LITTLE ROCK – The Senate voted to create a new and sustainable property insurance plan to help school districts meet the rising cost of property insurance.

Senate Bill 481 is the result of two years of work by legislators, school administrators and state officials. Two years ago the governor and legislators agreed to help schools pay for about 30 percent of the cost of increased premiums, noting that on average the cost of property insurance for schools was rising at an average of 130 percent a year.

The sponsor of SB 481, when presenting the bill before a Senate committee, said that some schools had experienced “staggering” increases of 180 to 200 percent in the cost of insurance premiums.

SB481 will create a captive insurance plan, administered by the state, which will combine the participants in three current plans. The larger risk pool will allow more efficient management of costs and risks. The goal is to have the plan in operation by July 1, and savings could be as much as $15 million in the first year.

The legislature will consider a separate funding bill that will capitalize the new insurance program with about $136 million.

In other news, the House of Representatives approved a bill to extend coverage from 60 days to a year for women on Medicaid who have a baby. In nationwide studies of maternal health care, Arkansas ranks near the bottom. 

According to state Medicaid officials, during a three-month period last year 39 percent of women on Medicaid lost their coverage after 60 days.

Public health experts say that providing coverage for 12 months will improve the health of both the baby and the mother. One reason is that it eliminates concerns the mother may have about paying for visits to the doctor.

In other news the Senate approved legislation intended to preserve order and dignity in women’s restrooms, changing rooms and sleeping quarters where they have traditionally enjoyed privacy and safety. It is SB 486. If a woman enters a restroom and encounters someone of the opposite sex, she would be able to sue the shelter or facility.

The bill would not apply if the person of the opposite sex was cleaning or doing maintenance, responding to a medical emergency or a natural disaster or performing law enforcement duties.

The Senate also approved SB 426 to enhance criminal penalties against illegal aliens who commit a violent offense. The enhancement depends on the severity of the felony. An illegal alien convicted of a Class A, Class B or Class C felony would receive an additional 10 years to their prison sentence. The enhanced sentence for a Class D felony would be four years.

Two years ago lawmakers passed Act 689 to require social media companies to verify the age of users, and to impose fines when social media companies fail to do so. It was blocked by lawsuits, however. 

This year, SB 611 has been filed to give parents greater control over their children’s Internet usage. Also, SB 612 would allow lawsuits against social media companies that encourages use of drugs, self harm, suicidal behavior or eating disorders.