Senate panel advances two bills defining ‘public meeting’ in Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

KUAR | By Sonny Albarado / Arkansas Advocate,

Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

An Arkansas Senate committee approved two bills hours apart Tuesday seeking to define a public meeting, an issue that has plagued local elected officials and government transparency advocates for decades.

Sen. Clarke Tucker, a Little Rock Democrat and sponsor of Senate Bill 227, told the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday morning his proposal would, “after 50 years, bring clarity to the law” by setting parameters for what members of city councils, quorum courts or school boards can discuss outside of a public meeting.

The bill also would amend the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to add cybersecurity breach as a reason to meet in executive session, introduce and regulate remote meeting attendance, and allow a court to nullify official actions taken as a result of violations of open meetings law.

Senate panel advances two bills defining ‘public meeting’ in Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

Little Rock Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker (left) considers a question from Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, at a Senate State Agencies Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

Lawsuit continues between Supreme Court chief justice, court employee

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A lawsuit between Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Karen Baker and court employees is set to go forward.

The suit is about Baker's alleged unprofessional conduct. Baker is said to have harassed and retaliated against employees of the Administrative Office of the Courts, a group of non-political staffers who help with day-to-day court business.

Last year, the AOC conducted a human resources investigation into her behavior. In January, Baker attempted to fire ten court employees. This was stopped by the high court in a case she is now attempting to throw out.

Lawsuit continues between Supreme Court chief justice, court employee

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock.

Legislature considers bill to regulate Disability Rights Arkansas

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

About 75 years ago, people with severe intellectual or emotional disabilities in Arkansas were relegated to one state facility in downtown Little Rock.

In the late 1800s, it was called the Arkansas Lunatic Asylum. About 20 years later, the name changed to the Arkansas State Hospital for Nervous Diseases. And in 1933, the state settled on its current title: the Arkansas State Hospital.

Now, families have a few more options. There are five Human Development Centers scattered around Arkansas. These are long term care facilities where residents eat, work, sleep and live among people with similar challenges or diagnoses.

Legislature considers bill to regulate Disability Rights Arkansas

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Tom Masseau, executive director of Disability Rights Arkansas, testifies against House Bill 1382 on Feb. 11, 2025.

Discussion with bill sponsor ‘saved’ Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A proposal to eliminate the governing board that oversees educational public television programs in Arkansas is not likely to advance further in the Legislature, the board chairman said Thursday.

The Arkansas Educational Television Commission oversees Arkansas PBS programs and finances and acts independently of the Arkansas Department of Education despite operating under its umbrella. Senate Bill 184, which passed the Senate in February, would abolish the commission and transfer its powers and authorities to the education department.

At the commission’s quarterly meeting Thursday, Chairman West Doss said he came to “an understanding” with SB 184’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro, earlier that morning.

Discussion with bill sponsor ‘saved’ Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says

Screenshot Via Livestream

West Doss, chairman of the Arkansas Educational Television Commission, addresses the commission during its quarterly meeting on Thursday, March 6, 2025.

Bill amending library system director qualifications advances

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

A bill changing the requirements for library system directors is nearing final approval in the Arkansas Legislature.

Senate Bill 181 would no longer require the State Librarian or regional library system directors to hold a master’s degree from a graduate program accredited by the American Library Association. Instead, local oversight boards could consider relevant work experience as a substitute for a master’s degree when choosing a new director.

In a meeting of the House City, County and Local Affairs committee Wednesday, the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, said local library boards can be trusted to choose the most qualified candidate regardless of their education level.

Bill amending library system director qualifications advances

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas state Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Jonesboro) speaks on the Senate floor in February 2023.

Arkansas Senate advances two stalled bills that would change citizen-led ballot initiative process

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

In a reversal, the Arkansas Senate allowed two proposed changes to the state’s citizen-led ballot measure process to advance to the House on Tuesday after failing to pass the bills’ emergency clauses earlier this month.

Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, is sponsoring a slew of legislation he has said would deter fraudulent behavior and protect the integrity of the signature collection process for proposed ballot measures.

Opponents of the bills have called them a threat to the public’s right to change laws and the state Constitution, which fewer than half of states allow, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Arkansas Senate advances two stalled bills that would change citizen-led ballot initiative process

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Sen. Kim Hammer (left), R-Benton, and Sen. Jonathan Dismang (right), R-Searcy, listen to the votes on the emergency clauses of two bills Hammer is sponsoring that would change Arkansas’ ballot initiative petition process on the Senate floor on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

Arkansas schools could be required to teach ‘the failures of communist and autocratic’ governments

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A proposed Arkansas law to require public schools to teach students about “the failures of communist and autocratic systems” of government will go to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk.

House Bill 1060 passed the Senate Tuesday, a week after passing the House, both with solely Republican support. Rep. R. Scott Richardson and Sen. Jim Dotson, both Bentonville Republicans, sponsored a similar bill in 2023 that passed the House, also with only Republican support, but it did not make it to the Senate floor.

HB 1060 would also require schools “to reinforce in required instruction the resiliency of the constitutional republic system adopted by the United States of America.”

Arkansas schools could be required to teach ‘the failures of communist and autocratic’ governments

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Rep. R. Scott Richardson, R-Bentonville, introduces House Bill 1060 to the House Education Committee on Jan. 23, 2025.

