Lawyer for boards questioned
Posted on Friday, September 5, 2008
Legislators grilled a lawyer who receives more than $ 100, 000 a year in fees from three state boards, accusing him Wednesday of being “unjustly punitive” to doctors and others.
Sen. Steve Faris, D-Malvern, was the main inquisitor of Bill Trice of Little Rock, longtime lawyer for the Arkansas State Medical Board, the Dental Examiners Board, and the Optometry Board.
During a meeting of the legislative Review Committee, Faris called Trice a “fortunate beneficiary” of the business relationship with the state and said the boards should consider other lawyers for the job.
“Not to say you don’t do a good job,” Faris told Trice. “But I think your problem out here at the General Assembly is, you have an image problem. That image problem is not just over the way you conduct yourself with people over here.” Faris said doctors in his districts have told him that Trice treats them in a “heavy-handed” way, and other legislators have shared with him similar stories.
“A lot of people might say that you’re just doing your job, and you might say that, but we don’t need to enjoy it so much,” Faris said. “You have enjoyed being heavy-handed to these folks over the years. Do you agree you have an image problem ?” Trice replied, “I take that to heart, what you say.” Faris said, “I didn’t ask you that. Do you understand that you have an image problem and some fence-mending and some credibility-building to do out here with members of the General Assembly ?” “Yes, sir,” Trice said.
Trice has been a lawyer for the dentistry board since 1981, for the medical board since 1989, and for the optometry board since 2001.
Faris pointed out that when Trice first got the dentistry contracts he was a law partner with Max Howell, who was a powerful senator from Jacksonville during the time.
At issue during the meeting was the review of a contract the dentistry board had with Trice to extend his service through June 30, 2009.
Trice said his pay during the 2008 fiscal year was $ 27, 000 from the dental board, $ 70, 000 from the medical board, and $ 20, 000 from the optometry board.
He’s also a registered lobbyist. He listed his nonstate clients on his lobbyist registration form at the secretary of state’s office as Timber Ridge, a rehabilitation facility in North Little Rock, and The Lord’s Ranch, a youth residential counseling center in Warm Springs.
Officials from The Lord’s Ranch were supporters of former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s political endeavors, but Gov. Mike Beebe opposed legislation in 2007 that the counseling center was pushing.
After the meeting, Faris wouldn’t reveal the doctors in his districts who had problems with Trice. He said his problems with Trice have nothing to do with The Lord’s Ranch.
Trice said he didn’t know who they were. He said if people think he’s heavy-handed, it’s because he must take the role as a prosecutor in disciplinary actions against doctors.
Faris and Trice clashed in 2005 when Faris sponsored a bill to limit terms on the medical boards.
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