News

The House Education Committee advanced HB1409.  This bill provides 40 minutes of recess for elementary school students. Currently, most students are allowed 20 minutes.The committee also advanced HB1647. This bill amends the eligibility requirements for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship to include the applicant’s superscore on the ACT.  “Superscore” means the final composite score that […]

The House Rules committee advanced HB1565.  This bill seeks to provide funding for a national cancer institute-designated center at UAMS.  The bill provides the funding by diverting existing taxes on medical marijuana from general revenue to the institute trust fund. The trust fund would also receive new revenue created by a 50 cents per pack […]

The House Education Committee advanced HB1569. This bill allows school districts to develop policies for distribution of excess food. As long as health department standards are met, this bill would allow schools to give students the left-over food from lunch to take home. The Education Committee also advanced HB1018. This bill allows school districts with […]

On Monday, the House passed two pieces of legislation addressing highway funding. In a vote of 71-26, the House passed SB336. This bill outlines $95 million in additional funding in three ways. First, it diverts all revenue from casino gaming that exceeds $31.2 million to the State Highway and Transportation Department Fund. Second, it includes […]

In Arkansas, there are two ways to put a constitutional amendment on an election ballot. First, an individual or group can draft a ballot measure and then collect the needed number of signatures. The second way amendments are put forth is by the General Assembly.  Article 19 of the Arkansas Constitution allows the General Assembly […]

In a vote of 85-6, the House passed HB1437. This bill makes it a Class A misdemeanor if a mandated reporter fails to notify law enforcement of a serious threat made by an individual regarding violence in or targeted at a school. The House also passed HB1356. This bill makes it against the law for […]

The House State Agencies committee advanced HJR1018. This is a proposed constitutional amendment which would permanently extend a ½ cent sales tax for the purpose of funding state highways.  The current ½ sales tax funding highways are set to expire in 2023.  If this resolution passes both chambers, it would be on the ballot for […]

The House Revenue and Taxation Committee advanced legislation outlining $95 million in additional funding for highways.SB336 creates funding in three ways.First, the legislation diverts all revenue from casino gaming that exceeds $31.2 million to the State Highway and Transportation Department Fund. Second, it includes a wholesale tax on fuel raising gas prices by 3 cents […]

With a vote of 78-13 and 2 members voting present, the House passed HB1489. This legislation addresses petitions for constitutional amendments. It removes the attorney general’s office from the process of developing ballot titles.  It also make violating rules on signature collection a Class D felony.   The House passed HB1439.  This bill prohibits abortions […]

Close to 200 bills have been signed into law as we close the 6th week of the 2019 Regular Session. One of the bills signed by the Governor this week was SB152, An Act Restoring Arkansas Families.  It is now Act 189. This legislation reforms the juvenile justice system by requiring judges to use a […]

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee advanced several pieces of legislation including HB1437.  This bill requires mandated reporters to notify law enforcement if he or she has a good faith belief that there is a threat to the safety of students or school employees.  This legislation would make the failure to notify a Class A […]

The House State Agencies Committee advanced legislation addressing petitions for constitutional amendments. HB1489 would remove the attorney general’s office from the process of developing ballot titles. It would also make violating rules on signature collection a Class D felony. The State Agencies Committee also advanced HB1492 which allows high school students to volunteer as poll […]