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Arkansas House Speaker Robert S. Moore, Jr. passed the gavel to Speaker-elect Davy Carter Monday morning in the House Chamber. Carter is now presiding over the Legislative Institute which helps to orientate incoming members before the next Regular Session. In his final remarks before the assembly, Speaker Moore emphasized the importance of working together. "When […]

Department of Finance and Administration Director Richard Weiss presented the Governor's proposed balanced budget before the Arkansas Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee on Thursday morning. The proposal calls for a 4.4% increase in spending for Fiscal Year 2013. It calls for a 3.7% increase in spending for Fiscal Year 2014. The Governor is proposing […]

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – SENIORITY LIST 11/9/12 Rank Elig. 2013    Terms    Dist.    Name 1                 3                    96             Baird, Duncan 2                 3                    94             Hobbs, Debra M. 3                 3                   16              Word, James L. 4                 3                   71              Lea, Andrea 5                 3                   90              Carnine, Les "Skip" 6                 3                   59              Wilkins, Butch 7                 3                   21              Rice, Terry 8                 3                   42              Perry, Mark 9                 3                   87              […]

LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING COMMITTEE 2013 – 2014 MEMBERSHIP LIST (11/9/12)   Representative __________, Co-Chairperson Representative __________, Co-Vice Chairperson HOUSE Caucus                             First                         Second Dist.   Member                Alternate                 Alternate 1           Walls McCrary              John Payton                   Scott Baltz 1           Homer Lenderman       Butch Wilkins                  Joe Jett 1           Frederick Smith            Monte Hodges               Mark McElroy 1           John K. Hutchison         Wes Wagner                Mary Broadaway 1          Harold Copenhaver        Marshall […]

The Arkansas Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee heard more details about the expected shortfall in Medicaid on Tuesday morning. DHS Director John Selig and Medicaid Director Andy Allison told committee members the agency is expected to have a $138 million Medicaid shortfall for fiscal year 2014. The $138 million projection is after the agency […]

Below is a list of committee membership for members-elect of the 89th General Assembly.                 HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEES 88TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY (2012 – 2014) (11/09/12)                             CLASS "A"                                   EDUCATION                            , Chairperson                         ,Vice Chairperson   Hobbs, Debra M.                Lenderman, Homer Carnine, Les, “Skip”           Deffenbaugh, Gary Dale, Robert E.                  Eubanks, Jon S.        Hopper, […]

Representative Kathy Webb presented her study on Women’s Social and Economic Status in Arkansas Thursday to the Joint City, County, and Local Affairs Committee. The study examined a variety of factors that affect women, including healthcare, education, human trafficking, and the economic status of women. Results from the study reveal that there is still much […]

Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee began hearings Tuesday morning on budget request for state agencies for fiscal years 2014 and 2015. Members spent the first half of the day reviewing the rules and procedures. Since 220 state board, commission, and agency budgets must be reviewed, legislators have routinely started the process months before they […]

In 2011, there were 1000 fewer revocations of probation and paroles in Arkansas than the previous year. The Director of the Department of Community Correction, David Eberhard, informed the Task Force on Substance Abuse Treatment of the decline in a committee meeting Friday morning. Eberhard also added his agency has seen a decrease in all levels of […]

Legislation passed in 2009 is helping to vaccinate more Arkansas children from the influenza virus. The 87th General Assembly passed an increase in the tobacco tax to fund a state wide trauma system. The increase also made it possible for the Arkansas Department of Health to expand its flu vaccine program in Arkansas schools. The […]

Arkansas House Speaker Robert S. Moore, Jr. continues our series on Highway Funding in Arkansas. In part 3, the Speaker discusses how the condition of our roads affects economic development.

Not only is the Arkansas Advanced Initiative for Math and Science working, it's the best program in the country for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education according to Ms. Tommy Sue Anthony, President of AAIMS. The Joint Committee on Education heard a promising update from Anthony on the state of the Arkansas AIMS program […]