Statement by Senator Jason Rapert regarding ruling by Judge Kristine Baker,
Weekly UpdatesThe Arkansas Senate Democratic Caucus is calling for the state to take stronger actions to protect all Arkansans from Covid-19, save lives, and limit the economic fallout due to the pandemic.
News ReleasesThe level of state government spending determines how much of a surplus is left at the end of the fiscal year. One of the legislature’s most important decisions is how much of a surplus to accumulate, and what to do with it.
Weekly UpdatesLast week it was reported that another former detention center, at Lewisville, will be converted into a substance abuse treatment facility for teenagers. Judges who hear juvenile cases said that a treatment center was needed, and were glad to have an option besides locking up troubled youths.
Weekly UpdatesThe governor presented a balanced budget proposal to the legislature for next fiscal year. It would authorize about $5.8 billion next year in spending from the state’s general revenue fund, about three percent more than this year.
Weekly UpdatesThe state is helping people who have trouble paying their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Weekly UpdatesAt the beginning of this year, there were more than 2,000 licensed child care programs in Arkansas. They had slots for 194,000 children.
By mid-April, about half the facilities had closed. Although most have been able to re-open, as of early October at least 20 had closed permanently
Weekly UpdatesA bipartisan group of 14 senators have requested that the CARES Act Steering Committee allocate $20 million in federal relief funding for senior citizens centers across Arkansas.
News ReleasesThe Legislative Council approved spending $48.5 million in federal relief money to fund a grant program that will help tourism-related businesses adversely affected by the pandemic. The grants will be available to small businesses that hire up to 250 full-time employees.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature has begun budget hearings, in preparation for the regular session that begins in January.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas teachers and students are beginning the most challenging school year in living memory.
Weekly UpdatesThe Transportation Department is upgrading its web site to make it easier for Arkansas drivers to follow the progress of highway construction projects.
Weekly UpdatesIn this year’s election, Arkansas voters will determine the outcome of three proposed amendments to the state Constitution.
Weekly UpdatesMore than 28,000 Arkansas residents work in the forest products industry, cutting trees, producing paper and pulp, manufacturing furniture and shipping wood products across the world.
Weekly UpdatesThe state Education Department will spend $10 million to expand Internet access in every school district in Arkansas.
Weekly UpdatesThe average debt that a student incurs to earn a bachelor’s degree in Arkansas is almost $2,000 less than the national average. Over the course of a 30-year career, a person with a bachelor’s degree will earn an estimated $1.25 million, compared to $550,000 that a college dropout will earn over the same period.
Weekly UpdatesSenator Jason Rapert is in the hospital after being diagnosed with pneumonia and testing positive for Covid-19, he is responding well to treatment. “This is a difficult time for my family, but we know that God is with us always,” Rapert said. “We’re sincerely grateful for the many prayers of love and support that have […]
Weekly UpdatesArkansas will hold its annual sales tax holiday on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2.
Weekly UpdatesThe number of Arkansas children in foster care continued to go down last year, after reaching an all-time high in 2016 and prompting dramatic measures from elected officials to improve the state’s child welfare system.
Weekly UpdatesDuring the upcoming school year, local districts will have flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances created by the outbreak of the coronavirus, thanks to a set of waivers adopted by the state Board of Education during a special meeting.
Weekly UpdatesThe state will hire 350 more contact tracers to help control the spread of the coronavirus. After the funding is allocated to pay them, it will bring the state’s total to 900.
Weekly UpdatesAs Arkansas began Phase Two of its gradual reopening of businesses and social activities, the governor issued three executive orders related to the coronavirus outbreak.
Weekly UpdatesA federal judge upheld the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures used in Arkansas for carrying out the death penalty.
Weekly UpdatesState revenues have gone down because of the economic consequences of the coronavirus outbreak, but not as much as Arkansas budget officials had feared.
Weekly UpdatesMore than 10,500 Arkansas businesses have been approved for grants to reimburse them for the expenses of protecting the health of employees and customers.
The grants are worth up to $100,000, and the total amount of approved grants is about $115 million. They were made available through the Ready for Business Program.
Weekly UpdatesMay 22, 2020
LITTLE ROCK – In June the Senate Education Committee will hear a report on the effect that public schools have seen due to the recent widespread requests for waivers from education standards.
