Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

Arkansas Republican lawmakers will continue championing Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ policy priorities during the 2025 legislative session, while Democrats hope to secure enough support to pass a wide-ranging agenda despite the ongoing GOP supermajority in both chambers, according to legislative leaders.

The Senate will be “largely a photocopy of itself” in January compared to the 2023 session, said Minority Leader Greg Leding, D-Fayetteville. Republicans will hold 29 Senate seats while Democrats will have six for the second consecutive session; Democrats gained one House seat in November and will have 19 to Republicans’ 81.

House Democrats presented their four-pronged policy agenda in November, focusing on maternal health care, mental health care, public education and access to voting and direct democracy. House Minority Leader Andrew Collins, D-Little Rock, has since filed 36 bills and three resolutions addressing aspects of all four priorities. Rep. Denise Ennett, D-Little Rock, is the only other Democrat to have filed legislation.

Education, maternal health, mental health will spark debate among Arkansas lawmakers in 2025

John Sykes/Arkansas Avocate

FILE PHOTO OF STATE CAPITOL John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate 02/15/2023

Arkansas lawmakers reflect on recent session

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas lawmakers gathered Thursday to discuss the recent legislative session. At a summit held by Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, Democratic Reps. Andrew Collins and Ashley Hudson and Republican Rep. Julie Mayberry were critical of the pace at which the legislature moves.

“We have too many bills too fast,” Mayberry said. “We don't spend enough time in the interim working on those bills before they come forward."

After studying it, Mayberry says 41% of bills were sent to the governor's desk in the last three days of session.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-06-16/arkansas-lawmakers-reflect-on-recent-session

Josie Lenora/KUAR News

Democratic Reps. Andrew Collins and Ashley Hudson join Rep. Julie Mayberry to talk about the highs and lows of the recent legislative session in a summit on Thursday.

Instead of redistricting, Arkansas lawmakers attack Biden's vaccine mandates

By DANIEL BREEN

In an extended legislative session intended to focus on re-drawing Arkansas’ four U.S. Congressional districts, lawmakers have instead set their sights on COVID-19 vaccines.

Members of the Arkansas House and Senate have debated numerous proposals aimed at rolling back parts of President Joe Biden’s new vaccine mandates for private businesses. The slate of Republican-backed bills have had varying degrees of success.

The most successful so far has been Senate Bill 739, sponsored by Republican Sen. Kim Hammer of Benton. After successfully passing out of a House committee Tuesday, it now faces a vote in the full House before going to the governor.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/instead-redistricting-arkansas-lawmakers-attack-bidens-vaccine-mandates

Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, listens as single mother Ashley Vance addresses the Arkansas Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor committee on Friday.

CREDIT ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE

ARHOME Seeks To Replace Arkansas Works As New Medicaid Expansion

Under construction for the past year, Arkansas lawmakers and Gov. Hutchinson’s administration will unveil their newest version of Medicaid expansion on Monday.

ARHOME (pronounced “Are-Home”) stands for Arkansas Health & Opportunity for Me. Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Bethesda, will be two of the lead sponsors of the proposal.

In a Talk Business & Politics interview, Irvin, Gray and Arkansas Secretary of Human Services Cindy Gillespie discussed ARHOME’s details and political obstacles for the healthcare program expected to cover more than 300,000 low-income residents who make below 138% of the federal poverty level.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/post/arhome-seeks-replace-arkansas-works-new-medicaid-expansion

Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock speaking with Rep. Michelle Gray (R-Bethesda), Sen. Missy Irvin (R-Mountain View) and Arkansas Secretary of Human Services Cindy Gillespie.

CREDIT TALK BUSINESS & POLITICS