Five companies submit bids to run Arkansas’ school voucher program

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Five companies, three of whom have applied previously, responded to a request for proposals to administer Arkansas’ school voucher program after the state fired the previous vendor.

The Arkansas Department of Education is terminating its contract with its current Indiana-based vendor due to delays and failure to implement required components.

According to a list provided by the Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services, proposals were submitted by Tuesday’s deadline from Merit International, Primary Class (doing business as Odyssey), Alliance for Choice in Education (doing business as ACE Scholarships), Pearl and Kleo Inc.

Five companies submit bids to run Arkansas’ school voucher program

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

Education Secretary Jacob Oliva speaks to superintendents about the LEARNS Act during a meeting at the Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative on Mar. 10, 2023.

Arkansas election board to sanction county officials over issues with hand-counted ballots

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The State Board of Election Commissioners on Wednesday voted to sanction election officials in one Arkansas county where several hand-counted ballot mistakes occurred during the primary election.

Commissioners did not explicitly state which county’s board of election commissioners would receive the sanctions; however, only officials in Searcy County hand-counted ballots in March.

The investigation into the county that hand-counted ballots was among six that the SBEC considered at its meeting, all of which were discussed with some confidentiality. Reports remain private until 30 days after county officials accept the sanction, or deny it and prompt a public hearing.

Arkansas election board to sanction county officials over issues with hand-counted ballots

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Chris Madison, director of the State Board of Election Commissioners, leads a meeting in Little Rock on July 15, 2024.

Arkansas committee approves subpoena power to learn more about airport executive’s death

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

After Little Rock’s police chief declined to answer questions Monday about the fatal shooting of a Little Rock airport executive in March, an Arkansas legislative committee granted its chair the power to issue subpoenas to help its review of the case.

Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the motion immediately following testimony from Little Rock Police Chief Heath Helton, who said City Attorney Tom Carpenter advised him not to comment on the shooting due to ongoing litigation.

“Certainly the people of Arkansas expect us to ask questions,” Clark said. “And not only do they expect us to ask questions, they expect us to get answers — and you get answers however you can get answers.”

Arkansas committee approves subpoena power to learn more about airport executive’s death

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Sen. Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale, questions state and local law enforcement agencies about their involvement in the deadly raid of airport executive Bryan Malinowski on March 19. Photographed during a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Sept. 30, 2024.

Arkansas Supreme Court refers one of its own for disciplinary investigation

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Members of the Arkansas Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a case filed by Justice Courtney Hudson seeking to block the release of her emails from a public records request and have referred her for disciplinary investigation.

In an unsigned per curiam opinion issued Tuesday, the state’s high court vacated a preliminary injunction granted by Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James on Monday and dismissed the underlying complaint with prejudice for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction. “With prejudice” means the case cannot be refiled.

Hudson and Justice Karen Baker dissented. The opinion said written opinions would follow, but none had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon.

Arkansas Supreme Court refers one of its own for disciplinary investigation

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock.

Pharmacy benefit managers will have to pay Arkansas drugstores dispensing fees under new rule

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Insurance Department will require pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to include dispensing fees in their reimbursements to pharmacies for prescription drugs, a legislative panel ruled Thursday.

The new rule will financially benefit pharmacies, especially independently-owned ones in rural areas, as a remedy for years of unfair PBM reimbursements that put them at risk of closing, pharmacists and Insurance Department officials told the Arkansas Legislative Council’s Executive Subcommittee.

PBMs are companies that serve as middlemen to negotiate prescription benefits among manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and health insurance providers. The companies rank prescription drugs, with the highest-tiered products costing consumers the lowest out-of-pocket costs.

Pharmacy benefit managers will have to pay Arkansas drugstores dispensing fees under new rule

Activists continue to call for changes to Arkansas Medicaid, allege unfair losses of coverage

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Medicaid recipients and advocates repeated their ongoing messages that the state Department of Human Services should provide broader Medicaid coverage and process applications more efficiently at a Tuesday demonstration outside DHS’ Jefferson County office.

