LITTLE ROCK - Senator Tracy Steele of North Little Rock has been named Assistant President Pro Tem of the Arkansas Senate for the 87th General Assembly.
In his leadership position, Steele will work with the President Pro Tem, Senator Bob Johnson of Bigelow, on developing policies, writing them into legislation and then getting the legislation approved by the entire General Assembly.
"I'm deeply humbled by this appointment," Steele said. "It's a position in which the President must have absolute trust and tremendous confidence."
"As soon as I got the news, I rolled up my sleeves and started preparing for some long days of work, because it's common knowledge that the Senate leadership has an ambitious agenda for the 2009 session," Steele said.
Establishing a state lottery is high on the Senate agenda. As authorized by voters who approved a constitutional amendment last fall, the legislature will decide how often to hold the lottery and the amounts of prizes. Equally important, the legislature will determine the extent of the expanded college scholarship program, which will be paid for with revenue from the lottery.
"There is a growing consensus that we need to make more students eligible, while also increasing scholarship amounts," Steele said. "In other words, we want to expand both needs-based and merit-based scholarships."
Finding a source of revenue for a statewide trauma system will be another priority for the Senate leadership, Steele said. He is vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor and will sponsor legislation to expand a broad array of health care, as well as to create and fund the trauma system.
In addition to their focus on scholarships and health care, Senate leaders will continue to work on improvements in public schools, Steele said.
"Arkansas is in a uniquely favorable position," Steele said. "We've been able to bring education to a constitutionally adequate level, and now we're well positioned to work toward excellence."
Steele said he wanted to strengthen pre-kindergarten programs because of their proven long-term benefits, he said.
"Research clearly shows that children who begin kindergarten behind their peers have an extremely difficult time catching up, and most of them are still behind when their class graduates from high school," Steele said.
Steele sees stronger pre-K programs as an integral part of the state's efforts to increase college graduation rates.
"You can't separate education into separate components. We have to provide our young people with more opportunities to earn a college degree, and that starts when they are three and four years old. If they are going to succeed in college they have to be academically prepared, and that preparatory stage begins when they are young," Steele said.
A priority for many legislators is economic development through tax incentives and creating a favorable regulatory environment. As an Assistant Pro Tem, Steele has a place at the table when those lawmakers sit down with the business community.
"Over the years we've been able to persuade more and more business leaders that education is a vital part of industrial development. They want an educated and well-trained workforce, and for that reason they generally support efforts to improve education and the quality of life for all Arkansans," Steele said.
At first glance, it may appear that the lottery, public schools, health care and economic development are distinct issues. Steele has always maintained that they're all interconnected.
His appointment as Assistant President Pro Tem during 87th General Assembly proves that the rest of the Senate is hearing Steele's message.