AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | W.I.N.S. in 2022

LITTLE ROCK – As 2022 comes to an end, I have been reflecting on my time as Governor and looking forward to what is ahead.

In January, I announced my W.I.N.S. initiative for my final year as Governor. Each letter in W.I.N.S. stands for a pillar that I have focused on to boost Arkansas to success. Workforce Training, Infrastructure, New Economy Jobs, and Strengthening Arkansas Families all aim to push Arkansas to being the best place the state can be – and help Arkansas WIN.

Arkansas has continually grown economically over the past eight years. Thanks to the people of Arkansas, we have made this state one of the premier locations for business owners to put their roots down and conduct business that gives well-paying jobs to hard-working Arkansans and puts more money into our state.

As this year and my term is coming to an end, Arkansas has never been in better financial shape than we are right now. We have lowered taxes, funded services, and we have over $2 billion in reserve accounts.

Even in the face of a pandemic, the state’s economy, like Arkansans themselves, remained resilient. In 2021, Arkansas was ranked number two in the nation for states with the most pandemic-proof small businesses. That speaks not only to the hard work of business owners who have chosen to live in Arkansas, but to the small business environment, workforce support, and resource access our state’s infrastructure had in place, ready to help small businesses.

Arkansas small businesses were rightfully ranked as having the greatest potential to bounce back because they had the least to bounce back from. Arkansas never shut down throughout the pandemic. Our state kept working, and our consistently low unemployment rate over the past few years reflects that. In fact, there are over 120,000 more people employed now than when I took office in January 2015.

The future success of our state demands that we improve the training of our workforce. Now with initiatives like the ‘Ready for Life’ program, it is easier for employees and employers to find each other, and it will offer business leaders a quick snapshot of the employee pool in Arkansas as they recruit talent.

Our infrastructure is the backbone of everyday operations in this state, and it is worth investing in to create a better quality of living. That is why we have invested almost $500 million in rural broadband expansion in our state.

In terms of new economy jobs, we expanded our high-tech jobs from the steel industry to software development, and this growth will continue with the recommendations from the Council on Future Mobility Report.  

Lastly, but certainly not least of the pillars of my W.I.N.S. initiative – strengthening Arkansas families. Over the past year, my focus has been to give families the best chance of success and to protect Arkansas children from child abuse and crime.

In November, I announced a monumental expansion in rural health services with the ARHOME Medicaid program. Thanks to the great work of the teams at the Arkansas Department of Human Services, Life360 HOMEs will address the complex challenges facing many of Arkansas’s most vulnerable residents, including individuals in rural areas with serious mental illness and those in need of addiction services. I look forward to watching the full potential of this transformative program as it unfolds in the months and years to come.

As we conclude 2022, I am grateful for the W.I.N.S. we have had this year in improving our workforce, investing in our infrastructure, creating new economy jobs, and strengthening Arkansas families.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Joys of the Holidays

On behalf of the state of Arkansas, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a blessed holiday season.

Christmas is my favorite time of year in the Natural State, especially in the halls of the Arkansas State Capitol.

During the month of December, student choirs travel from all over the state to sing in the rotunda in the center of the Capitol. Their songs echo to the ceiling and can be heard in all corners of the building. The beauty of their voices reminds me of the verse in Scripture about the angel and the multitude of heavenly hosts filling the sky and praising God at the birth of Jesus.

That’s what this season is all about. Despite the shopping, the crowds, and the stress, it is all about the birth in Bethlehem that changed the world.

This Christmas is a particularly special one as it marks the end of my final year as Governor. This year I am grateful for the gift of life, my family, and the privilege of a lifetime that has been serving the great state of Arkansas as Governor.

Some of the Christmas traditions I have been able to be a part of these past eight years have been especially memorable this year.

Last weekend, at the beginning of the Hanukkah season, I had the privilege of lighting the first candle of the Little Rock Chabad Menorah. In 2015, I was the first Arkansas Governor to light the Menorah publicly. It was a humbling experience then, and I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to join the Central Arkansas Jewish community in celebrating the eight days of Hanukkah each year since then.

A couple weeks ago, I once again got to host the “Christmas at the Capitol” event where we collected gifts for children in the foster care system in Arkansas. Those who donated gifts made a small gesture that will make more of an impact than they will ever know.

After all, giving is a core part of what Christmas is all about. Arkansans are some of the kindest, most giving people I have ever been around. That is especially evident during the holiday season. One of the best parts of being Governor is getting to meet Arkansans from every corner of the state and from all walks of life.