Committee halts public comment, approves bill to require reports from Arkansas disability nonprofit

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Legislation to require a disability advocacy group to supply reports to the Legislature earned initial approval from Arkansas lawmakers Tuesday.

Separately, the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor also sent the governor’s Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act on to the full House for consideration.

Under Rep. Jack Ladyman’s House Bill 1382, Disability Rights Arkansas (DRA) would be mandated to provide reports to subcommittees of the Arkansas Legislative Council for review, even though the independent nonprofit doesn’t receive state funding.

Committee halts public comment, approves bill to require reports from Arkansas disability nonprofit

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Rep. Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, presents a bill to the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Feb. 11, 2025. The bill would require Disability Rights Arkansas, a federally funded nonprofit, to provide reports to the Legislature.

Bill to prohibit discrimination passes split Arkansas House panel after much public opposition

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

A bill that a slew of critics say would impede minorities’ opportunities for success in Arkansas passed a legislative panel on a split voice vote Wednesday after nearly three hours of debate.

Senate Bill 3 would “prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment” by public entities and eliminate required minority recruitment and retention plans and reports from public school districts and higher education institutions.

The bill would also repeal language in state procurement proposals that encourage minority participation or require bidders to adopt an equal opportunity hiring program designed to increase the percentage of minority employees.

Bill to prohibit discrimination passes split Arkansas House panel after much public opposition

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock, criticizes Senate Bill 3, which would “prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment” by public entities during a House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs meeting on Wednesday, February 5, 2025.

Arkansas’ Buffalo River watershed squabble a ‘long, hard battle,’ advocate says

KUAR | By Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Marti Olesen has now driven the five-hour round trip from Ponca to Little Rock three times in recent weeks with the intention to learn about lawmakers’ plans for the Buffalo River watershed.

Once when the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy and Environment brought a pair of rules regarding permit moratoriums through the promulgation process to a legislative committee meeting. And twice during the 95th General Assembly when she expected Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, to introduce Senate Bill 84 to the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Lawmakers have yet to consider the bill during the current session.

Arkansas’ Buffalo River watershed squabble a ‘long, hard battle,’ advocate says

Courtesy Photo/National Park Service

A person paddles a canoe on the Buffalo River as trees display fall colors.

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

Members of the Arkansas Senate have approved a bill that would ban state-supported affirmative action programs.

Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, would prohibit “discrimination or preferential treatment” in state entities. Senators voted on the proposal Wednesday, following more than two hours of debate in committee Tuesday.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sullivan said the bill wouldn’t impact hiring practices in the private sector.

“Preferential treatment and discrimination have always existed… but to say that we’re trying to get rid of that nationwide and statewide is just a straw man and not true,” he said. “This bill only affects procurement, hiring and higher [education].”

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

Image by John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

‘Gulf of America,’ recall process bills filed

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

An Arkansas lawmaker has filed a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow voters to remove certain public officials from office.

House Joint Resolution 1007, filed by Rep. Frances Cavenaugh, R-Walnut Ridge, would instate a recall process for several state officeholders, including the governor, attorney general and justices of the Arkansas Supreme Court.

The list also extends to the offices of secretary of state, treasurer, land commissioner, state auditor, as well as judges on circuit, district and appellate courts. Prosecutors, county judges, justices of the peace, sheriffs, county clerks, assessors, coroners, county treasurers, county surveyors, tax collectors and constables also fall under the proposal.

‘Gulf of America,’ recall process bills filed

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders named a new chair of the state Post-Prison Transfer Board (also known as the parole board) late Wednesday.

Committee rejects bill to allow nonprofit Arkansas hospitals to hold retail pharmacy permits

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

A proposed Arkansas law that would have allowed nonprofit hospitals to hold a retail pharmacy permit narrowly failed in committee Wednesday after more than an hour and a half of discussion and public testimony.

Arkansas is the only state in which the law currently prohibits nonprofit, tax-exempt or governmentally-funded hospitals from holding or acquiring interest in retail pharmacy permits.

Lawmakers have attempted for years to change this via policy proposals that intend to help both hospitals and independently owned pharmacies serve their communities, Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, the lead sponsor of Senate Bill 58, told the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

Committee rejects bill to allow nonprofit Arkansas hospitals to hold retail pharmacy permits

Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate

Ryan Gehrig (center), president of Mercy Arkansas Hospitals, testifies in favor of a bill that would allow nonprofit hospitals in Arkansas to hold retail pharmacy permits on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025. At right is Troy Wells, president and CEO of Baptist Health, who also spoke in favor of the bill before it was voted down by the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

Arkansas Supreme Court administrator asks chief justice to stay away, pending disciplinary review

KUAR | By Sonny Albarado / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Karen Baker has been asked by the state court system’s chief administrator to stay out of his office and not communicate with his staff, pending a disciplinary review.

In an email to Baker on Monday, Administrative Office of the Courts Director Marty Sullivan advised Baker that an investigation of her conduct in December by the office’s personnel department had been completed and a report forwarded to the state’s judicial discipline commission.

“Per the recommendation of the report, I believe it is more than reasonable that you do not enter AOC offices or engage in direct contact or communication with AOC staff until the Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission provides further instruction,” Sullivan’s email says.

Arkansas Supreme Court administrator asks chief justice to stay away, pending disciplinary review

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Justice Building on the state Capitol grounds in Little Rock on Jan. 14, 2025. The building houses the state Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

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.