Weekly UpdatesDisruptions in the food supply chain have forced Arkansas cattlemen and farmers to make financial decisions today that will affect the supply and demand of food over the coming months and years.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas is gradually opening up businesses and public activities, under careful monitoring by public health officials to avoid bringing on a second wave of the coronavirus. The governor announced that church services may resume, as long as the congregation wears masks and everyone stays at least six feet from each other.
Weekly UpdatesThe next few weeks will determine whether Arkansas moves forward or backward on the way to re-opening businesses.
Weekly UpdatesThe Arkansas Ready for Business Grant Program has been established by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and is designed to assist businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak.
Weekly UpdatesSenator Bob Ballinger of Berryville and 14 other state senators on Friday commended the governor and public health officials, and assured them that Arkansas citizens would take the precautions necessary for opening businesses again.
Weekly UpdatesWhen Arkansas makes it past the peak of the coronavirus outbreak, restrictions on businesses and social interactions will be loosened carefully, always with the goal in mind to prevent a second wave of the pandemic.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature completed the 2020 fiscal session in record time, approving a balanced budget that funds state government spending of $5.68 billion.
Weekly UpdatesSenator Jimmy Hickey, Jr. was elected President Pro Tempore of the Arkansas Senate for the 93rd General Assembly in 2021 and 2022.
Weekly UpdatesThe sudden and severe economic downturn caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus means that the 2020 fiscal session will be the most difficult one for legislators since Arkansas voters first voted to establish fiscal sessions 12 years ago.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature convened in special session to address potential revenue shortfalls, resulting from the sudden economic downturn caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus.
Weekly UpdatesTo cushion the financial impact of the coronavirus outbreak on working families, the state has streamlined the process of applying for unemployment insurance.
Weekly UpdatesPay raises have been proposed for direct care employees at the state’s five centers for people with multiple disabilities.
Weekly UpdatesThe legislature has begun budget hearings in preparation for the 2020 Fiscal Session, which convenes on April 8 and is scheduled to last a month.
Weekly UpdatesSenate Information Office: 501-682-5954
LITTLE ROCK – Health Department officials will join members of the legislative Committees on Public Health, Welfare and Labor for a press conference about the state’s response to the coronavirus outbreak, at 1 p.m. Monday, March 9, in the Old Supreme Court Room of the state Capitol.
Senator Missy Irvin of Mountain View is chair of the Senate Committee on Public Health, and Representative Jack Ladyman of Jonesboro of the House committee will be available, as will Dr. Nathaniel Smith, the state Secretary of Health.
They will outline the steps that state government is taking to keep the public updated and how to find the most recent information. Also, they will outline what protocol businesses should follow when staff need time off from work.
News Releases
An Arkansas success story that is attracting national attention is the expansion of computer science classes in public schools over the past five years.
Weekly UpdatesLast year the legislature voted to conduct an extensive review of the operations of the Arkansas Department of Transportation, to identify areas where improvements could be made.
Weekly UpdatesThe governor, judges and legislators have all participated in changes to the juvenile justice system, with the goal of reducing the number of young people who are locked up in a secure location.
Weekly UpdatesDuring the first week it was available, about 600 Arkansans took advantage of a new online service to schedule the driving portion of their test to get a driver’s license.
Weekly UpdatesThe Arkansas Levee Task Force has completed its final report, with recommendations on how to pay for maintenance and repairs, and how to best gauge the current condition of levees.
Weekly UpdatesAt a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday, January 30, in the Old Supreme Court Room of the state Capitol, Senator Cecile Bledsoe of Rogers; Dr. Greg Bledsoe, the state Surgeon General; Kirk Lane, the state drug director; Jerry Cox, president of the Arkansas Family Council, and Larry Page, director of the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council will urge Arkansas citizens to refuse to sign petitions in favor of legalizing recreational marijuana.
Weekly UpdatesOver the past decade, greater numbers of Arkansas children have been diagnosed with disabilities that require them to receive special education.
Weekly UpdatesArkansas legislators approved using $165 million in federal relief funds to shore up the state unemployment insurance trust fund.
Weekly UpdatesThe Legislative Council endorsed a plan for two southeast Arkansas counties to contract with a private company to build and operate a 600-bed prison.
Weekly UpdatesCanada and Mexico continue to be the top destinations for Arkansas exports, according to the 2019 report by the World Trade Center of the University of Arkansas.
Weekly UpdatesIn 2019 the regular session lawmakers balanced the budget of state government while cutting taxes and reducing the number of state agencies.
Weekly Updates