LEARNS Act advances to House floor

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Gov. Sarah Sanders’ LEARNS Act passed the House Education Committee Wednesday (March 1) and now heads to the full House for a vote March 2.

Senate Bill 294 by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, and Rep. Keith Brooks, R-Little Rock, passed easily on a voice vote after Brooks closed for his bill and then many committee members expressed their reasons for voting for or against it.

Brooks told Talk Business & Politics that he plans to run the bill through the full House of Representatives on Thursday, March 2. Passage seemed a virtual certainty, as 55 of the 100 House members are sponsors.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/learns-act-advances-to-house-floor/

Arkansas Term Limits Files Suit Against Voter Petitioner Limits

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas Term Limits and other plaintiffs filed suit Friday (May 28) in the federal Eastern District of Arkansas to overturn a new state law that limits who can gather signatures for citizen-led constitutional amendments and other initiatives.

Act 951 by Sen. Breanne Davis, R-Russellville, and Rep. Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne, limits paid petitioners to state residents, which Arkansas Term Limits said in a press release is not required for any other political job or for petitions used to gather signatures for candidates to run. It passed with an emergency measure.

The ban applies to gathering signatures for citizen-led constitutional amendments; initiatives, which have the force of law; and referenda, which allow voters to rescind a law passed by the state Legislature.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/05/arkansas-term-limits-files-suit-against-voter-petitioner-limits/