lawmakers

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…

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…

The 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…

by 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…

Job 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.…

The 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…

by 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…

Last 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…