LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT/KARK) – A rule change in the Arkansas Senate chamber has sparked heavy backlash from the minority party.

Senate Republicans voted to block any member of the minority party from serving as vice chair of the committee, according to our content partner KARK.

This role becomes important when the president is not present at meetings and the task of chairing the committee meeting is left to the vice president.

Republican State Senator and Majority Leader Blake Johnson said Republicans argue it reflects the will of the voters who elected such overwhelming numbers of Republicans to the state Senate this term.

“They have a role in their membership role and their role as an equal member in the senate, but they are not supposed to be leading in terms of leadership as far as the citizens of Arkansas are concerned,” Johnson said.

Democratic Sen. Greg Leding said it would already be difficult for them to do that when the committee has only one Democrat with vice-chairmanship seniority.

Leding added that the change was punitive and unnecessary.

“This doesn’t do anything to make anything easier or more efficient, it’s really about further weakening an already very weak minority,” Leding said.

The motion passed by a vote of 20 to nine, with three Republicans also voting against it.

To read more about this story, go to: KARK’s website.

To report a typo or correction, please Click here.

Copyright 2024 KAIT. All rights reserved.