Arkansas Home Builders Association

United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposing special rule under Endangered Species Act (ESA) to provide maximum benefit to northern long-eared bat. January 16, 2015 – proposal appeared in Federal Register opening 60 day public comment period March 17, 2015 – final day public comments accepted April 2, 2015 – final decision due by USFWS Final Decision options List species as endangered List species as threatened List species as threatened with 4(d) rule Withdrawal the proposal Conservation Measures if Rule put into effect: Local Ecological Services Field Office (USFWS – Conway) to determine specific locations of “known hibernacula” and “known maternity roosts” Locations will be informed by records in each State's Natural Heritage database, Service records, other databases, or other survey efforts Hibernacula Buffer Zone – 0.25 Mile Radius (128 acres) Buffer will provide basic protection for the hibernacula and hibernating bats in winter from direct impacts, such as fi...

By Robert Dietz on April 7, 2015 • ( 0 ) The number of open, unfilled construction sector positions increased noticeably in February. Overall, the construction labor market has been characterized by relatively higher levels of turnover over the last few months, with an increase in hiring and quits at the end of 2014 and an upward trend in job openings. According to the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) and NAHB analysis, the number of open construction sector jobs for February (on a seasonally adjusted basis) increased to 166,000 from an upwardly revised count of 137,000 in January. The February 2015 estimate of unfilled construction jobs is the highest total since July of 2007. On a three-month moving average basis, the open position rate for the construction sector increased slightly to 2.27% in February. Over the last year, the open construction jobs rate has typically been higher than the rates that...

This month honestly just flew by and as I look back on noted items in my calendar it doesn’t seem like I have that much to report.  However, the truth of the matter is I was so busy watching and worrying about the bills being filed affecting our industry that I have not had the “ in office” time to log some of my activities.  To recap I spent just about every day in March at the capitol representing the brand of AHBA if not for this session preparing the foundation for future sessions.  Now, to somehow convey how that may occur let me just state in one confined paragraph a summation of March introductions. The business relationship between Kenny Hall, Randy Zook at state chamber has been awesome for the AHBA.  Met with Lt. Gov Tim Griffin and his Executive assistant Kelsi Bodine to exchange updated contact information since my employment with Entergy.  I will get on his calendar later this year.  Same with Senator Jason Rapert and wi...

The 90 th General Assembly is officially in recess until sine die on or before May 8.  The session came in like a lion with the Governor pushing hard for his tax cut legislation and went out like a lion with our legislature making national news on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  We dodged camera crews, reporters and protestors all week! We won’t go into all the details surrounding this piece of legislation, but the end result was a new bill, SB975 , that Governor Hutchinson immediately signed into law.  This new legislation is a compromise between all parties and mimics Federal law. The legislature approved three proposed constitutional amendments that will be referred to the voters in the 2016 election.  You will find these listed below with links to the content of the resolutions: HJR1027 - An Amendment to the Arkansas Constitution Concerning the Terms, Election and Eligibility of Elected Officials SJR 3 – An Amendment to t...

AHBA Members Let me kick off February report by thanking all Executive Officers helping me at the state association learn the task necessary to perform this job.  Please know I will continue to lean on each of you and “yes” ask basic elementary questions.  Please know I have attempted to write this report at least five times starting the first of March.  However, the current state of legislative issues have literally consumed my time.  Friday or Monday each have been receiving an Legislative update so for the most part I will not repeat what has already been written.  The latest is HB1158 is sort of not going anywhere.  HB2001 has been written to sort of override that bill and it is just as bad or worse.  I will speak against this bill.  There is a new bill HB1729 that is approximately 37 pages long which outlines each agency and when that agency needs to come before a review committee.  In other words our licensing boa...