The holiday season often brings out the best in people. I encourage you to extend goodwill toward our fellow man and find a way to serve someone who is less fortunate. Consider giving not only monetary gifts but giving your time. In the words of Mother Teresa, “It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”

I encourage everyone to find a way to celebrate this spirit of giving not only this week but throughout the year. Tell your family, friends, and coworkers how much you appreciate them. Be kind to others – you never know what type of day they are having. You could be a light in their dark season.

I hope each of you are able to reflect on your blessings, remember the reason for this season, and find joy in being able to call Arkansas home.

Audio: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address Arkansas’s Historic Economic Growth

LITTLE ROCK – Today I would like to talk about a priority I’ve had since taking office in 2015. Job creation is critical to our economic growth and our future as a state.

When I was elected, there were 1.2 million people employed in Arkansas. Even after a global pandemic that impacted much of the world’s working force, Arkansas sits at a 3.5% unemployment rate, and we have 125,000 more people working in jobs around the state today than we did 8 years ago. This is possible thanks to the help of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The state’s economic development team has signed 495 projects since January 2015 resulting in creating more than 25,000 jobs for Arkansans.

In 2022 so far, we have signed 19 new incentive agreements with companies investing their resources into our state, which in turn is creating more than 2,900 jobs for Arkansans. This includes the historic investment with U.S. Steel committing more than $3 billion to create the most advanced steel-making facility in North America in Osceola, Arkansas.

Two weeks ago, I joined Commerce Secretary Mike Preston for a ribbon cutting of Lockheed Martin’s new facility in Camden. They invested more than $142 million to expand their facility by 85,000 square feet to increase production capacity for the world’s most advanced air defense missile.

In that same week, Preformed Line Products announced plans to expand operations in Rogers. They will invest $16 million to expand its Rogers facility by 82,000 square feet and plan to add 50 more employees in the coming months.

Another win for Arkansas is Veolia, which is expanding in Arkadelphia. Veolia is a global company that designs and provides water, waste, and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. In 2019 alone, Veolia Group supplied 98 million people with drinking water and 67 million people with wastewater service around the globe. Last week, they announced a $600 million investment in Arkadelphia – or specifically, Gum Springs – that will create 125 new jobs by 2024.

And then on Tuesday of this last week, Owens Corning, which produces construction materials, announced plans to expand its existing facility by 70,000 square feet. This $24.5 million investment plans to add 50 new jobs in the Fort Smith area.

Since January 2015, we have lowered taxes, reduced regulations, and increased the speed to market by cutting permitting time — all of which improve growth.

Now we are seeing historical investments with Arkansas companies expanding every week and new companies committing their resources to put down their roots in our state.  

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Biden’s Proposed Marijuana Policy

LITTLE ROCK – Today I would like to talk about the recently proposed policies on marijuana from the Biden administration, and why the administration’s proposal is not the best approach for Arkansas and our nation.

Last week President Biden announced his new policy on marijuana which included granting pardons to all individuals convicted of federal offenses for simple possession of marijuana.

In his proposed policy, he also urges governors to follow the policy at the state level where it is applicable.

The President’s third proposal would create the rescheduling of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act.

During my time as Governor, I have often used the clemency powers granted to me under the Arkansas Constitution to grant pardons to those with drug offenses. In fact, I have pardoned hundreds of Arkansans who have been convicted of drug offenses. When choosing to grant a pardon, I will closely examine an applicant’s behavior after their sentence. In this time of rising crime, there should be a clear record of law-abiding conduct before pardons are issued.

I do not support issuing blanket pardons to those who have been convicted of these types of crimes. I firmly believe in second chances, and in each of these cases we must use compassion.

Each case should be looked at individually to determine who is deserving of a pardon.

The President’s request to potentially reschedule marijuana is also misguided. In his statement, President Biden says, “Federal law currently classifies marijuana in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act, the classification meant for the most dangerous substances.” This characterization is incorrect.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, Schedule I drugs are defined as “drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” While medical marijuana may be legal in many states across the nation, the medical community has not come to a consensus on the benefits.

Schedule I does not mean that the drugs in Schedule I are the most dangerous. For example, Schedule II drugs are those with a “high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence.” This includes drugs like fentanyl, Adderall, and morphine. These drugs are considered dangerous but have a legitimate medical use.

When it comes to the proper schedule for marijuana, we need to follow the science and previous administrations that kept marijuana in Schedule I.

