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Summary for Monday, January 9, 2023

Members of the 94th General Assembly took the oath of office Monday morning. After swearing-in, the House elected Matthew J. Shepherd of El Dorado as the Speaker for the 94th General Assembly. He becomes the first person in state history to be elected Speaker for a third term. After an address to the House, Speaker […]
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Summary for Tuesday, January 10, 2023

On the second day of the 2023 Regular Session, the House and Senate convened for a Joint Session. During the session, all constitutional officers took the oath of office. Upon swearing-in, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave an address outlining her legislative priorities. The priorities mentioned include tax cuts, improving literacy, and improving public safety. More […]
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2023 Session to Begin Monday

The 94th General Assembly will convene at noon on Monday, January 9. The House will have 26 new members taking the oath of office and 74 returning members. The longest-serving members will be serving their 7th term in the House. This body will range in age from 27 to 81. There will be 26 women […]
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2022 in Review

As we approach a new year, with new goals for the next legislative session, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the progress made in 2022.In 2022, the Arkansas General Assembly passed a historic tax cut, increased pay for law enforcement officers, and directed millions in surplus funds to improve safety in […]
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New Year’s Day 2023

The State Capitol Offices and all State Buildings will be Closed to observe New Year’s Day from Sunday, January 1, until Monday, January 2, 2023. Official Bulletin
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Reducing the Number of Foster Care Cases

Earlier this month, many of us gathered in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at our Capitol to celebrate Christmas with some of the children currently in our state’s foster care system. This is an annual event that distributes thousands of gifts and brings countless smiles. Our goal as a state is to make sure these […]
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Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

The State Capitol Offices and all State Buildings will be closed to observe Christmas Eve & Christmas Day on Friday, December 23rd till Monday, December 26th, 2022. Legal holidays by authority of Act 304 of 2001 and amended by Act 561 of 2017. Official Bulletin
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Mental and Behavioral Health in Arkansas

This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council received a report regarding the state of mental and behavioral health in Arkansas. This report was months in the making. It makes clear that medical professionals are facing a mental health crisis in our state but the collaborative efforts involved in this study also provide a path forward to […]
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Computer Science Education Week

Nationwide, just half of all high schools offer computer science courses.  That’s not the case here in Arkansas. Arkansas is recognized nationally as a leading state in the computer science education movement. When the General Assembly passed Act 187 in 2015, we became the first state to require every public high school and public charter […]
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2023 Session to Begin January 9

Returning House members and newly elected members are now preparing for the upcoming session. The 2023 Regular Session will begin on January 9 at noon. The pre-filing period for bills and resolutions began on November 15. So far, 14 bills have been filed in the House and 3 have been filed in the Senate. You […]
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Supporting Small Businesses

When you choose to shop at a small business you are choosing to invest in your community. It is estimated that for every $100 spent in a local business, $68 recirculates and remains in the local economy. Local businesses are owned by people who live in your community. They donate to local causes and employ […]