Earlier this month, many of us gathered in the Old Supreme Court Chamber at our Capitol to celebrate Christmas with some of the children currently in our state’s foster care system. This is an annual event that distributes thousands of gifts and brings countless smiles. Our goal as a state is to make sure these [...]
This week, the Arkansas Legislative Council received a report regarding the state of mental and behavioral health in Arkansas. This report was months in the making. It makes clear that medical professionals are facing a mental health crisis in our state but the collaborative efforts involved in this study also provide a path forward to [...]
Nationwide, just half of all high schools offer computer science courses. That’s not the case here in Arkansas. Arkansas is recognized nationally as a leading state in the computer science education movement. When the General Assembly passed Act 187 in 2015, we became the first state to require every public high school and public charter [...]
I received notice from Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), that they will conduct Location Public Hearings to present and discuss the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Walnut Ridge to Missouri State Line (Future I-57) connection in Clay, Greene, Lawrence and Randolph counties. The hearings will be held [...]
Returning House members and newly elected members are now preparing for the upcoming session. The 2023 Regular Session will begin on January 9 at noon. The pre-filing period for bills and resolutions began on November 15. So far, 16 bills have been filed in the House and 3 have been filed in the Senate. You [...]
When you choose to shop at a small business you are choosing to invest in your community. It is estimated that for every $100 spent in a local business, $68 recirculates and remains in the local economy. Local businesses are owned by people who live in your community. They donate to local causes and employ [...]
Disaster Assistance for 2022 Livestock Forage Losses Producers in Lawrence County are eligible to apply for 2022 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) benefits on native pasture, improved pasture, or forage sorghum. LFP provides compensation if you suffer grazing losses for covered livestock due to drought on privately owned or cash leased land or fire on [...]
Did you know that more than 12% of all turkeys produced in the United States are raised right here in Arkansas? Arkansas produces 27 million turkeys per year and ranks third in the nation in turkeys raised. But that’s not the only popular Thanksgiving dish that may have started its journey on an Arkansas farm. [...]
Committees are an essential part of the legislative process. While in committee, a bill is reviewed, researched, and sometime revised. Committee meetings also provide an opportunity for public comment. Committee selection is one of the first orders of business for newly elected members and returning members of the House. A House Caucus is currently scheduled [...]