Most importantly, we have to make sure we don’t move to decriminalization of drugs that are harming Americans. The fact that a drug is unlawful discourages usage.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Taking Steps to Reduce Violent Crime

LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about the steps we are taking to reduce violent crime in Arkansas.

In 2017, there was a shooting at the Power Ultra Lounge in Little Rock. It was a senseless, violent tragedy that occurred right here in our capital city, and it caught the attention of everyone.

After that shooting, it was clear more needed to be done. We had to get a better handle on the violence here in Central Arkansas. As a result, I directed the Division of Community Correction to reinstate the Intensive Supervision Program.

This program is composed of officers who monitor high-risk parolees and probationers in Central Arkansas. The officers are able to provide closer supervision on those that have spent time in prison and released on parole and who pose a greater risk than others. Many of these people are just trying to get a second start in life, and we want to be able to help them to do that.

But we knew this would not be enough to cover the caseloads of our most at-risk offenders.

In April of this year, I announced a new expansion of the Intensive Supervision Program, which has funded 10 more officers to manage the workload of supervising of more high-risk offenders in Central Arkansas. This also expanded coverage from Pulaski County to several counties nearby, including Lonoke, Jefferson, Faulkner, and Saline.

The increase in officers, in turn, created a substantial increase in the seizures of firearms and drugs, along with arrests and new charges for parolees.

From January to April of this year, only four officers were available to handle all intensive supervision cases. In that time, there were 28 arrests and four firearm seizures. Since the addition of 10 more officers in April, there have been 109 arrests and 48 firearm seizures.

We have seen encouraging results so far, and the numbers tell the story; the more resources we put into this program, the better they can manage supervising our most at-risk parolees.

I also created the Gang Enforcement Task Force in July 2017. The task force consists of 10 participating agencies and includes authorities from the local, state, and federal levels. For the past five years, the GET Rock Task Force has worked against dangerous gangs and violent drug trafficking organizations every day.

Other steps we are taking to reduce violent crime include the prison expansion at Calico Rock. This expansion, once complete, will provide additional capacity for serious violent offenders within the Department of Corrections. At the first of the year, we had nearly 2,600 state inmates in county jails. After I directed the Department of Corrections to take steps to reduce the backup, we have dropped that number to 2,029 as of August of this year. The extra prison space at Calico Rock will further relieve the pressure on our local jails.

Due to the pandemic, there was a backlog in the state court system, with many cases not being processed. With legislative support, I allocated $1 million for supporting public defenders and prosecutors, which in turn helped move cases along.

This week, to provide more permanent relief to the court system, I have asked the General Assembly to approve $4.5 million for additional state prosecutors, and another $4.5 million for additional public defenders.

I believe the preeminent role of government is to ensure public safety, and violent crime is an issue that must be solved at the local level. But I am committed to providing every available resource to local law enforcement in Arkansas to make our state the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Governors Working Together

LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about a recent partnership with the state of Oklahoma. On Wednesday, I joined Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt on the Oklahoma State University-Tulsa campus to sign a Memorandum of Understanding stating that we are working together to make the Arkansas-Oklahoma corridor a center of excellence in advanced mobility. This includes autonomous vehicles, drone deliveries, and electric vehicles.

Arkansas and Oklahoma already lead the nation in advanced mobility, so joining our two sandboxes of innovation together will bolster our competitiveness for the future.

The East and West coasts get a lot of attention as tech centers, but Arkansas and Oklahoma are rich with a history of leading in aviation and transportation.

From the pioneer aviator Wiley Post in Oklahoma to our own Louise Thaden, who set transcontinental speed records, we have set the pace for innovation and new modes of transportation.

This partnership will accelerate work on advanced mobility and further enhance our region’s reputation as a leader in technological innovation.

Oklahoma has been a vital economic partner to the Natural State for many decades, and this MOU will provide an opportunity for our states to continue the partnership we've experienced over the years to make our region a hub for advanced mobility.

Crossing state lines to join forces with other states' governors is not something unfamiliar. Binding our different perspectives and resources with our like-minded goals allows us to produce bigger and better results.

Earlier this year, I was joined again by Governor Stitt and Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana to establish a regional hub for the development, production, and use of clean hydrogen as fuel and manufacturing feedstock.

This is a bipartisan agreement that combines our three states to compete for funding from the Infrastructure, Investment, and Jobs Act of 2021. With the portfolios each of our states offer combined, we are competitive due to our ability to uniquely handle the production, storage and distribution, and consumption of hydrogen.

