by - May 20, 2016 4:06 pm
Gov. Hutchinson: Highways had to be a five-year plan
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said the highway bill that appears headed for passage Monday had to be a five-year plan and he said that any tax increase for highways needs to…
Talk Politics
by - May 20, 2016 3:04 pm
Oklahoma Gov. Fallin vetoes bill making it a felony to perform abortions
Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin (R) has vetoed a bill passed by the GOP-controlled Legislature that sought to make it a felony for doctors to perform abortions in the state. In…
by - May 20, 2016 2:29 pm
Gov. Hutchinson names Cabot native as new chief of staff (Updated)
Editor’s note: Story updated with additions and changes throughout. ––––––––––––––––––– Gov. Asa Hutchinson has named Alison Williams as his new chief of staff effective June 1, the governor told reporters…
by - May 20, 2016 12:08 pm
Governor’s highway bill advances after legislative maneuvers
Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s highway bill cleared a committee hurdle Friday and heads to the full Senate Monday, where it likely will pass. The bill, HB1009, by Rep. Andy Davis, R-Little…
by - May 20, 2016 9:13 am
Arkansas’ jobless rate hits new low, total employment hits all-time high
Arkansas’ job market continued to venture into new territory in April as the state’s jobless rate fell from last’s month’s seasonally adjusted all-time low of 4.1% and total employment touched…
by - May 19, 2016 8:15 pm
Committees pass bills ending workers’ comp fund
Legislators voted out of committee Thursday a bill that would close new claims to the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Death and Permanent Total Disability Trust Fund, and eventually end the fund…
by - May 19, 2016 7:02 pm
Governor’s highway bill could be headed to new committee; competing bill advances
The Senate sponsor of Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s highway package plans to run it through a new committee Friday after he twice was unable to move it Thursday and after it…
by - May 19, 2016 5:21 pm
U.S. Senate passes provision allowing Arkansas to designate portion of U.S. 67 ‘Future I-57’
U.S. Sen.John Boozman, R-Ark., on Thursday (May 19) applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill that includes a provision enabling Arkansas to…
by - May 19, 2016 5:21 pm
U.S. Senate passes provision allowing Arkansas to designate portion of U.S. 67 ‘Future I-57’
U.S. Sen.John Boozman, R-Ark., on Thursday (May 19) applauded Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill that includes a provision enabling Arkansas to…
by - May 19, 2016 5:17 pm
Arkansas World Trade Center official brings ‘prosperity through trade’ message to Jonesboro
Dan Hendrix said Thursday (May 19) a trade group that began in 2007 has been fortunate to partner with other groups to create an opportunity to educate students on global…
by - May 19, 2016 1:52 pm
Work on Arkansas Highway 45 remains uncertain as traffic grows and adjacent businesses expand
The Arkansas Highway 45 intersection in the area of Planters Road is a hub for Fort Smith and Sebastian County employment. It’s also a traffic nightmare. Narrow lanes hinder truck…
by - May 19, 2016 12:02 pm
Governor’s highway bill stalls in Senate committee
The Senate Committee on Transportation, Technology, and Legislative Affairs deadlocked 4-4 Thursday morning voting on Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s highway bill. The vote came after its Senate sponsor, Sen. Bart Hester,…
by - May 18, 2016 6:14 pm
Arkansas Highway Commission supports Gov. Hutchinson’s highway funding plan
The Arkansas Highway Commission has announced its support for Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s highway bill. In a statement released Wednesday, the commission said it was “pleased that the call for the…
by - May 18, 2016 4:24 pm
Poll: Most Arkansans support campaign finance reforms
A package of campaign finance reforms had broad support in a poll conducted in March, according to numbers supplied to Talk Business & Politics by the reforms’ leading backer. In…
by - May 18, 2016 4:08 pm
Bills filed for a one-year pause on academic distress labels; combine school and other votes
A bill filed for the upcoming special session would place a one-year moratorium on the state declaring schools to be in academic distress, while another would combine school and general…
by - May 18, 2016 2:55 pm
Arkansas AG asks feds to meet with states before proposing new rules on payday lending
Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge is calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to convene a conference of the states to discuss the framework and ideas contained a proposal…
by - May 18, 2016 8:52 am
Obama administration announces expansion of new overtime rules for millions of U.S. workers
Beginning Wednesday (May 18), the Department of Labor will expand overtime pay to millions of American workers, President Barack Obama announced in an email and video message from the White…
by - May 18, 2016 4:57 am
Fort Smith Board not happy with $3.2 million budget surprise, approve interim utility director plan
The Fort Smith Board of Directors grilled the city’s Utilities Department over a $3.2 million appropriation request at Tuesday’s (May 17) regular meeting. Additionally, City Directors allocated $94,376 for a…
by - May 17, 2016 8:18 pm
Notes from the campaign trail: Governor’s highway plan faces hurdle in Senate committee
Editor’s note: Notes from the Campaign Trail is a compilation of various political insider tidbits and is sponsored by Little Rock-based Capitol Advisors Group. –––––––––––– GOVERNOR’S HIGHWAY PLAN FACES HURDLE…
by - May 17, 2016 7:10 pm
Jonesboro City Council creates police salary committee, hear more on shooting complex
Council members approved the creation of a new committee that will look at the police salary issue in Jonesboro, while also voting not to appeal a zoning lawsuit to a…