Weekly Updates

The Division of Youth Services (DYS) has already begun to make sweeping changes in how the state treats juvenile offenders.

The legislature officially ended the 2019 regular session when it adjourned sine die on April 24.

During the recent regular session, the legislature referred three proposed constitutional amendments to Arkansas voters.

The legislature completed the 2019 regular session after finalizing a balanced budget of about $5.75 billion in general revenue for next fiscal year.

The Correction Department will keep secret any records about lethal injection and carrying out the death penalty, under a bill that exempts those records from the state Freedom of Information Act.

The Senate voted to refer to Arkansas voters a term limits amendment that would restrict future legislators to 12-year terms.

The Senate has already approved several large tax cuts this session, and another one is on its agenda.

The Senate passed legislation to increase the homestead property tax credit, which will save more than 716,000 Arkansas homeowners about $12.5 million a year.

The legislature has approved and the governor has signed a package of bills sponsored by female lawmakers. The coalition of legislators dubbed their package "Dream BIG for Arkansas."

The legislature advanced a major highway program and tougher new ethics laws.