Arkansas Community Organizations, the group behind the protest, has continually emphasized the benefits of the federally-funded health insurance program and the struggles low-income Arkansans face when they cannot afford health care or get on Medicaid quickly. On Tuesday, the group added a new message: that DHS employees are overworked and under-supported.

“When you walk into DHS, prepare to take a number and sit for a long time,” Medicaid recipient William Gerard said. “There might be two workers at four windows and not enough [support] to serve their caseload.”

Activists continue to call for changes to Arkansas Medicaid, allege unfair losses of coverage

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Organizers with Arkansas Community Organizations hold up signs advocating for better Medicaid coverage outside Jefferson County’s Department of Human Services office in Pine Bluff on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

Special master recommends disqualifying thousands of anti-casino measure signatures

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A special master to the Arkansas Supreme Court found nearly 6,000 signatures supporting an anti-casino ballot initiative should be disqualified because of insufficient addresses, according to a report submitted Monday.

Other challenges to the proposed ballot measure — such as potential issues with an agent signing affidavits in place of a sponsor — that were made in an original action petition filed last month were rejected.

Special Master Randy Wright’s report will inform the state’s highest court as it determines whether votes cast on the proposed constitutional amendment in November will be counted. Additional briefs are expected in the coming weeks, and petitioners said a ruling is likely in mid-October.

Special master recommends disqualifying thousands of anti-casino measure signatures

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

New report ranks Arkansas’ food insecurity rate worst in the U.S.

From the Arkansas Advocate:

At a rate of nearly 19%, Arkansas has the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the nation, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday.

Freerange Stock Image

The annual study, which was conducted by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, found that Arkansas was one of seven states where the prevalence of food insecurity surpassed the national average of 13.5% in 2023, an increase from 12.8% in 2022.

The report defines food insecurity as being unable, at some time during the year, to provide adequate food for one or more household members because of a lack of resources. Very low food insecurity is the more severe range of food insecurity, where one or more members of a household experienced reduced food intake or disrupted eating patterns because they could not afford enough food.

New report ranks Arkansas’ food insecurity rate worst in the U.S.

Arkansas AG rejects proposed education constitutional amendment for 2026 ballot

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas’ attorney general on Thursday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would require identical standards for public and private schools that receive state funding.

In his six-page opinion, Attorney General Tim Griffin said he could not certify the proposal because the submission did not include the full text of the measure as required by law.

“Thus, a failure to submit the proposed amendment’s full text in compliance with A.C.A. § 7-9-107 makes it impossible for me to determine whether your proposed popular name and ballot title are misleading,” Griffin said.

Arkansas AG rejects proposed education constitutional amendment for 2026 ballot

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

For AR Kids spokesperson Bill Kopsky talks about why the group’s constitutional amendment initiative came up short of the required number of signatures during a press conference at Arkansas Public Policy Panel offices in Little Rock on Friday, July 5, 2024.

Arkansas Secretary of State defends rejection of proposed abortion amendment

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston continued to argue in a court filing Monday that a ballot question committee did not file required paperwork when it submitted a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a limited right to abortion.

Thurston’s filing was in compliance with a state Supreme Court order on Friday that his office respond to a complaint filed July 6 by Arkansans for Limited Government.

The response denied most of the allegations in AFLG’s July 16 legal complaint and reiterated many of Thurston’s previous reasons for rejecting the proposed amendment, which the ballot question committee submitted to his office July 5 with more than 102,000 signatures.

Arkansas Secretary of State defends rejection of proposed abortion amendment

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

A supporter of the Arkansas Abortion Amendment holds up a sign in an Arkansas Capitol hallway while petitions to put the amendment on the November ballot are delivered in boxes to the Secretary of State on Friday, July 5, 2024.

Arkansas panel OKs voucher program with ‘substantive change’ for public schools

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas public schools will soon have an opportunity to collect money from the state’s new school voucher program, according to a rule passed out of a state subcommittee Tuesday.

