The new year is an election year, and thanks to legislation approved during the regular session earlier this year, the primaries in Arkansas will take place on Tuesday, March 3.
Weekly UpdatesMore than 2,000 people attended a series of meetings that the legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Retirement held in 11 cities across Arkansas earlier this fall.
Estimates are that about half of those in attendance were members of the state Teacher Retirement System.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature created the Arkansas Trauma System 10 years ago, with passage of Act 393 of 2009.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas is one of 16 states whose legislators are working to help families gain access to medical care for a debilitating disorder that can afflict children after a bout of strep throat.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas has made a strong commitment to making sure that children learn to read at an early age, and the federal government has recognized our efforts with a grant of $38 million to improve literacy.
Weekly UpdatesAdequately funding public schools is one of the most complex, time-consuming and important duties of the legislature.
Weekly UpdatesThe Higher Education Coordinating Board heard a disappointing report about the continuing decline in the number of Arkansas high school graduates who go on to college.
Weekly UpdatesThe state’s child welfare agency has improved its performance over the past three years and continues to make progress, according to its most recent annual report.
Weekly UpdatesThe annual report cards for Arkansas public schools has been released by the state Education Department, and they show improvement over last year.
Weekly UpdatesThe state Board of Correction has voted to pursue an agreement with Bradley and Drew Counties in southeast Arkansas to set up a private prison.
Weekly UpdatesTourism in Arkansas grew at a healthy rate last year, whether it’s measured in total spending or how many people visited the state or how many jobs are supported by the travel industry.
Weekly UpdatesVaping would be restricted just as smoking cigarettes is restricted, it would be taxed like tobacco products and its marketing to minors would be prohibited under legislation drafted by Senator Jim Hendren of Gravette, the President Pro Tempore of the Arkansas Senate.
News ReleasesThe joint Senate and House Committees on Public Health, Welfare and Labor approved a study proposal to combat the dramatic increase in teenagers’ use of vaping products, also known as e-cigarettes.
Weekly UpdatesIn 2017 the legislature approved the creation of four crisis stabilization units (CSU), where police officers can bring people who are experiencing a severe mental health episode.
Weekly UpdatesThe University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences received a grant of $4.6 million to boost its program to encourage primary care physicians to practice in rural areas.
Weekly UpdatesThe Arkansas state Senate won the 2019 Efficiency Award, one of the Digital Government Transformation Awards presented by the Information Network of Arkansas and state leaders who are working to make government more transparent.
News ReleasesAlmost three years ago a task force of Arkansas legislators submitted its final report on how to control the growing costs of the state Medicaid program.
Weekly UpdatesLast year 426 Arkansas residents died from a drug overdose, according to death certificates filed with the state Health Department. That is an increase in fatal drug overdoses from 2017, when 417 people in Arkansas died from drugs.
Weekly UpdatesTransparency in government is a growth industry, if you analyze the number of people who watched the Arkansas Senate during the 2019 legislative session.
News ReleasesArkansas cities and counties that have been hit hard by the economic impact of the coronavirus can apply for help, after legislators approved the use of $150 million for relief grants.
Weekly UpdatesBack to school in Arkansas means that more than 6,000 buses will transport 350,000 students to and from school.
Weekly UpdatesReading helps children avoid the “summer slide,” when lazy days can make them forget what they’ve learned over the previous year.
Weekly UpdatesA new law requiring stricter labeling of food products has placed Arkansas in the middle of an international dispute over truth in labeling.
Weekly UpdatesMany of the bills approved by lawmakers earlier this year become effective on July 24, which is the 91st day after the legislature adjourned.
Weekly UpdatesThe state Human Services Department is reviewing every case this year in which people have been denied assisted living or home care services in the Living Choices and ARChoices programs.
Weekly UpdatesCensus workers across Arkansas will be knocking on doors until the end of September in a last-ditch effort to make sure that as many people as possible get counted in the 2020 U.S. Census.
