Arkansas Senate Approves Bill Allowing Malpractice Suits For Transgender Minors' Health Care

It would create civil liability for a doctor who “performs a gender transition procedure on a minor … if the minor is injured."

Arkansas Group Pitches Hand-Count Elections To Counties As Legislature Prepares To Weigh In

Instead, the Arkansas Voter Integrity Initiative urges counties to rely on paper ballots marked and counted by hand.

New Democratic Caucus Aims To Connect With Rural Voters In Arkansas

“Rural schools will fold, communities will suffer,” Piper said. “They'll lose their epicenter where people got their paycheck."

Public Housing Work Requirement Bill Wins Senate Approval

Senators voted 28-5 to send the bill back to the House for final consideration. The legislation would have requirements.

Governor Sanders Boasts On "Far-Reaching, Conservative Education Reform"

The wide-ranging, 144-page bill was published on the Arkansas Legislature's website just before 5 p.m.

Ark., Republican Sullivan Calls Banning Of Classic Literature "Protecting" Children

Librarians are not supposed to be “gatekeepers” of content for any reason, a librarian said.

SESSION SNAPSHOT: Tough Love At The Arkansas Capitol As Bills Stall, Fail In Week 6

The following is a collection of odds and ends, tidbits, and overall "baubles" from the Week 6 legislative session, the "Session Snapshot."

Sanders Announces Fentanyl Trafficking Legislation, New “Drug Czar” For Arkansas

Fentanyl traffickers would be sentenced to between 20 and 60 years in prison with the possibility of a life sentence.

Rural Hospitals Gird For Unwinding Of Pandemic Medicaid Coverage; Ark., Residents May Undergo Reviews

“We are all being forced to try to eke out a sustainable margin because of those [inflation] factors" -- Lloyd.

Arkansas Senate Committee Votes To Forbid Absentee Ballot Drop Boxes

Since twice-impeached Trump attacked their use without evidence, his Republican acolytes have followed suit.

Immigrant Drivers License Bill Halted In Committee

Arkansas law currently permits certain noncitizens to obtain drivers' licenses.

Proposed Work Requirement For Federal Housing Assistance Advances In Arkansas Senate

It is expected to be debated by the full Arkansas Senate, the report states.

Arkansas Committee OKs Bill To Make It Harder For Citizens To Put Initiatives On The Ballot

Questions have been raised as to whether the bill is constitutional, the report states.

Arkansas School Bathroom Use Bill Will Be Amended, Sent Back To Committee

It was expected to receive a vote from the full Senate, but Sullivan pulled the bill from consideration.

Arkansas Files Federal Lawsuit Against EPA Over Arkansas' Rejected Ozone Plan

During a conference in Wrightsville, Sanders made the announcement.

Arkansas Panel Votes To Ban State Investments With Managers Who Consider ESG Factors

The vote was to divest state holdings from financial services, according to the report.

Crowd Rallies Outside Capitol In Support Of Public Education

“Much has been said about the so-called parent empowerment that Arkansas LEARNS offers, but I've never seen anything to indicate (choices)."

Bill Restricting School Bathroom Use Heads To Arkansas Senate

This applies to multiple-occupancy restrooms and locker rooms, as well as rooms for students on overnight trips.

Panel Dismisses Testing Requirement For Private Schools Receiving Public Funds

A standardized exam mandate would allow parents to compare “apples to apples” when considering their child's academic progress.

Sanders: Arkansas Will Seek Federal OK For New Medicaid Work Requirement

Enrollees in the state's Medicaid expansion program who do not fulfill this requirement would not lose coverage, unlike last time.

Committee Tables Legislation To Increase Funding For Classified Employee Pay

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Greg Leding (D) is the lead sponsor of the bill, which would increase per-student foundation funding.

Bill Requiring Paid Maternity Leave From Employers That Cover Abortion Costs Heads To Senate

According to the Center For American Progress, 11 states have passed paid family leave laws.

Arkansas Bill Allowing Malpractice Suits For Transgender Minors' Health Care Passes Committee

This (would) create civil liability for a doctor who “performs a gender transition procedure on a minor … if the minor is injured."

Renters Of Troubled Little Rock House Will Be Required To Appear In City Court

City code inspectors cited landlord Imran Bohra and his company, Entropy Systems Inc., in June and July, for violations at the house.

Rural Districts Concerned About Voucher Program Accountability, School Closures

“When I was at County Line, I could not get enough of school,” Bryan Pruitt said. “I loved every minute of it.”

Arkansas Governor Creates Group Focused On Work Force Development

Mike Rogers, senior director of Maintenance and Refrigeration for Tyson Foods, will serve as CWO. Rogers has previously taught agriculture.

Arkansas Committee OKs Required Paid Maternity Leave From Employers That Cover Abortion Costs

The bill passed the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee unanimously Thursday, and will go to the House floor for a vote.

Legislation Threatens To Hamstring Arkansas Rooftop Solar Expansion

Introduced Wednesday by Rep. Lanny Fite, R-Benton, this would end the state's current policy if passed.

Rural Emergency Hospital Proposal Passes Arkansas Senate Unanimously

Rural Arkansas hospitals would be allowed, though not required, to attain “rural emergency hospital” designation, according to the report.

SESSION SNAPSHOT: Legislation Marches On; Also, A Sneak Peek At The Governor's Education Package

Herein are the odds and ends, tidbits, and occasional musings that occurred in the recent legislative session.

Governor Shares Details Of Education Overhaul Proposal

During a conference, Sanders said providing every child with access to a quality education is the “civil rights issue of our day."

Bill To Support Pregnant And Parenting High Schoolers Passes Arkansas House

A prime purpose of this bill is to help teenage parents in Arkansas finish high school, the report states.

Under Proposed Law, Rural Arkansas Hospitals Could Get More Funding For Reducing In-Patient Services

It's an incentive for rural hospitals to specialize in emergency and outpatient care, the report states.

Panel Approves Removing Limit On Transfer Cap For Pre-K Students

Sponsored by Rep. Julie Mayberry (R-Hensley), this house bill seeks to amend the Public School Choice Act of 2015, which presents limits.

Bill To Help Pregnant And Parenting Teenagers Finish High School Advances In Arkansas House

Arkansas has an 87 percent higher teen pregnancy rate than the rest of the United States and one of the lowest high school graduation rates.

Sanders: Long On Attacking President Biden, Short On Specific Alternatives In GOP Response

Biden's myriad accomplishments, such as the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, were called "madness" by the Trump acolyte Sanders.

Rewritten LGBTQ+ Bill Passes Arkansas House, Will Return To Senate

The bill, recently rewritten, was heavily amended, the report states.

Arkansas House Approves Work Requirement For Public Housing Recipients

The requirement would apply to adults between 19 and 64, except those with disabilities and participants in drug-alcohol treatment programs.

Arkansas Medicaid Recipients Petition DHS For Better Care, Accessibility

Allen's brother was 18, uninsured at the time of the accident, and received treatment at the nearest neurotrauma care center.

SESSION SNAPSHOT: Arkansas Legislature Rolls Through Week 4 With Ice And Amendments

Here are some tidbits, highlights, happenings, and odds and ends, as the legislature "rolled through Week 4."