With minimal discussion, the Administrative Rules Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council unanimously reviewed and approved a permanent rule governing Education Freedom Accounts, which included a “substantive change” from previously approved emergency rules.

Under the revised rule, public schools will be listed as “education service providers” and will be eligible to receive funding reimbursements for services given to non-public school students. Public institutions were previously excluded from this distinction.

Arkansas panel OKs voucher program with ‘substantive change’ for public schools

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Administrative Rules Subcommittee of the Arkansas Legislative Council meets to discuss education-related rules on July 30, 2024.

State Board of Education approves new accountability system, guidelines

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas State Board of Education approved new accountability guidelines for private schools getting tax money on Thursday.

The 2023 LEARNS Act signed into law by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders allowed public money to be used for private schools. The money comes from a pool of funds called the “education freedom account.”

Sanders and Education Secretary Jacob Oliva have promised accountability measures for these schools since the law was passed. Stacy Smith, Deputy Commissioner of the Education Department's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, presented the new rules at a meeting on Thursday. Students at private schools getting tax dollars will be required to take standardized testing and meet accreditation standards, but there will be a lot of flexibility for them in both categories.

State Board of Education approves new accountability system, guidelines

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Department of Education Deputy Commissioner Stacy Smith (right) at a previous meeting of the board. On Thursday she presented testing and accreditation rules for private schools receiving public money.

Publication of abortion amendment canvasser list is intimidation, ballot question committee says

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Supporters of a proposed Arkansas constitutional amendment that would allow a limited right to abortion denounced a conservative advocacy group’s publication of a list of paid canvassers, calling the move an intimidation tactic.

The right-wing Family Council posted Thursday on its website a list of 79 people that the Arkansans for Limited Government ballot question committee is paying to collect signatures from across the state. The committee needs 90,704 signatures from registered voters by July 5 for the proposed amendment to appear on the November ballot.

The Family Council obtained the list of paid canvassers and their home cities via an Arkansas Freedom of Information Act request, according to the post. Ballot question committees do not have to submit lists of unpaid or volunteer canvassers to the state.

Publication of abortion amendment canvasser list is intimidation, ballot question committee says

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Supporters of a proposed Arkansas constitutional amendment that would create a limited right to abortion seek signatures at the intersection of 9th and State streets in Little Rock on Thursday, May 30, 2024. Little Rock police arrived during the collection efforts and parked outside the event venue The Hall.

Lawsuit challenges Arkansas voter registration rules

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A local group is suing over a rule regarding how voter registrations are done in the state.

Get Loud Arkansas created a website allowing people to register to vote online. In April, an Arkansas legislative committee moved to prevent this process from being used, saying applications now need to have a “wet signature.” This means voter applications must be filled out in person and only at certain state agencies. The rule change was approved by the Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners a week later.

GLA is suing along with plaintiffs Nickki Pastor and Trinity “Blake” Loper, both 18-year-olds whose voter registrations were rejected since they filled out their paperwork online. The suit is against the commissioner of the State Board of Elections, Secretary of State John Thurston and several county clerks. Get Loud Arkansas says the rule violates the rights of minority voters in a state with consistently low voter turnout.

Lawsuit challenges Arkansas voter registration rules

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

Get Loud Arkansas hosted a rally outside the state Capitol on April 23, 2024 following the Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners’ decision to limit the use of electronic signatures on voter registration applications.

Arkansas nonprofit sues Washington County over use of COVID funds for jail expansion

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

A criminal justice reform group filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday requesting a judge block Washington County from using pandemic relief money to expand jail facilities.

Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition, which filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas alleges officials misallocated federal funds when the Washington County Quorum Court in December 2022 approved $18.8 million of American Rescue Plan Act funding for a jail expansion project.

Washington County voters in November 2022 rejected a proposed temporary sales tax increase to fund the jail expansion. County officials have said an expansion is necessary to address overcrowding.

