by - March 1, 2015 12:10 am
Highway Bill ‘On Hold,’ Sponsor Hopes For Compromise
The sponsor of a bill that would dedicate $2.8 billion in general revenues over 10 years to highways hopes to find a compromise after placing it “on hold” because of…
Author: Steve Brawner
by - February 27, 2015 4:52 pm
House Panel To Consider State Amendments, Votes For Two Federal Ones
State legislators hope to whittle down the list of proposed constitutional amendments from about 40 to 10-12 next week, the chairman of the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee…
by - February 27, 2015 12:03 am
Bill Would Pull Arkansas Out Of Common Core Test
The sponsor of a bill that would end Arkansas’ participation in an end-of-the-year Common Core exam plans to run his bill in committee on Tuesday. House Bill 1241 by Rep….
by - February 26, 2015 5:59 pm
Little Rock Teacher Wins $25,000 Milken Award
Carman McBride, an Environmental and Spatial Technology facilitator at Don R. Roberts Elementary School in Little Rock, is $25,000 richer today after being named a 2014-15 Milken Educator in a…
by - February 25, 2015 3:58 pm
Bill Would License, Regulate Grain Dealers In Response To Turner Grain Crisis
A bill was filed Wednesday (Feb. 25) that would let the State Plant Board require grain dealers to post surety bonds, obtain a license, and temporarily rescind that license without…
by - February 19, 2015 8:16 pm
House Panel Passes Bill Diverting Funds For Highways
A bill that would take $2.8 billion from general revenues over 10 years and dedicate the money to highways passed the House Committee on Public Transportation on a voice vote…
by - February 18, 2015 11:46 am
Hutchinson Prison Expansion And Public Safety Plan To Cost $64 Million
Gov. Asa Hutchinson outlined a $64 million plan to reduce prison overcrowding, lower recidivism, and design longer-term solutions to public safety concerns. Where will the money come from and what’s the plan?
by - February 12, 2015 8:51 pm
Trucking Firms Must Be Creative To Attract Millennial Drivers
Trucking companies facing a worsening driver shortage have a potential large labor force available to them among members of the millennial generation, but they will have to find creative ways to appeal to those young people. A Millennial offers advice.
by - February 12, 2015 3:58 pm
Sen. English Plans Workforce Education Package
Sen. Jane English, R-North Little Rock, will present a package of workforce education bills that will reorganize the state’s career education programs under the Department of Career Education, create a…
by - February 9, 2015 11:02 pm
State Chamber Planning Workforce Push
The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce is preparing a major campaign to call attention to the state’s workforce needs and opportunities. Meanwhile, legislators are preparing to consider a package of workforce-related bills.
by - February 5, 2015 4:44 pm
Lawmakers Discuss Private Option Votes After House Passage
Speaker Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, said today he believed he had the numbers to pass bills funding the Medicaid budget, including the private option, as well as a task force that…
by - February 5, 2015 2:43 pm
House Passes Governor’s Computer Coding Class
The Arkansas House of Representatives voted 99-0 to pass Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s signature education proposal requiring computer science to be offered at all Arkansas high schools and charter schools. House…
by - February 2, 2015 10:15 pm
Head Of Nation’s Teachers Union Criticizes Little Rock Schools Takeover
The recent state takeover of the Little Rock School District is a bad idea because the answers to the district’s problems must come from within the community, the national president…
by - February 2, 2015 8:30 am
Meet The New Little Rock School Board
Tony Wood is now not only the state’s education commissioner but, as of Wednesday (Jan. 28), effectively the Little Rock School District’s school board. The State Board of Education’s takeover…
by - January 28, 2015 10:38 am
Governor’s Private Option Plan Passes Panel; Bill Killing It Fails
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee passed a bill Wednesday that would extend the private option through the end of 2016 and create a task force that would…
by - January 27, 2015 1:18 pm
House Panel Passes Tax Cut, Capital Gains Amendment
The House Revenue and Taxation Committee on Tuesday passed the governor’s tax cut bill, Senate Bill 6, with a compromise amendment that would exempt 40% of income gained from capital…
by - January 26, 2015 7:55 pm
Report Finds Hopeful Signs In Arkansas Health Payment Initiative
Payment reforms have helped to reduce costs and improve care efficiency at the same time the state’s Medicaid growth rate has slowed from about 6% to between 2-3%, according to…
by - January 26, 2015 11:32 am
Hutchinson Tax Cut Bill Faces Obstacles In House
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s tax cut proposal faces opposition in the House from some Republicans opposed to the repeal of a capital gains tax cut and some Democrats who want to…
by - January 22, 2015 12:52 pm
Elected Officials, Health Care Groups React To Hutchinson Speech
Here are reactions to Gov. Hutchinson’s speech on the private option and health care reform. Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, Senate president pro tempore and private option architect – “I believe…
by - January 21, 2015 12:32 pm
Senate Panel Passes Tax Cut While Increasing Capital Gains
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s signature middle class tax cut unanimously passed the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee Wednesday with an amendment to do away with a capital gains tax cut passed…