Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

State Employee Raises One Trip In Final Budget

With a deal worked out on tax cuts, the path is cleared to resolve the state budget and end the 88th General Assembly, right?

Prison Reform Bill Signed By Governor

A year’s worth of work and a session’s worth of negotiations led Gov. Mike Beebe to a major legislative victory – one that will certainly be tied to his administration’s legacy.

Lawmakers Make Quick Work Of Tax Cuts, Constitutional Amendments

Coming back from a weekend break, Arkansas lawmakers dispatched with their work quickly.

Health Care Proposals In The Spotlight And On The Hot Seat

Health care reform will find itself under a glaring spotlight on Wednesday as state lawmakers review proposed changes to Medicaid and consider how to construct Arkansas law to deal with federal health care reform.

Steele Pushing Black Caucus To Join Another Redistricting Plan

The leader of the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus says he does not plan to bring his own Congressional redistricting plan in the 2011 session.

Speaker Confident In Senate Highway Votes

House Speaker Robert Moore (D-Arkansas City) says he believes he’ll get his voter-referred highway proposals through the Arkansas State Senate, one of several predictions and revelations made in a wide-ranging interview on Talk Business this week.

Blue Hog: Legislative Reimbursement Practices & Amendment 70

Matt Campbell with our content partner, Blue Hog Report, digs deeper on a previous post examining the origins and offenses of a legislative practice that allows for "expense reimbursement" greater than the salaries lawmakers receive for their work.

The Wedge, Split The Delta & Fayetteville To The Fourth

These aren’t the names of thoroughbred horses at Oaklawn, but they are likely to be competing interests in a race-to-the-wire finish at the Arkansas Legislature.

House Tax Panel Quickly Dispenses With Tax Cut Bills

The Arkansas House Revenue and Tax Committee made quick work on agreed-upon tax cut measures in a special meeting on Friday.

Democrats & Republicans Ratchet Up The Rhetoric

Lest we forget the daily exchanges from last year’s campaign cycle, it seems we have a renewed rivalry between the Republican Party of Arkansas and the Democratic Party of Arkansas over legislative wranglings.

House, Senate Leaders Confirm Tax Cut Deal

As we reported yesterday, a deal between the House, Senate and Beebe administration has been cut to compromise on several tax cut measures and push the state budget process nearer a conclusion.

Tax Cut Deal Looks Set (updated)

Senate and House leaders have apparently struck a deal to compromise on tax cuts.

Prison Reform Bill Clears House, Heads To Governor For Signature

SB 750, Gov. Mike Beebe’s prison reform and sentencing overhaul bill, passed the full House of Representatives today on a 79-14 vote. It now heads to his office for signature into law.

First Congressional District Bill Amended

State Sen. Johnny Key (R-Mountain Home) amended his SB 981 to outline how he envisions redrawing Arkansas’ four Congressional Districts. The bill would only split one county – Franklin County – between the Third and Fourth Districts.

Board Of Apportionment Organizes, Expense Questions Surface (updated)

The panel charged with redrawing Arkansas’ 135 House and Senate districts in the state legislature met for the first time on Wednesday morning.

Crawford Wants Farm Subsidies Spared

The freshmen Republicans in Congress have wasted little time positioning themselves as budget-cutters. They are likely to be at the epicenter of the latest budget battle that appears headed toward another impasse and possible federal government shutdown.