Arkansas nonprofit sues Washington County over use of COVID funds for jail expansion

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Justice Reform Coalition Executive Director Sarah Moore (right) discusses a lawsuit against Washington County outside the nonprofit’s Fayetteville office on June 4, 2024 as co-founder Beth Coger and program director Gracie Fuhrman.

Special session discussions ongoing as Arkansas tornado recovery efforts progress

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

While elected officials’ focus shifted to recovery efforts after more than a dozen deadly tornadoes struck the state last week, Arkansas lawmakers have continued negotiating the details of a pending special session.

A special session became necessary when the Arkansas Legislature failed to approve the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s budget before the end of the fiscal session last month. The agency’s appropriation bill stalled after lawmakers raised concerns about a proposed increase to the director’s salary.

Rep. Austin McCollum, R-Bentonville, said details of the commission’s funding “remain to be seen,” but he said lawmakers will pass a budget. To avoid interrupting the commission’s services, legislators must approve funding before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.

Special session discussions ongoing as Arkansas tornado recovery efforts progress

Dwain Hebda/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas State Capitol.

Arkansas education secretary withdraws Solution Tree contract after legislative opposition

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas’ education chief withdrew from legislative review a $99.4 million contract with an Indiana-based education company following pushback from lawmakers on the proposal’s high cost and the vendor’s effectiveness.

During Friday’s Arkansas Legislative Council meeting, Sen. Scott Flippo, R-Bull Shoals, said Education Secretary Jacob Oliva asked to withdraw a proposed seven-year contract with Solution Tree, which has implemented its professional learning community program in Arkansas since 2017.

In a Thursday email to ALC’s co-chairs, Sen. Terry Rice and Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, Oliva requested that the contract be pulled from the agenda and said his agency would let them know when it intends to resubmit it.

Arkansas education secretary withdraws Solution Tree contract after legislative opposition

Arkansas Advocate Antoinette Grajeda

Arkansas city’s mayor refuses to resign after council asks him to step down

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Helena-West Helena Mayor Christopher Franklin refused to resign Tuesday night after the City Council voted 6-0 to ask that he step down.

The resolution came in response to a profanity-laden video call between the mayor, his adult daughter and his adult niece that went viral online last week.

The Helena World reported that Franklin abruptly adjourned the council meeting after the vote despite a lengthy agenda. The entire episode took seven minutes, from the reading of the resolution to Franklin’s departure from the council meeting room, the newspaper reported online Tuesday night.

Arkansas city’s mayor refuses to resign after council asks him to step down

Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate

The Phillips County Courthouse is seen in this file photo.

Low-income communities priority for Arkansas’ $93.6 million federal solar grant

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A partnership between an Arkansas renewable energy nonprofit and a multi-state organization that helps economically disadvantaged communities will use nearly $94 million in federal funds to help low-income families acquire solar power.

Arkansas was one of many states chosen to receive the federal funds from the Environmental Protection Agency’s $7 billion Solar for All program, announced last month. The funds became available through the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act.

The implementation of Arkansas’ funds will depend on a partnership between the Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation of Little Rock (AAEF) and Hope Enterprise Corporation, an organization that aims to improve economically strained regions in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

Low-income communities priority for Arkansas’ $93.6 million federal solar grant

Federal judge denies stay in Arkansas LEARNS ‘indoctrination’ lawsuit

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A federal judge on Monday denied a motion for a stay of proceedings pending an appeal in a case challenging the constitutionality of a section of the LEARNS Act that bans “indoctrination” in public schools.

U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky last week granted in part and denied in part the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in the lawsuit.

The state on Friday filed a notice of appeal of the order, as well as a motion for a stay pending its appeal and a stay of a May 14 deadline for filing responses, pending the court’s ruling on the motion.

Federal judge denies stay in Arkansas LEARNS ‘indoctrination’ lawsuit

Michael Hibblen/Little Rock Public Radio

The Richard Sheppard Arnold United States Courthouse in Little Rock.