Arkansas lawmakers working on tax cuts, Game and Fish Commission funding

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Last week, the Arkansas House elected Rep. Brian Evans, R-Cabot, as the Speaker of the House designate.

Evans will begin his term as speaker of the House in January, but he is working with leadership on the upcoming special session. In an interview with KARK Channel 4’s Capitol View, he said he’s working with lawmakers to find a compromise on setting the budget for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

“We’re having conversation on a daily basis with some of the different groups that had issues with the way the appropriation and amendments were. I think conversations are moving at a conservative pace,” he said.

Arkansas lawmakers working on tax cuts, Game and Fish Commission funding

Dwain Hebda/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas State Capitol.

Legislature adjourns with no funding for Game and Fish

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas House voted again not to fund the Game and Fish Commission on Thursday.

This came right before the House adjourned for the session, an event known as Sine Die. The vote marks the second attempt for the House to pass an appropriation bill for the commission this year. Legislators voted amid discussion of a controversial pay raise for the director.

Game and Fish Commission Director Austin Booth currently makes over $152,638. He asked the legislature for a $40,000 pay raise, which would push his salary to over $190,000.

Legislature adjourns with no funding for Game and Fish

Arkansas House adopts crypto mining resolutions

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

The Arkansas House has adopted two resolutions opening the door for new regulations on cryptocurrency mines.

The resolutions don't mean the bills will ultimately pass but they do allow members to discuss them in committee. The House and Senate are currently in a fiscal session. For each chamber to take up a non-budget bill, they must first get a resolution adopted by a two-thirds vote.

Six other resolutions to regulate crypto mines failed on the House floor Wednesday.

The mines have prompted complaints over noise and energy usage in rural Arkansas communities. There have also been their concerns about their alleged ties to overseas organizations and foreign governments.

Arkansas House adopts crypto mining resolutions

Arkansas House

On Wednesday, representatives in the Arkansas House passed two resolutions as they work to regulate crypto mines.

Republicans jockeying for leadership positions in Arkansas House

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock, became the third candidate to declare for House Majority Leader in the next Arkansas General Assembly. There are also three candidates seeking the Speaker of the House post.

Brooks joins Rep. Howard Beaty, R-Crossett, and Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, in asking colleagues to vote them as the next House Majority Leader, a position held by Rep. Marcus Richmond, R-Harvey.

Beaty and Pilkington joined the race earlier this month.

“I intend to help the caucus speak boldly on the values we hold dear and have a caucus where every member feels heard, valued, and empowered to contribute their unique insights. The next session is going to be one full of change. I want us to embrace this change and lean in, our collective efforts will make our caucus more successful,” Beaty said.

Republicans jockeying for leadership positions in Arkansas House

House Committee Members Fail To Pass Two Bills Amending State's Mask Mandate Ban

By SARAH KELLOGG

An Arkansas House committee failed to advance two bills that would have amended the state’s current ban on mask mandates, likely ending the chance of passing before the end of the special session. By a series of voice votes Thursday, members of the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor did not pass either House Bill 1003 or House Bill 1004. Both would have given school boards the authority to require the wearing of masks.

House Bill 1004, which the committee considered after over two hours of public testimony, would give public school boards or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school a broader ability to mandate the wearing of masks, face shield or other coverings to "reduce the spread of infectious, contagious and communicable diseases."

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/house-committee-members-fail-pass-two-bills-amending-states-mask-mandate-ban

Rep. Tippi McCullough (far left) presents House Bill 1004 to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee

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Arkansas House Fails Bill To Eliminating Early Voting On Mondays Before Election Days

By SARAH KELLOGG

A bill that would have eliminated early voting on the day before an Election Day in Arkansas failed in the state House of Representatives on Tuesday, the final full day of the legislative session.

The chamber ultimately did not pass Senate Bill 485, with 39 representatives  voting for it and 43 members voting against it. The bill would have eliminated early voting on the day before either a primary or general election. 

The bill failed three times in a Senate committee and one time in a House committee before ultimately advancing through the legislature and being brought up for a vote in the House Tuesday, where if it had passed, would have gone to Gov. Asa Hutchinson. 

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-house-fails-bill-eliminating-early-voting-mondays-election-days

Rep. Justin Gonzales, R-Okalona, presents Senate Bill 485 to the House.

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Bill Prohibiting Teaching Certain Ideas On Racism Passes Arkansas House

By SARAH KELLOGG

The Arkansas House has voted to advance a bill that would prohibit public schools, as well as open enrollment charter schools in the state, from teaching certain aspects about racism.

By a vote of 63-13, representatives passed House Bill 1761. Under the legislation, schools would be unable to teach anything that falls under a list of five ideas. Those ideas include: that any individual from a particular race or ethnicity is inherently racists, or that any race or ethnicity should “feel guilt or shame” due to their race or ethnicity.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/bill-prohibiting-teaching-certain-ideas-racism-passes-arkansas-house

Rep. Mark Lowery, R-Maumelle, presents House Bill 1761 to the House floor

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Arkansas Legislature Votes To Pass Abortion Ban, Awaits Action From Governor

By SARAH KELLOGG

The Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that would ban nearly all abortions in the state.

By a vote of 76-19, the Arkansas House passed Senate Bill 6, which bans the legal practice of abortion with few medical exceptions and no exceptions for rape or incest. Anyone found guilty of performing or attempting to perform an abortion could face a fine of up to $100,000, up to 10 years in prison, or both a fine and prison sentence.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-legislature-votes-pass-abortion-ban-awaits-action-governor

The Arkansas House voted to ultimately pass SB6. It's undetermined whether Gov. Asa Hutchinson will sign it into law.

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House Speaker Matthew Shepherd Commends Legislature For Making Progress Despite COVID-19 Pandemic

By ALEXANDRIA BROWN

Although the Arkansas General Assembly didn’t meet last week because of severe winter weather, House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, still commends the amount of progress that the legislature made this week.

While he says the amount of bills that have been filed is down compared to other sessions, he expects those numbers to pick up despite some members contracting the coronavirus earlier in the session.

"Even in the midst of working in the House where we have 100 members on the floor every single day, we’ve been very fortunate," Shepherd said. "A number of our members are falling into those categories from an age perspective being over 70 or 65, and they’re taking steps to obtain the vaccination. I feel like we’re only going to be in a better position as we move forward."

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/house-speaker-matthew-shepherd-commends-legislature-making-progress-despite-covid-19-pandemic

File photo of the Arkansas House

CREDIT SARAH KELLOGG

Arkansas House, Senate Outline Plans To Conduct Session During Pandemic

By ROBY BROCK / TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS

While legislators prepare to debate the issues in the 93rd Arkansas General Assembly, a more critical debate is already underway: How to conduct a COVID-19 legislative session at the state capitol?

Unlike the fiscal session earlier this year, legislative leaders are already instituting changes that will keep the session accessible to the public, safe for participants, and within the boundaries of their constitutional duties.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arkansas-house-senate-outline-plans-conduct-session-during-pandemic

Arkansas legislative leaders are preparing for next year's session which will come amid the coronavirus pandemic.

CREDIT MICHAEL HIBBLEN / KUAR NEWS