Typically when a bill is passed in the state legislature, if it does not have an emergency clause, it will take effect 90 days after we adjourn. But there are occasions when a specific date is written into the bill. This year, we passed several bills that will take effect January 1, 2020. These impact [...]
As we approach Thanksgiving, it’s important that we show our gratitude to our farmers. A thanksgiving feast would not be the same without the contribution of Arkansas agriculture. Arkansas ranks 5th in the nation in turkey production. In 2018, 595,350 pounds of turkey were produced in Arkansas poultry farms. In fact, turkey production creates more [...]
This week we want to remind you of an important deadline approaching all Arkansans. On October 1, 2020, anyone who boards a domestic flight or enters a federal building will either need a REAL ID driver’s license (DL) or Identification Card (ID) or will need to provide a regular identification and additional accepted forms of [...]
AEDC Grants Division to hold Community Development Block Grants. This general assistance program is designed to provide cities and counties with the opportunity to apply for grant assistance for public works and public facility projects that are not covered under other funding categories. Please review for more details and dates and times of workshops. For [...]
Arkansas is home to over 219,000 Veterans. They live and work in every community throughout our state. Our men and women who served are an extraordinarily selfless group. They worked as a team and looked out for one another. We must look out for them. In 2017, the General Assembly passed Act 141 which exempts [...]
On Monday morning, House members were informed of the passing of one of our fellow representatives. Representative John Walker was elected to the House in 2010 and was serving his 5th term when he passed at the age of 82. He represented District 34 which includes southwest portions of Little Rock. His public service career [...]
Childhood obesity is a serious problem across the country. Surveys indicate 1 in 5 children are now obese. Several studies have shown that students will eat more fruits and vegetables when they have easy access to a variety of high quality fresh items. And one way to provide more healthy options is through Farm-to-School programs. [...]
On average, an Arkansan with a bachelor’s degree will earn $700,000 more in a 30 year career than those who drop out of college. The gap climbs to $1.5 million for those with a doctorate. This information is included in the 2018 Economic Security Report which was presented this week to the Arkansas Legislative Council [...]
A 2017 study titled “Indicators of School Crime and Safety,” published by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Education, reported that 20% of students ages 12-18 reported being bullied at school during the previous school year. The same study also reported that about 33% of students who reported [...]
Last flu season, 113 influenza related deaths were reported in Arkansas. According to the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH), 71% of the adults who died were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccine history. ADH also reported that 28 schools closed briefly due to the flu last season. While only moderate in severity, the 2018-2019 season [...]