Another example of the cooperation with neighboring states is the I-49 corridor with Missouri. At the end of last year we completed the final stretch of the I-49 Missouri-Arkansas Connector. Joining forces with Missouri and Governor Mike Parson, the I-49 connecter now consists of more than 1,600 miles of roadway, connecting six states: Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Another example is when a crack was discovered and shut down the I-40 bridge in Memphis in May 2021. Arkansas joined with Tennessee to fix and reopen the bridge because the closure threatened many lives and put a pause on the much-needed movement of commerce.

Governor Bill Lee and I understood the importance of the connector bridge, and we both knew we needed to act quickly. Our two teams developed a plan that emphasized a sense of urgency while keeping safety as the number one priority.

On the front of cybersecurity, Governor John Bel Edwards and I share similar views on the importance of preparing our country for the digital age. Our two states have been on the frontlines of cybersecurity education, in addition to working toward a comprehensive cybersecurity ecosystem. Good stewardship of our resources includes guarding the gates into our systems and protecting information.

States become stronger when they combine their resources and expertise, and it starts with governors who share similar goals bridging the gap.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Special Session Successes

LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about the excellent position our state is in to provide additional financial relief for Arkansans.

In December, we cut nearly $500 million in taxes which was the largest tax cut in Arkansas history. This gave the people of Arkansas some financial relief and continued my promise of cutting taxes for everyone.

But as the cost of living continues to go up, Arkansans need more money in their pockets now. Because of the work we have done to be more efficient in state government, we have created a record surplus in the last fiscal year, and it is clear the state is collecting more than it needs. This gives us the ability to provide financial relief in a time when Arkansans need it most.

Just eight months later, I have signed into law an acceleration of the historic December cuts while also signing into law funding for a new grant program to help schools better protect our children.

With the support of the Arkansas General Assembly, we have been able to lower the individual tax rate to 4.9%, which will save taxpayers a total of $295 million just this year. In 1929, the state income tax was at 5.0%. In 2014, the state income tax was at its highest level at 7%, but our reserves were empty. Less than eight years later, we will have the lowest income tax in state history since its creation, all while having more than $2 billion in state reserves. We also created a $150 nonrefundable tax credit for low- and middle-income Arkansans, saving taxpayers another $156 million this year.

This means the total individual tax relief this year alone is more than $400 million.

My other goal for this special session was to ensure our children are protected in their schools. When parents drop their children off at school, they want to have confidence their children are going to be safe. I proposed we transfer $50 million from the state surplus for the purpose of a school safety grant program. The General Assembly concurred with this plan.

At the beginning of the month, the Arkansas School Safety Commission presented an interim report to me highlighting recommendations for schools to ensure the best protections for our children.

With this grant program, we can provide funding for school districts to increase security measures on their campuses. This will benefit all schools, but especially those who need the most help meeting the recommendations.

I applaud the work of the General Assembly for putting more money back into the pockets of Arkansans and for ensuring schools have the proper resources to keep our children safe.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | My Year as Chairman of the National Governors Association

LITTLE ROCK – Two weeks ago, I passed the gavel to my successor as chair of the National Governors Association, and today I’d like to talk about my year as leader of the NGA and the opportunity to work with other governors on some of our nation’s biggest challenges.

I accepted the gavel virtually in my office at the capitol a year ago during the NGA’s annual summer meeting.

This year, we met in Maine, so I passed the gavel in person to the new chair, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

My term as chair offered the opportunity to show off Arkansas and our Computer Science Initiative, which I declared as my Chairman’s Priority. By my final day as chair, 50 governors of states and territories, which was a record, had signed the computer science education compact.

By signing, governors were committing to establish plans to expand computer science in schools and to fund the expansion so that we can create new paths to success after high school.

At the NGA summer meeting, Patrick Gelsinger, the CEO of Intel, spoke about the value of our initiative. Mr. Gelsinger noted that modern life is becoming more digital, and everything digital runs on semiconductors. The manufacturing of semiconductors requires talent and money, which is why we must provide first-rate education for our young people.

He also discussed the federal CHIPS Act, which is the abbreviation for Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America. The CHIPS Act would provide about $50 billion in subsidies to support the manufacture of computer chips in the United States. Congress passed the bill, the goal of which is to decrease U.S. dependence on chips that are manufactured overseas. The CHIPS Act had bipartisan support from the governors.

On my first day as chair in July 2021, I reminded my fellow governors that states are laboratories of democracy. I challenged them to innovate, determine what works best, and to share what they have learned.

I suggested that we should lead with civil discourse, respect others in our debates, and rise above party differences to work together. Those words were as relevant today as they were a year ago.

