The Pine Bluff City Council on Monday will consider an Alderwoman Irene Holcomb-sponsored resolution calling for the city to support a proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Holcomb’s legislation, if adopted, would authorize the city to join “other communities around the country” in an effort to have the constitution amended “to defend democracy” by ensuring “only human beings, not corporations, have constitutionally protected free speech rights.” In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that corporations have the same free speech rights as human beings, according to the resolution.
Holcomb’s measure states that humans “have and should continue to be valued more and enjoy greater inalienable and constitutional free speech rights than corporations, business associations or unions.” It also reads that “money is not speech and should be able to be constitutionally regulated as regarding political contributions and its use in political campaigns by candidates on other entities attempting to influence political decisions or votes.”
If approved, the resolution will be forwarded to Arkansas’ state and federal legislators to request them to support and advance such an amendment.
Four ordinances are scheduled for third and final readings. They call for the closing of:
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
• The alley between Cherry and Linden streets and Seventh and Eighth avenues.
• A portion of Parker Avenue.
• Part of Cottonwood Street and all of Cottonwood Circle.
• Part of North, South and West Belair drives and Belle Meade Drive.
Two ordinances are slated for second readings. They call for:
• Amending the city’s code of ordinances respecting fencing and screening requirements for automobile salvage, wrecking or junk yards; establishing a grace period for such establishments to come into compliance with city regulations; and providing for a penalty for violations.
• Providing for the rezoning of a property site at 38th Avenue and Ohio Street to a Residential Planned Unit Development classification.
An ordinance calling for the closing of a portion of the alley between West 13th Avenue and Lee Street is to receive its first reading.
Also on the agenda are two additional resolutions, one directing the city clerk to publish notice of a public hearing on the immediately aforementioned ordinance, and a standard declaration of certain houses, buildings and/or other structures as nuisances and ordering their abatement.
The council meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Monday, following a combined meeting of the public safety and public works committees at 3, and separate meetings of the ordinances and resolutions and ways and means committees at 5.