News

September is National Recovery Month. It is a national observance held every year to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices.In 2021, more than 200 Arkansans died from opioid-related causes. And 37% of inmates admitted to the Division of Correction had a drug offense.Medical researchers now consider dependence on alcohol or drugs to […]

As Arkansas students head back to school, we want to take this week to remind drivers to be mindful of student safety when approaching school buses.It is estimated that close to 350,000 students in our state ride a bus to school. Those buses make stops in every community.It is illegal to pass a stopped school […]

After passing legislation to accelerate tax cuts and provide funding for school safety, the 93rd General Assembly adjourned from a special session on Thursday.In December of 2021, the General Assembly passed legislation outlining the largest tax cut in state history. That legislation lowered the state income tax from what was then 5.9% to 4.9% incrementally […]

Legislation to accelerate tax cuts and legislation to fund school safety measures have now been signed into law. On Thursday morning, the House passed SB2with a vote of 94-0.  This legislation sets aside $50 million from the revenue surplus for the purpose of funding a school safety grant program. The grants will help districts fund […]

With a vote of 81-14, the House passed HB1002. HB1002 accelerates the implementation of income and corporate tax cuts which were scheduled to become effective incrementally over the next three years. If enacted, the top income tax rate would drop from 5.5% to 4.9% and make the reduction retroactive to January 1, 2022.  Corporate income […]

On the first day of the special session, committees advanced two pieces of legislation. The Joint Budget Committee advanced SB2. This sets aside $50 million from the revenue surplus for the purpose of funding a school safety grant program. The grants will help districts fund the recommendations of the School Safety Commission.   The House […]

The Governor is expected to call the General Assembly into an Extraordinary Session next week to address the use of surplus funds to provide tax relief and funding for school safety measures.The Arkansas School Safety Commission was reinstated in the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.Members of the original commission created in March […]

The catfish industry is the largest component of aquaculture in the United States and a significant industry in Arkansas.  In fact, Arkansas catfish farmers contributed $19.5 million to Arkansas’s agricultural economy in 2021. That’s up 17% from the previous year.The month of August has been proclaimed as Arkansas Catfish Month.  This designation recognizes the impact […]

It is estimated that on average families will spend more than $600 per child on back-to-school shopping this year. This time of year can bring a financial burden to many families across Arkansas. That is why we want to remind you about the upcoming Arkansas Sales Tax holiday. This year, the event will begin at […]

This week, we received the Fiscal Year 2022 Revenue Summary. It shows we ended the last fiscal year with the largest surplus in state history.It is likely we will convene for a special session in August to address additional tax relief.Fiscal Year 2022 ended on June 30. Fiscal Year 2023 began on July 1. Fiscal […]

This week we want to remind Arkansans who receive Medicaid coverage to make sure their contact information is up to date. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government temporarily stopped some Medicaid requirements and conditions. This was done to help keep people with Medicaid from losing their health coverage during the pandemic. However, Arkansas will […]

The state has finished the Fiscal Year 2022 with a $1.628 billion revenue surplus. Read the June General Revenue Report and FY22 Summary in the link below: June 2022 General Revenue Report