NWAOnline’s Legislative Coverage

House Speaker Robbie Wills, D-Conway, says flat out in a Sunday entry on his blog that the House will vote on the proposed tobacco tax increase this week. That’s House Bill 1204.

Just a week ago the governor was warning what a long, hard fight this would be. Granted, victory in the House wouldn’t be the end of it, but if Wills gets the bill through the House with 75 of 100 votes, this fight will be over its biggest hurdle. Such a win would be at least as big a victory for the speaker as it would be for the governor.