As I reflect on my term as NGA chairman, I am grateful and amazed at the opportunities I have had to serve. I grew up on a farm. My dad was a farmer, and neither of my parents graduated from college. But they gave my siblings and me opportunities they never had. Because of their sacrifice, I’ve had incredible opportunities in life.

In the public arena, I served as United States Attorney under Ronald Reagan and in the United States Congress. In the Bush administration, I served as administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration and undersecretary at Homeland Security. I’ve prosecuted neo-Nazis and criminal organizations. I helped guide the nation after 9-11. I returned to Arkansas, and then eight years later, I ran for governor and won.

I shared with the governors that I have attempted to follow my parents’ example and to live by their faith and work ethic. My hope is that as governors, we will inspire our young people to participate in our democracy and to understand the importance of public service.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Building a Culture of Reading

LITTLE ROCK – The ability to read well is one of the most crucial skills we can give our students, and today I’d like to encourage you to join in our efforts to build a culture of reading in Arkansas.

Reading is not simply one skill of many that we choose to master. Young people who don’t learn to read well will always struggle in life. Reading changes everything.

We can give our children the gift of reading by providing books at home and reading aloud to them. Children with age-appropriate books at home are more likely to excel academically. When we read to our children, we help them build a broad vocabulary, strengthen language skills, and foster a desire to read.  Their memory of that time spent with parents and grandparents is a bonus.

Dolly Parton, the iconic singer from Tennessee, understands that children must read to succeed. So in 1995, she started the Imagination Library to provide books to children up to the age of five. The Department of Education has partnered with Dolly to provide books to more than 55,000 Arkansas children. Dolly visited the Governor’s Mansion in May to join us for a dinner to celebrate the expansion of Imagination Library into every county in Arkansas, which is an impressive accomplishment.

Just this morning, as I wrapped up my year as Chair of the National Governors Association, Dolly joined us by livestream at our summer meeting in Maine to talk about Imagination Library. As the First Lady points out, the children who receive a book in the mail every month have a new story to read and a reminder that someone cares about them.

Public and school libraries are another important element of a reading culture. Libraries offer books, newspapers, and magazines to readers who might not otherwise be able to afford those materials.

When I was growing up in Gravette and reading Hardy Boys detective books, a trip to the library was as much a part of the reading experience as sitting down with a book.

A resident of Helena once wrote to a Little Rock newspaper editor about the mystique of   Helena’s public library, which “was what a library is supposed to be — dark in the corners, cool air, quiet, a little mysterious, and the wonderful smell of books.”

The road to a reading culture in Arkansas is lined with dozens of libraries, including the four that the railroad tycoon and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie paid for in Little Rock, Fort Smith, Morrilton, and Eureka Springs.

Of all the gifts I’d like to leave to Arkansans, a culture of reading is one of the most important. One of our goals has been to ensure that by the time students leave the third grade, they are reading at the third-grade level. To enhance that possibility, the Arkansas Department of Education launched the Reading Initiative for Student Excellence – or RISE. We emphasize phonics and the science of reading.

For Arkansas to continue to prosper, we must build a foundation of readers. Our success depends in large measure on the strength of our collective reading skills.

But it’s more basic than that. I love to read. Literature of all kinds has greatly improved the quality of my life. I want Arkansas’s kids to enjoy books and to read for pleasure as well as education, because we miss so much of life when we don’t.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Supporting our Teachers

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas’s education system greatly depends on our ability to attract and retain teachers. We need to make sure the pay reflects the importance of their job and our respect for their role in shaping the lives of the next generation of leaders.

When the pandemic impacted the world, our schools were heavily burdened. Education could not waiver even during a time when things felt so uncertain.

Arkansas was one of the few states that kept schools open thanks to the amazing teachers in our state. In fact, Arkansas ranked #2 in the nation for days of in-classroom instruction during the pandemic. That puts us in front of Texas and Florida. And so, we must be able to provide for those who are willing to go on the frontlines for our children’s future.

Teacher pay has been one of my top priorities since running for Governor in 2014. Since then, we have increased the minimum teacher pay to align with many of our surrounding states.

In 2019, I signed the Teacher Enhancement Act that took our minimum pay of $31,400 and raised it to $36,000 annually by 2022.

This increase was needed for our teachers, but it is not enough. Arkansas is still ranked 48th in the country for teacher starting pay even after that increase. 88% of our school districts start teachers below a salary of $40,000. We are 14th out of 16 states in our region for minimum starting salary, and we rank 13th out 16 for average salary. Nearly 70% of all our teachers are making below $40,000 a year. 