Weekly UpdatesState officials announced that school nurses will be provided with kits containing naloxone nasal spray, which helps keep alive people alive when they have overdosed on painkillers known as opioids.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature updated Arkansas school choice laws when it approved Act 754 of 2019 earlier this year.
Weekly UpdatesFlooding has caused more than $100 million in damage to infrastructure in Arkansas, according to the governor’s request for federal relief.
Weekly UpdatesBefore this year, the legislature had already laid the groundwork for expansions of broadband capability in education and health care. In response to the changing needs of schools and businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, legislators have accelerated the pace of projects that expand broadband access in rural Arkansas and in small towns.
Weekly UpdatesElementary school students in Arkansas will get at least 40 minutes a day of recess under legislation approved earlier this year by the General Assembly.
Weekly UpdatesThe rate of maternal mortality in Arkansas is above the national average, so earlier this year the legislature created a review committee to develop new strategies for preventing women from dying during childbirth.
Weekly UpdatesThe goal of the new Arkansas State Broadband Plan, announced by the governor, is to make high-speed Internet access available to all communities of more than 500 people by the year 2022.
Weekly UpdatesCounty clerks are preparing for a sharp increase in the number of absentee ballots that they expect to be turned in for the November 3 general election.
Weekly UpdatesThe Division of Youth Services (DYS) has already begun to make sweeping changes in how the state treats juvenile offenders.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature officially ended the 2019 regular session when it adjourned sine die on April 24.
Weekly UpdatesDuring the recent regular session, the legislature referred three proposed constitutional amendments to Arkansas voters.
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC September 3, 2020 Senate Information Office: 501-682-5954 LITTLE ROCK – Senator Trent Garner of El Dorado and five Senate colleagues have request $50 million in CARES Act funding for services to help veterans cope with health issues worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. The funds would go to the state Veterans Affairs Department, which […]
News ReleasesThe Correction Department will keep secret any records about lethal injection and carrying out the death penalty, under a bill that exempts those records from the state Freedom of Information Act.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas legislators approved a plan to add $300 a week to unemployment benefits, to extend the extra benefits available during the coronavirus pandemic.
Weekly UpdatesThe Senate has already approved several large tax cuts this session, and another one is on its agenda.
Weekly UpdatesThe Senate passed legislation to increase the homestead property tax credit, which will save more than 716,000 Arkansas homeowners about $12.5 million a year.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature has approved and the governor has signed a package of bills sponsored by female lawmakers. The coalition of legislators dubbed their package “Dream BIG for Arkansas.”
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature advanced a major highway program and tougher new ethics laws.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature approved and the governor signed two of the high-profile bills of this year’s session.
Weekly UpdatesThe governor, legislators and private business groups joined to propose a highway program that would add $300 million a year in revenue for the state Transportation Department.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature advanced a series of tax cuts, including the signature bill of this year’s session, to lower personal income taxes by about $97 million a year.
Weekly UpdatesThe governor and legislators presented the details of the signature issue of this year’s session, a reduction in personal income taxes.
Weekly UpdatesThe 92nd General Assembly got off to a quick start. Among the measures voted on during the opening days of the 2019 legislative were bills of interest to Arkansas cities.
Weekly UpdatesThe 92nd General Assembly began with the traditional combination of ceremonial activities and then immediately getting down to business.
Weekly UpdatesThe regular session of 2019 will be remembered for the number of far-reaching and significant issues that legislators resolved.
Weekly UpdatesLegislators have begun pre-filing bills in anticipation of the regular session that begins January 14. So far, 93 House bills and 40 Senate bills have been introduced.
Weekly UpdatesThe state’s child welfare agency has improved its performance over the past three years and continues to make progress, according to its most recent annual report.
Weekly UpdatesEarlier this month the state Crime Lab opened a new facility in Lowell, in northwest Arkansas.
Weekly Updates