Posts tagged “News Release”

Little Rock, Arkansas (March 21, 2025) – Arkansas House Speaker Brian Evans has named former State Representative Duncan Baird of Bentonville to serve on the Arkansas Ethics Commission.  Baird will serve a five-year term replacing Mr. Scott Irby. Baird is currently a Director of Benefits and Wellbeing at Walmart Inc. He served as Executive Director […]

As the 2025 Regular Session of the Arkansas General Assembly enters its 11th week, the House has been advancing legislation designed to address infrastructure, election processes, and public health. Improving Water and Sewer Infrastructure One of the bills to pass this week was HB1681, which establishes the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. This […]

On Thursday, the House approved HB1681, a bill that aims to establish the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. The program would create a $50 million matching grant system to improve water and sewer infrastructure. Of this, 80% of the funding will be allocated to “shovel-ready” projects, while the remaining 20% is reserved for […]

On Wednesday, the House passed several bills. HB1293 increases the payment for claims from $150,000 to $250,000 for designated beneficiaries of certain public employees killed in the line of duty. HB1734 allows nurse practitioners to sign death certificates and pronounce the death of a patient. HB1705 requires information about how the religious and moral beliefs […]

On Monday, the House passed a series of bills covering a range of issues, including election laws, education, and public safety. HB1574 requires paid canvassers for statewide initiative or referendum petitions to be residents of Arkansas. HB1714 clarifies the definition of a paid canvasser. HB1693 directs the State Board of Election Commissioners to establish rules […]

In a move to reform Arkansas’ higher education system, the House recently passed HB1512, which lays the groundwork for the creation of the Arkansas ACCESS Act. This bill is designed to address critical issues surrounding access to education, affordability, and student success across the state, with its principles encapsulated in the acronym ACCESS—Acceleration, Common Sense, […]

On Thursday, the House passed HB1512, which proposes the creation of the Arkansas ACCESS Act. ACCESS stands for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships, and standardization. The bill aims to expand accelerated coursework options in Arkansas high schools. It also seeks to promote unbiased higher education environments, reform the productivity funding model, and create more […]

On Wednesday, the House passed HB1682, the Good Neighbor Act. This bill addresses food insecurity by expanding liability protections for food bank donors, including grocers, wholesalers, hotels, motels, restaurants, caterers, farmers, nonprofit distributors, schools, churches, religious organizations, and hospitals. It also protects food banks distributing donated food to communities. The House also passed HB1275 which […]

On Monday evening, the House and Senate Education Committee advanced HB1512, which proposes the creation of the Arkansas ACCESS Act. ACCESS stands for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships, and standardization. The bill aims to expand accelerated coursework options in Arkansas high schools. It also seeks to promote unbiased higher education environments, reform the productivity […]

On Monday, the House passed several bills related to elections and referendums. SB188 requires the Secretary of State to post all approved ballot titles and the full text of proposed measures on their website.SB209 stipulates that the Secretary of State will not count signatures collected by a canvasser if it’s determined that the canvasser violated […]

This week, the House voted 96-0 in favor of a bill to increase the Homestead Property Tax Credit. HB1534 increases the credit from $500 to $600 effective January 1, 2025. This is the second time in 2 years the General Assembly has increased this tax credit. In June of 2024, the General Assembly increased the […]

On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed several pieces of legislation. HB1610 was approved, amending the Arkansas Human Life Protection Act and the Arkansas Unborn Child Protection Act to clarify that doctors who act in good faith to save the life of a pregnant woman will not be prosecuted. Another bill, HB1503, was passed, which […]