” This clarification will remove roadblocks for Arkansans applying for developmental disability services.

A bill designed to create a sales tax holiday for the purpose of back to school shopping was filed Tuesday by Rep. Matthew Shepherd. House Bill 1369 would provide economic relief to Arkansans by reducing the cost of school-related items. The measure would exempt clothing and accessories, school and art supplies and instructional materials from state sales tax the first weekend of August every year. If approved by both chambers and signed by the Governor, Arkansas families would enjoy the benefits of tax-free school shopping as early as August 2011. I fully intend to support this beneficial piece of legislation when it reaches the full House floor.

As snow began to blanket the State Capitol Wednesday, House members moved full steam ahead and passed the Athlete Agent Reform Act by Rep. David Sanders, which increases the charge for sports agents who unlawfully give money or gifts to student athletes.

House members also passed a bill that would help to prohibit public employees from “double dipping,” or receiving salary and retirement benefits simultaneously. Rep. Allen Kerr’s House Bill 1018 would define “terminate” under eligibility requirements in the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System. Therefore, a public employee would no longer be able to cheat the system and take themselves off payroll to fabricate termination before returning to work. “Double dipping” is nothing more than unprincipled politics as usual and I am proud to be a part of its termination!

Lawmakers in the House and Senate filed 25 constitutional amendments by Wednesday’s deadline. These amendments must first be passed by the Legislature and then referred to the 2012 ballot for Arkansas voters to approve. Most of the 25 amendments are “shells,” meaning they lack content, but can be amended later to include details.

Also on Wednesday, Rep. Ann Clemmer filed House Joint Resolution 1005 which requires that 35 percent of the Arkansas Lottery’s proceeds be used for scholarships. Currently, only 22 percent is used to provide college scholarships to Arkansas students. More money equals more scholarships for students!

The full House passed a measure on Thursday that would require local law enforcement agencies to also notify the Arkansas State Police when a child is missing. This will guarantee information is communicated in a timely manner so that missing children are found quickly.

What to watch for:

· U.S. Census data for Arkansas was released this past week, which means the Legislature will begin to propose options for congressional redistricting soon. Early results indicate that 39 out of our 75 counties lost population. Thirty-seven of those counties are located in the first and fourth congressional districts. I will keep you updated on redistricting developments as the session progresses.

· Tax cut proposals will continue to surface in the House and Senate Committees on Revenue and Taxation next week. On the House side, look for Rep. Shepherd’s Back to School Tax Holiday (HB 1369), Rep. Lane Jean’s bill to decrease the sales tax on natural gas and electricity for manufacturers (HB 1052), and Rep. Ed Garner’s Arkansas Capital Gains Reduction Act of 2011 (HB 1002).

As your Representative, I am honored to serve you in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. My email is david.meeks@arkansashouse.org

I also encourage you to visit http://www.arkansashouse.org where you can view live stream committee meetings and proceedings happening on the House floor from anywhere in the state.

Remembering President Reagan

One of my earliest memories is that of watching Ronald Reagan get elected in 1980. I can remember the hope that he brought to a nation, but more importantly of his belief in the people of America to overcome whatever issue or problem it faced.

If I had to pick one person who was the biggest influence on me politically, it would be without a doubt President Reagan. He showed me that you could hold an office and still stand on your principles.

Thank you President Reagan for all that you did for your country, and for being such a great example to a young boy. Your legacy lives on in me and many other people around the country.

Below is a few of my favorite quotes from Ronald Reagan as well as two of my favorite speeches:

The American dream is not that every man must be level with every other man. The American dream is that every man must be free to become whatever God intends he should become.

They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right

Mankind's best defense against tyranny and want is limited government--a government which empowers its people, not itself, and which respects the wit and bravery, the initiative, and the generosity of the people. For, above all, human rights are rights of individuals: rights of conscience, rights of choice, rights of association, rights of emigration, rights of self-directed action, and the right to own property. The concept of a nation of free men and women linked together voluntarily is the genius of the system our Founding Fathers established.

Why is the Constitution of the United States so exceptional?... Just three words: We the people. In... other constitutions, the Government tells the people of those countries what they are allowed to do. In our Constitution, we the people tell the Government what it can do

I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts.

We can leave our children with an unrepayable massive debt and a shattered economy, or we can leave them liberty in a land where every individual has the opportunity to be whatever God intended us to be. All it takes is a little common sense and recognition of our own ability. Together we can forge a new beginning for America

Our friends in the other party will never forgive us for our success, and are doing everything in their power to rewrite history. Listening to the liberals, you'd think that the 1980s were the worst period since the Great Depression, filled with suffering and despair. I don't know about you, but I'm getting awfully tired of the whining voices from the White House these days. They're claiming there was a decade of greed and neglect, but you and I know better than that. We were there.

Click on the link to view an extensive list of Reagan Quotes: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/838536/posts