Posts tagged “News Release”

The Arkansas House and Senate Insurance and Commerce Committees recently met to examine a growing threat impacting families across our state: financial fraud. The data presented to lawmakers was sobering. Seventy-three percent of adults have experienced an online scam or cyberattack. In 2024 alone, 4,238 fraud incidents were reported in Arkansas, totaling $51.8 million in […]

The Senate Committee on Children and Youth and the House Committee on Aging, Children & Youth, and Legislative Affairs convened on Wednesday to examine issues affecting Arkansas children and families, with much of the discussion focused on how Act 189 of 2019 is reshaping the state’s juvenile justice system. For years, Arkansas experienced high levels […]

This week, the House and Senate Education Committees took a wide-angle look at Arkansas education, examining issues ranging from early childhood access to the state’s constitutional funding obligations. Department of Education Secretary Jacob Oliva and Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith opened with an update on early childhood education, focusing on how Arkansas funds and delivers early […]

Arkansans are no strangers to winter weather, but the recent storm served as a strong reminder of how quickly hazardous conditions can disrupt daily life across our state. Ice-covered roads, lingering snow, and sustained freezing temperatures impacted families, businesses, schools, and essential services. State and local officials worked around the clock to keep communities safe, […]

Members of the Game and Fish/State Police Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council met this week to receive updates spanning wildlife management, public safety, and law enforcement coordination, offering a wide-ranging look at issues affecting Arkansas outdoors and communities. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Director Doug Schoenrock briefed legislators on an unusually dry waterfowl season. […]

Lawmakers convened this week at the Arkansas Legislative Council to review the state’s financial standing and address key policy priorities affecting Arkansans statewide. State budget officials reported encouraging revenue numbers. Collections of Gross General Revenues year-to-date totaled approximately $4.02 billion, an increase of $49.5 million—or 1.2 percent—over the same point last fiscal year. Net General […]

Members of the House and Senate Education Committees reviewed updates to the Arkansas ACCESS Act this week, underscoring its focus on strengthening the path students take from the classroom into college, careers, or service. ACCESS builds on the LEARNS Act with a common goal. By the time students graduate, they should be enrolled, employed, or […]

Beginning January 2, Arkansas drivers will have access to two new programs designed to make traffic stops safer, calmer, and more effective for individuals with mental illness or autism. The Green Envelope Program and the Blue Envelope Program, both passed during the 2025 Regular Session of the Arkansas General Assembly, focus on improving communication between […]

As the new year approaches, Arkansans will soon see a number of laws passed by the House of Representatives and the General Assembly take effect. While the majority of legislation approved during the 2025 Regular Session became law 90 days after adjournment, many measures included a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026 to give […]

The Arkansas Legislative Council spent much of the week examining state finances, agency oversight, and the challenge of setting priorities amid finite public resources. Members began with an update on state revenue, learning that year-to-date gross general revenue collections stand at approximately $3.31 billion. That total is about $58.9 million, or 1.8 percent, higher than […]

The House and Senate Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development Committees met jointly this week at the Hot Springs Convention Center during the Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual state convention. Lawmakers received updates on issues shaping the future of agriculture and rural communities across the state. Arkansas State University briefed members on the progress of its College […]

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are beginning to think about our shopping lists and where we’ll spend our hard-earned money. There’s no better time to support the small businesses that help make Arkansas such a vibrant place to live. This year, Arkansas was ranked the 3rd best state in the nation to […]