News

Arkansas lawmakers held a series of committee meetings this week, covering issues ranging from childcare to criminal justice, energy development, and transportation infrastructure.  On Tuesday, the House Early Childhood Permanent Subcommittee on Education examined forthcoming changes to the state’s childcare reimbursement system. Officials from the Department of Education, the Arkansas Early Childhood Association, and several […]

Lawmakers in Little Rock tackled a wide range of issues this week, from public safety investments to energy policy and the economic strain facing Arkansas farmers.  The Arkansas Legislative Council approved the transfer of $131.9 million from restricted reserve funds to help finance the construction of a new State Crime Laboratory in North Little Rock. […]

On Monday, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Advisory Council met to release its 2025 findings, fulfilling the requirements set forth by Act 391 of 2021. The report serves as both an update on where Arkansas stands in addressing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, and a call to action for where the state must go next. The […]

On Monday, the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Advisory Council met at the Capitol to continue its important work under Act 391 of 2021. The council is tasked with examining the needs of Arkansans living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, the services available to them and their caregivers, and how our healthcare system can meet both […]

This week, several legislative interim committees continued their work examining key issues facing our state. On Tuesday, the Joint Performance Review Committee met to discuss citizen concerns regarding the proposed Franklin County Prison. On Wednesday and Thursday, the House and Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committees held joint meetings in Texarkana. Lawmakers received updates […]

This week, the House and Senate Education Committees took a deep look at how Arkansas schools are preparing students not just for tests, but for life after graduation. On Tuesday, members reviewed statewide assessment results and updates on the new school accountability system. After two years of consistent testing, Arkansas students are showing steady gains. […]

Each September, our nation pauses to honor the contributions of working men and women. Labor Day is more than just a long weekend or the unofficial end of summer; it is a time to recognize the people who keep our communities strong and our economy moving forward. In Arkansas, hard work is part of our […]

This week, members of the ALC Hospital, Medicaid, and Developmental Disabilities Study Subcommittee received a presentation on a new approach that could reshape how Arkansas delivers both workforce and social services. During the 2025 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed Act 145, which directs the subcommittee to examine reforms to the state’s workforce and social […]

The Arkansas Legislature had a full schedule this week, as the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) and its subcommittees met, as well as the House and Senate City, County, and Local Affairs Committees. The ALC approved the recommendations from the Employee Benefits Division for 2026 health insurance rates for state and school employees. Rates will remain […]

As the new school year begins, thousands of school buses will once again be on the roads across Arkansas, transporting more than 350,000 children safely to and from school each day. That’s more than 350,000 reasons for all of us to stay alert and follow the law. Each stop a bus makes, whether in a […]

This week, members of the Arkansas House and Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committees received an important update from the director of Arkansas Workforce Connections on potential changes at the federal level that could impact how workforce development programs are administered in our state. Arkansas Workforce Connections, formerly known as the Arkansas Division of […]

The deadline to file a Arkansas state income tax return was initially extended from April 15, 2025 to July 31, 2025 due to severe weather. DFA announced recently that taxpayers can extend the filing date to December 3. However, they must print the IRS form linked below and include it with their return or check […]