by - March 21, 2015 8:17 am
Weekend Digest: The Howdy Doody Looking Nimrod Edition
TV PREVIEW: LAW AND ORDER On this week’s edition of Talk Business & Politics, which airs Sundays at 9 a.m. on KATV Ch. 7, tune in for the following: Arkansas…
Talk Politics
by - March 21, 2015 7:24 am
Simmons Bank Proposes $14 Million Revitalization Effort For Downtown Pine Bluff
Pine Bluff-based Simmons Bank has made an offer to its headquarters’ hometown that it hopes the city can’t refuse. On Friday, details of a potential $14 million proposal from Simmons…
by - March 21, 2015 6:48 am
Congressional Recap: Budget, Banking, Trucking And Veterans Highlight Week In D.C.
Arkansas’ Congressional delegation dealt with a wide range of domestic issues in hearings and bill filings, but Sen. Tom Cotton’s push on foreign policy started the week’s news.
by - March 21, 2015 6:24 am
Capitol Notebook: Workforce Training, Rehoming Bills Pass House
It was a near marathon session Friday in the House, as lawmakers passed several key bills and turned down others. The House overwhelmingly voted to approve a workforce development bill,…
by - March 20, 2015 11:42 am
House Approves Two ‘Rehoming’ Bills, Rep. Harris Votes Yes On Both
A pair of bills that would seek to end the practice of “rehoming” in the state of Arkansas received overwhelming approval in the State House Friday, including from a state…
by - March 20, 2015 12:33 am
Energy In-depth: Former ADEQ Director Teresa Marks Joins EPA
Editor’s note: Each Friday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Energy In-depth,” a round-up of energy and regulatory news in our email newsletter, which you can sign up to receive daily for free here….
by - March 19, 2015 7:07 pm
Capitol Notebook: Prison Reform, Capital Gains Tax Proposals Clear Committees
Lawmakers approved a key policy initiative of Gov. Asa Hutchinson as well as an extension of a capital gains tax bill. The House Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 472, sponsored…
by - March 19, 2015 5:19 pm
Gabe Holmstrom Named Executive Director Of Downtown Little Rock Partnership
Gabe Holmstrom has been named as the new executive director of the Downtown Little Rock Partnership. He replaces Sharon Priest, who retired as the leader of the downtown nonprofit in…
by - March 19, 2015 3:52 pm
Talk Business & Politics Podcast 3.19.15
There were plenty of political headlines this week. In our latest pure politics podcast, Talk Business & Politics Roby Brock and Jessica DeLoach Sabin explore the following subjects: Sen. Tom…
by - March 19, 2015 3:17 pm
Arkansas Supreme Court Upholds Lethal Injection Law, Hutchinson Prepared To Move Forward
The right of the Arkansas Department of Correction to select a chemical used in executions does not violate state law or separation of powers, the state’s highest court ruled Thursday….
by - March 19, 2015 9:53 am
Additional Capital Gains Tax Cut Bill Passes House Committee
A bill that will put back exemptions on the state’s capital gains tax rates cleared a House committee Thursday, with supporters saying it will create jobs. The House Revenue and…
by - March 19, 2015 9:37 am
Senate Committee Puts Rules And Regs Oversight Bill On Hold, Delays Constitutional Amendment Meeting
The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee delayed action on an amendment to SB 2, which more fully outlines how lawmakers will oversee executive branch rules and regulations. Arkansas voters…
by - March 19, 2015 7:45 am
Survey: Arkansas Voters Support EPA’s Carbon Emission Rules, Hutchinson Administration Preps For Legal Battle
As the Hutchinson administration prepares to battle the federal Environment Protection Agency on its plan to shutter the state’s fleet of coal-fired power plants, the Arkansas Advanced Energy Association (AAEA)…
by - March 18, 2015 8:35 pm
Bill Would Let Utilities Adjust Rates Annually
A bill that will allow the Public Service Commission (PSC) to let utilities adjust rates annually, rather than doing it over the current multi-year span, with a 4% annual cap…
by - March 18, 2015 6:57 pm
Gov. Hutchinson Names Advisory Council On Medicaid Reform
While 16 legislators on a task force will debate and set policy on the future of Medicaid and health care reform, advocacy groups and state agency leaders will also be…
by - March 18, 2015 6:08 pm
Capitol Notebook: Regional Jail Bill Passes Senate
A plan supporting a regional jail approach to the state’s corrections debate will help the state and its residents in many ways, the sponsor of the bill said Wednesday. The…
by - March 18, 2015 3:37 pm
Talk Politics Roundtable: Robert McLarty, David Ray, Janelle Lilley
This week’s “Talk Politics” roundtable is online and available for viewing at the bottom of this post. KATV’s Janelle Lilley, Americans For Prosperity’s David Ray, The Markham Group’s Robert McLarty,…
by - March 18, 2015 3:15 pm
Amended Common Core Test Bill Passes Senate Ed
A bill that would have ended Arkansas’ participation in a multi-state assessment associated with the Common Core failed to get a second in the Senate Education Committee Wednesday and then…
by - March 18, 2015 11:48 am
Election Bills Focus Of Committee Meeting
A bill that would have aligned school board elections with the state’s general elections was defeated in committee, while a bill to allow federal officeholders to run in two races…
by - March 18, 2015 1:38 am
Health Beat: ACA Adds 16.4 Million To Insured Ranks, Says HHS
Editor’s note: Each Wednesday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Health Beat,” a round-up of health-related topics in our email newsletter, which you can sign up to receive daily for free…