Download DOC LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) announced a new $14.7 million federal grant aimed at strengthening early childhood education and expanding access to high-quality learning programs across the state. The federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is for the Preschool Development Grant Birth Through Five. […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – Most laws from the regular 2025 legislative session become effective 90 days after the Legislature adjourns sine die, some include language that make them effective on a certain date, and some officially became law on January 1st. One of the most impactful new laws is Act 1008, the removal of […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – This past regular session both the Senate and House filed over 1,600 bills. Of those bills, 1,026 passed both chambers and were signed into law by the governor. Here are a few bills that stand out for the 2025 Regular Session. Act 140 of 2025, known as the “Healthy Moms, […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – With the year nearing its end, it’s worth reflecting on the major pieces of education legislation that were passed this year. The 95th General Assembly Regular Session kicked off in January and ended the first week of May. The legislature completed the 2025 regular session after approving a balanced budget, […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC State Capitol Week in Review Little Rock – The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) is currently working on 230 active projects as of early October 2025, with a projected cost of $2.4 billion. The department has been actively maintaining secondary highways across the state with about 500 miles of road planned to be […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC December 12, 2025 Little Rock – Despite many challenges facing maternal health care, Arkansas has made progress. Arkansas now ranks among the top 10 states with the lowest rates of severe maternal morbidity, proving that focused hospital improvements are saving lives. Earlier this year, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) launched […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – In 2023, the Arkansas Legislative Council set aside $200 million for the construction of a new state-of-the art, Arkansas State Crime Laboratory (ASCL). The legislature approved requests totaling $19. 4 million for the architectural designs, purchase of the land and to cover contractor costs. In September 2025, the Legislative Council’s […]
Weekly UpdatesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PRESS RELEASE Senator Missy Irvin District 24 870-269-2703 missy.irvin@senate.arkansas.gov December 8, 2025 This afternoon, Governor Sarah Sanders signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Forestry Department and U.S. Department of Agriculture to make Blanchard Springs Caverns and the surrounding area into a new Arkansas State Park. Senator Irvin’s statement […]
News ReleasesDownload DOC Little Rock – Arkansas’ lithium fields are not anticipated to produce until 2028. Plans are underway to process bromine deposits found in the Smackover Formation in southern Arkansas. Currently, the United States produces about 1 percent of the world’s lithium, which is used in advanced weapons systems, drones and as energy storage for […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC Little Rock – In July, the federal government’s passage of HR1, the Big Beautiful Bill, established the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program. The program established $50 billion to be allocated to the States over a ten-year period to alleviate concerns over the cuts to Medicaid in the bill. Half of the funding will […]
Weekly Updates