Days after adjourning a special session to consider easing prohibitions on mask mandates in schools, a few Arkansas lawmakers are considering legislation to prohibit private companies from requiring employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Meanwhile, Gov. Asa Hutchinson advised Attorney…
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House Report: State Lawmakers Address Tax, Public Health Measures in Past Week
In the 7th week of the 2021 Regular Session, the House passed bills addressing taxes, medical care, scholarships, the duty to retreat, and more. The following tax measures were advanced by the House: HB1023-This bill excludes certain school fundraisers from the…
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View from the Senate: Legislative Accomplishments in 2019
by AMP Staffby AMP StaffThe Arkansas legislature had a very productive year in 2019. During the regular session lawmakers balanced the budget of state government while cutting taxes and reducing the number of state agencies. Act 182 of 2019 is an income tax reduction…
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Maiden Session Behind Them, GOP Women Are Ready For More
by Dwain Hebdaby Dwain Hebdaby Dwain Hebda The Arkansas Republican Women Caucus may have just one legislative session under its belt, but its already enjoyed enviable success that suggests the body will be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future. The…
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View from the Senate: New Workforce Plan to Reduce Duplication of Programs
by AMP Staffby AMP StaffJob training and workforce education are offered by numerous government entities in Arkansas. That’s part of the problem. Overlap and duplication create confusion for people who want to improve their job skills, and they are inefficient uses of tax dollars.…
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View from the Senate: Legislature Enacts “Dream BIG” Package of Bills
by AMP Staffby AMP StaffThe 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.” Act 198 expands access to the Internet by allowing towns, cities and…
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Cash & Candor’s Legislative Recap: Highways, Tort Reform and More!
by Caleb Talleyby Caleb Talleyby Caleb Talley The number of bills filed this legislative session has barreled past the 2,000-mile marker. We’re now up to 2,370, and the end isn’t exactly in sight. On Monday, the House overwhelmingly approved (92-0, the rest chose not…
More than 140 bills have been signed into law during this session. There are hundreds of bills still to be heard in committee and we expect many more to be filed in the weeks ahead. As we head into our…
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House Report: Lawmakers Vote to Increase Teacher Salaries
by AMP Staffby AMP StaffLast week, the House voted to raise teacher salaries, increase a tax credit and increase fines for distracted driving in school zones. HB1145, titled the Teacher Salary Enhancement Act, would raise the minimum teacher salary by $4,000 over the next…
Arkansas lawmakers received an open letter today urging them to take action on securing funding for state roadways and bridges. In the letter, a state-wide coalition of officials requests that lawmakers approve funding to make improvements to Arkansas roads and…