District 35 State Representative Jason Rapert presented a proclamation to creative writing professor Stephanie Vanderslice and gave an update on legislative affairs Jan. 25 in the board of trustees conference room. The Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded Vanderslice 2012 Professor of the Year last November. She was chosen from nearly 300 professors in the nation. Rapert said Vanderslice was an example of UCA’s “top-notch” academics and that her award helps define “what’s wonderful about UCA.” Vanderslice, who has taught at UCA for 15 years, said she thanked Rapert “on behalf of UCA.” Rapert overviewed recent changes to health care and tax reform he said he felt were relevant to talk about at the legislative affairs brief. “Since this is the first time I’ve had to represent the university, I want you to know my style of service to you … my job is to find out what your priorities are,” he said. In 2012, the Medicaid shortfall was said to be $400 million. However, Rapert said that number keeps fluctuating and that the shortfall may only be $50 million. “We need to know exactly where we stand on this,” he said. Tax reform is another initiative, he said. Rapert said it is important that the state gets rid of the remaining sales tax on food items. Gov. Mike Beebe has proposed a sales tax reduction to eliminate the last imperative tax on groceries. Rapert said Arkansas is one of the last remaining states to tax food items. “I don’t feel comfortable taxing people on that,” Rapert said. “To fulfill [Beebe’s] promise, I fulfill mine.” Rapert said that he did not have an opinion on a proposed bill that would allow concealed handguns in schools because he has not read the bill. A bill, called the Church Protection Act of 2013, that would allow churches and religious institutions to decide whether or not to allow concealed weapons passed the Arkansas Senate on Jan. 28 with a 28-4 vote.