LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Members of the Arkansas House of Representatives and the Arkansas Senate today announced the creation of the Arkansas Civic Leadership Institute, a new initiative designed to provide leadership and civic engagement opportunities for students who were recently denied admission to Arkansas Girls State due to an administrative error. In recent weeks, […]
News ReleasesLITTLE ROCK – Some highlights from the fourth and final week of the Arkansas General Assembly’s Fiscal Session: The Senate started the week by passing appropriation bills for departments, divisions, and agencies, including the Department of Health; Parks, Heritage and Tourism; Department of Transportation, UA East Arkansas Community College, and more. Meeting briefly Monday evening, […]
Weekly UpdatesLITTLE ROCK – Some highlights from the third week of the Arkansas General Assembly’s Fiscal Session: Senator Dave Wallace sponsored a bill to declare April 21 as Arkansas Lineworker Appreciation Day. A large group of electrical lineworkers were present in the public galleries. These dedicated workers serve our state at great risk, often under harsh […]
Weekly UpdatesLITTLE ROCK — The fiscal session in the Arkansas General Assembly continued this week. This was a busy week in which legislators really dug into budget details. Some highlights: The Joint Budget Committee directed the legislative staff to draft a reappropriation measure that would bar the Department of Corrections from spending any of the $73.7 […]
Weekly UpdatesLITTLE ROCK — In 2008, Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment that established a fiscal session separate from the general session. Legislators meet in general sessions in odd-numbered years, when they consider a wide range of issues. In even-numbered years, the Legislature holds fiscal sessions that focus on the state budget. The Arkansas General Assembly […]
Weekly UpdatesLITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Autism Legislative Task Force met this week to review significant updates and developments related to autism services and support in the state. The task force includes members of the Arkansas General Assembly, autism experts, and representatives from state agencies and organizations. It is co‑chaired by Senator Justin Boyd of Fort […]
Weekly UpdatesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Senator Bryan B. King 501-682-6107 April 3, 2026 Today I filed the County Equalization Turnback Resolution (SR6) for the Arkansas General Assembly’s upcoming fiscal session. Passage of this resolution and bill will distribute sales tax collections to county governments. Currently sales tax is collected and sent to the state and then is distributed […]
News ReleasesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Legislative Council recently voted to approve a contract worth up to $12 million to offer the Classic Learning Test (CLT) in high schools across the state for the next four years. The contract is between the Arkansas Department of Education and Maryland-based Classic Learning Initiatives LLC. The contract […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK — Much of the Arkansas Legislature’s work between full legislative sessions takes place in committee, and this week the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) and its subcommittees were in full swing. Created by Act 264 of 1949, the ALC gathers information that guides lawmakers during regular legislative sessions. It coordinates the work […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers recently convened for budget hearings to review spending across state government ahead of the fiscal session beginning April 8. The hearings opened with a presentation of Governor Sarah Sanders’ balanced budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2027. Arkansas does not deficit spend or borrow to fund day‑to‑day government operations, […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – In 2008, almost 70% of Arkansas voters approved the proposed Constitutional Amendment which created the Arkansas Legislature’s Fiscal Session. Voters decided a fiscal session would allow for greater legislative oversight and the ability to make necessary changes more readily because the national or state economy can change quickly. This year’s […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – To improve efficiency within state government, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed an executive order this week to streamline permitting. The executive order is part of the Governor’s Arkansas Forward initiative to save money and improve efficiency. Consequently, this will help refine government processes and expedite permits to protect natural resources […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – This week the new Center of Excellence for Food Science and Innovation in Fayetteville, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture received $30 million in federal funding. The new center has been in planning phase, and this funding will catapult the process forward. The federal funding was […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – A new building is currently under construction for the Arkansas School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB). At the end of January, the school celebrated the “topping-off” ceremony with the final white steel beam, marking a milestone in construction of the new school. In 2023, state officials toured the Arkansas […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) Wildlife Management Division staff reported on the 2026 midwinter survey. The survey includes the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (the Delta), Arkansas River Valley, and southwest Arkansas. The midwinter survey is usually when biologists see peak waterfowl numbers, and found overall numbers were down from last […]
Weekly UpdatesFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Senator Bryan B. King bryan.king@senate.ar.gov February 2, 2026 The Arkansas State Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee will meet at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 4, at the Berryville Community Center located at 601 Dr. Spurlin Circle, Berryville, AR 72616. The main topic of discussion will be an interim study of healthy […]
News ReleasesDownload DOC LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Legislative Council voted to fund the Educational Freedom Accounts (EFA) through the rest of the 2025-2026 school year. The accounts can be used to offset the expenses of home school materials or go toward tuition at an accredited private or parochial school in Arkansas. Currently, over 44,000 Arkansas students are participating in the program this school year. […]
Weekly UpdatesDownload 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, […]
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