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.

Senate panel moves signature threshold bill forward for citizen initiatives

by Ronak Patel (rspatel.personal@gmail.com)

The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee approved House Bill 1419 on Thursday (March 2) that would require petitioners to get signatures from 50 counties, instead of 15 counties, to get a citizen-led issue on the ballot.

According to the state’s Constitution, voter signatures from at least 15 counties are needed as part of the process to get an issue on the ballot.

Sen. Jim Dotson, R-Bentonville, a sponsor of the bill, said HB1419 would benefit smaller counties.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/senate-panel-moves-signature-threshold-bill-forward-for-citizen-initiatives/