LITTLE ROCK – Rural Arkansas faces real challenges when it comes to population trends, health outcomes, access to care, and keeping local clinics and hospitals open. In response, the State of Arkansas created the Rural Health Transformation (RHT) Program to help build a stronger, more connected rural health system so families can get the care […]
News ReleasesArkansas has begun the gradual rollout of its new welfare‑to‑work requirement for certain Medicaid beneficiaries, launching a soft start of the program on July 1 before full implementation arrives on January 1, 2027. The policy applies to healthy adults ages nineteen through sixty‑four who are enrolled in the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me program, […]
Weekly UpdatesThe Joint City, County, & Local Affairs Committee met in Hot Springs recently to review and discuss Senate Joint Resolution SJR15, known as Issue 3 on the November ballot. The proposal would amend the Arkansas Constitution to give the General Assembly broad new authority to support economic development across the state. It would allow lawmakers […]
Weekly UpdatesThe Joint Committee on Energy of the Arkansas General Assembly recently reviewed a technical feasibility study on new nuclear generation in Arkansas which concluded that nuclear power is both feasible and advisable for the state’s future energy needs. Directed under Act 707 of 2025, the study cites rapidly rising electricity demand, retiring coal-fired generation, strong […]
Weekly UpdatesThe Arkansas Educational Adequacy Report is a biennial, legislatively mandated study that evaluates public school funding, resource distribution, and whether the state’s K‑12 finance system meets constitutional requirements. The Senate and House Education Committees lead the review, and recent documentation is available on the Arkansas State Legislature’s Adequacy Reports webpage. A major focus of the […]
Weekly UpdatesMembers of the Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives were recently invited to the White House to meet with key staff from the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs for the White House State Leadership Conference. The purpose of the meeting was to offer a forum for state elected leaders to have meaningful dialogue and […]
Weekly UpdatesArkansas families preparing for the upcoming school year will once again benefit from the state’s annual sales tax holiday, scheduled as always for the first weekend in August. State lawmakers set the event in early August specifically to ease the financial burden on families with children headed back to school. This year’s tax‑free weekend begins […]
Weekly UpdatesArkansas will now have broader authority to shape its own education policies after the U.S. Department of Education approved the state’s Returning Education to the States Waiver, its application for Ed‑Flex authority, and amendments to its federal accountability plan. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the approvals alongside U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, calling the […]
Weekly UpdatesArkansas concluded Fiscal Year 2026 with a general revenue surplus of $655 million, marking one of the strongest financial performances in state history and highlighting continued economic growth across the state. The surplus, released by the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA), is the fifth largest ever recorded and represents a sharp increase from the […]
Weekly UpdatesA major change to the Arkansas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) took effect this week, removing candy, soda (including diet and zero‑calorie varieties), and fruit or vegetable juices containing less than 50 percent natural juice from the list of eligible purchases. The new SNAP Nutrition Waiver aims to promote healthier eating habits and reduce long‑term […]
Weekly Updates