Fiscal session adjourns until next Thursday, House Speaker race looms

The Arkansas legislature concluded most of its fiscal session business on Thursday (May 2) before adjourning until next Thursday when they will reconvene to sine die, the permanent adjournment of the General Assembly.

Lawmakers approved a revenue stabilization bill that will allow for $6.3 billion in state spending in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2024.

The spending allowance is roughly $109 million over current spending levels. A majority of the new spending will be focused on education to pay for increases in costs related to public schools and aspects of the LEARNS program, including Education Freedom Accounts that allows public school funding to follow students to private school, homeschooling, and other options. The EFA program is in Year 2 of eligibility for children whose parents are veterans, military reserve members, first responders, and law enforcement officers, as well as students who previously attended D-rated schools.

Controversy arose during the last week over budgets regarding Arkansas PBS and the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission in the House of Representatives. Arkansas PBS’ budget authorization bill did finally receive more than 75 votes for passage, but the Game & Fish Commission bill failed on Thursday. Controversy over salary increases held it up. Lawmakers will have to address the measure next Thursday before they officially leave.

Legislators also approved two bills that will regulate crypto mining in Arkansas. The two measures will give more local and state control over crypto mining operations, noise control, and foreign ownership.

Alexa Henning, spokesperson for Gov. Sarah Sanders, said the governor planned to sign the bills into law.

“The Governor was the first in the country to kick a Chinese communist owned company out of her state and strongly supports outlawing foreign adversaries from owning crypto mines in Arkansas, while protecting rural communities and empowering them to crack down on bad actors,” Henning said.

In other business, State Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, was elected for another term as Senate President Pro Tempore. Hester was the only nominee offered on the Senate floor on Thursday. He defeated Sen. Terry Rice, R-Waldron, for the position in a GOP Caucus meeting earlier. Republicans control the Senate with 29 votes to the Democrats’ six members.

Hester said he wanted to continue to work with all members of the Senate on both sides of the aisle as well as continue to work with the Arkansas House and Gov. Sanders on policies. He said he hoped to avoid the partisanship that dominates national politics.

“We are not Washington, D.C., and I don’t plan for us to become that way,” Hester said.

State Senators also offered a laudatory farewell to Sen. Linda Chesterfield, D-Little Rock, who is retiring after her term ends at the end of the year. Chesterfield has served over 20 years in the state legislature having been elected to the Senate in 2011. Nearly every senator signed a letter recommending Chesterfield for nomination in the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame. Chesterfield will be a guest on Capitol View this weekend.

State lawmakers will return to the state capitol on Thursday, May 9, to complete any clean-up business, officially adjourn and elect a new Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Rep. Brian Evans, R-Cabot, Rep. Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, and Rep. Johnny Rye, R-Trumann, are vying for the Speaker’s title to replace Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado.