Legislative committee approves rules on electronic signatures, gender-neutral IDs

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Members of the Arkansas Legislative Council approved two controversial rule changes in a meeting Friday: the first had to do with elections, while the second had to do with gender-neutral driver's licenses.

Driver's licenses

The Department of Finance and Administration recently implemented a rule requiring the letter “M” or “F” to be listed under “sex” on all driver’s licenses or state-issued IDs. Right now, a few hundred Arkansans have “X” listed instead of "M" or "F".

Democratic lawmakers protested the rule change, saying it was harmful to transgender and nonbinary Arkansans. Rep. Andrew Collins, D- Little Rock, said the rule change goes beyond the purview of what the Department of Finance and Administration is allowed to do.

Legislative committee approves rules on electronic signatures, gender-neutral IDs

Dwain Hebda/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Legislature approved two controversial rules at a legislative meeting Friday.

Arkansas ends fiscal budget year with historic $1.628 billion surplus; special session called

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The previously estimated Arkansas budget surplus of $1.473 billion grew to a record $1.628 billion, which resulted in Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Tuesday (July 5) calling for an Aug. 8 special session to discuss possible tax cuts.

“Today, I am announcing I will call a special session of the General Assembly to reduce the rate of our tax collection. The special session will be the week of August 8. The specific items on the call in addition to tax relief will be announced at a later time as further discussions are held with the General Assembly,” the governor said in a Tuesday afternoon statement.

A record fiscal year 2022 surplus was thanks in large part to a more than 5% annual growth in income tax revenue and a more than 9% growth in sales tax revenue. Total tax revenue in fiscal year 2022 (July 2021-June 2022) was $8.773 billion, up 8% – or $651.2 million – compared with a robust fiscal year 2021 in which the tax surplus hit the previous record of $945.7 million. The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) reported the fiscal year numbers on Tuesday (July 5).

https://talkbusiness.net/2022/07/arkansas-ends-fiscal-budget-year-with-historic-1-628-billion-surplus-special-session-called-updated/

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Whether it was due to a job loss, reduction in income or increased costs in healthcare, many homeowners fell behind in mortgage payments and utilities during the pandemic.
If you or someone you know is behind on payments, we want to direct your attention to a resource that could help.
Recently, the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) announced it is now distributing the state’s $54 million to homeowners who were impacted by COVID-19.

Arkansas was one of the first states to gain the US Treasury approval for the funds. The Arkansas Homeowner Assistance Fund https://apply.arkansashaf.com/loginis a federally-funded program helping Arkansas residents who are behind on their mortgages, electricity, gas and/or internet payments.
Eligibility is determined by need and household income. Homeowners must have a total annual household income of less than 150% of the area median income of their county. The maximum total annual household income for a family of four ranges from $81,150 to $112,350, depending upon the county in which they live. To determine eligibility for a specific county, go to arkansashaf.com/qualifyhttps://arkansashaf.com/qualify
Funds for qualified recipients will be provided directly to mortgage companies, internet companies, and utility providers.
Eligible homeowners are encouraged to apply through the online portal at: apply.arkansashaf.comhttps://apply.arkansashaf.com/login or contact our call center at 888.698.0964. Call center hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondaythrough Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.
Applicants will need the following to apply:

1) Valid ID for applicant (spouse or co- borrower if applicable)
2) Proof of homeownership
3) Income documentation
4) Documents showing mortgage delinquency
The income limits vary based on the county and the number of occupants in your household. When you apply online, after entering some basic information, you will see the income limitations specific to you.
We’ve posted links for more information on our website www.arkansashouse.orghttp://www.arkansashouse.org