News

John Walker was my colleague as an attorney and State Representative, a civil rights icon, and my friend. I am saddened by his passing, and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time.  Speaker Matthew Shepherd  Arkansas House of Representatives

Childhood obesity is a serious problem across the country. 1 in 5 children are now obese.Several studies have shown that students will eat more fruits and vegetables when they have easy access to a variety of high quality fresh items. And one way to provide more healthy options is through Farm-to-School programs.October is National Farm-to-School […]

On average, an Arkansan with a bachelor’s degree will earn $700,000 more in a 30 year career than those who drop out of college.  The gap climbs to $1.5 million for those with a doctorate.This information is included in the 2018 Economic Security Report which was presented this week to the Arkansas Legislative Council Higher […]

Today’s vote to expel Rep. Gates sends a clear message. It tells Arkansans that their elected leaders are held to a high standard and must exemplify integrity at all times.  Although unfortunate it came to this action, the resolution and debate was necessary to safeguard the trust placed in us by the public. I thank […]

A 2017 study titled “Indicators of School Crime and Safety,” published by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Education, reported that 20% of students ages 12-18 reported being bullied at school during the previous school year.The same study also reported that about 33% of students who reported being bullied […]

The House will meet in Caucus on Friday, October 11, 2019,  at noon to consider House Resolution 1079. VIEW CALENDAR

Last flu season, 113 influenza-related deaths were reported in Arkansas. According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), 71% of the adults who died were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccine history.ADH also reported that 28 schools closed briefly due to the flu last season.While only moderate in severity, the 2018-2019 season was record-breaking in […]

In 2016 in Arkansas, a total of 2,226 women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and 400 women died from the disease. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.  October is breast cancer awareness month. This is an opportunity to remind Arkansans of the importance of mammograms for […]

In Arkansas, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 9 men will be the victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime. In 2018, 44 Arkansas died as a result of domestic violence. Domestic violence occurs among all types of families, regardless of income, profession, region, ethnicity, educational level or race. This week, a rally was […]

By April 1, 2020, each of you will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census.  Responding to the census this time will be easier than ever, as this will be the first time you can respond online.The Constitution mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years. The […]

Click to view document

In the U.S. someone dies by suicide every 11.1 minutes. In Arkansas, someone dies by suicide every 14 hours.Suicide is not inevitable for anyone.  By starting the conversation, providing support, and directing help to those who need it, we can prevent suicides and save lives.The second week of September has been declared Suicide Prevention Awareness […]