Our goal should be to have 100% of our teachers making above $40,000. We know teachers are important, but we must show them why Arkansas is a place they’ll want to teach and live.

For that reason, we must give our school districts more resources to recruit teachers. We have seen firsthand how providing the right resources can bring growth like we’ve seen with the Computer Science initiative. 

In 2015, we started the initiative with fewer than 50 computer science teachers in Arkansas. By providing more resources and incentives, we now have more than 650 certified computer science teachers with more coming by the fall. We have gone from fewer than 1,000 students learning about computer science to more than 12,000 with that number increasing every year. 

There is a reluctance by some in the General Assembly to raise teacher salary because of the concern over a future economic downturn. We currently have over $2 billion in state reserves and our surplus.

I am confident in our future ability to fund these initiatives, but the General Assembly controls the purse strings of state government, and I respect their constitutional role. While we might not get it done this year I hope it remains a priority in the future.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Helping with Housing Stability

There is no question that many families suffered financial setbacks as the coronavirus swept across the nation two years ago. Today I’d like to discuss my vision to stabilize housing and to assist Arkansans with opportunities to move up the economic ladder.

Arkansas’s unemployment rate rose to more than 10 percent in the early months of the pandemic. The federal government stepped in with Emergency Rental Assistance, which allowed many to remain in their homes and softened the financial blow for landlords.

But our economy has returned, jobs are plentiful, and our unemployment rate is even better than before the pandemic. Many still are recovering, but as employment opportunities abound, we are returning to our pre-pandemic assistance programs.

Our goal is to educate Arkansans so they can move into trades that will allow them to build a career that will support their family. We must do more than pay the rent.

Arkansans want to work. We recognize the dignity that comes with earning a living rather than a lifetime of accepting help. For this to work, we must assess the needs of individuals. What training does a person need? What challenges prevent a parent from finding a job? Some need help to overcome a mental illness or an addiction to alcohol or another substance.

We still have programs that assist renters, including the Emergency Solutions Grants, the Community Services Block Grants, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Arkansans’s belief in the value of work has been a foundation of my approach to lending a government hand to those in need. I recently informed the U.S. Treasury that Arkansas would accept no more than about $58 million in funds the federal government is offering through the second round of  the Emergency Rental Assistance program. That is about 39 percent of the total the state was offered.

We still have approximately $16.5 million available in housing stability funds through other programs, and that includes more than $6 million for rental assistance. So we don’t need the entire $146 million the federal government offered. The money we do accept from the second round of Emergency Rental Assistance could better be used to continue pilot programs with various nonprofits from Our House to Restore Hope and others, or to start new programs that promote housing stability.

I thought long and hard about whether to accept all of the federal funds, but I didn’t think we should take the money when we already have rental assistance funds available through other programs. It makes no sense to start an absolutely new rental-assistance program that would make it too easy for people to accept help rather than improve their job skills.

The federal money also came with strings and limited our flexibility in program-integrity efforts.

We are not going to ignore the needs of Arkansans. Community action agencies throughout the state can distribute aid from the remaining funds.

But now that we are putting the pandemic behind us, we must focus on giving Arkansans the best kind of help, which is the chance to train and the ability to succeed. Our goal is not only to help someone find work today, but to help them achieve the dignity and pride of putting their family into a house and putting food on the table.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | The Importance of Free Speech

LITTLE ROCK – The freedom of speech is one of the bedrock principles upon which our country was founded. The purchase of Twitter by the world’s richest man this week has reignited the discussion surrounding free speech, and I’d like to share my thoughts on the importance of this freedom.

Social media censorship has been a concern of many Americans for years. While platforms like Facebook and Twitter are privately owned companies that set their own rules for the service they provide, the concern over the spread of misinformation and disinformation on these sites is one shared by millions of Americans.

There is equal concern over how these private companies censor or ban certain speech, and the argument is that the platforms are, in essence, the public square where speech should not be limited.

These worries have led some elected leaders to call for increased censorship, while others have called for a hands-off approach.

Throughout our nation’s history, especially in times of war and turmoil, Americans have spilled a lot of ink about what speech, if any, should be limited by the government. The government plays a necessary role in ensuring public safety and protecting its citizens from violence. In other words, no one should be allowed to shout “fire” in a crowded theater.

Since the advent of the internet and social media, bad actors, such as violent terrorists who wish to harm us, have used these platforms to stir up unrest and recruit others to join their causes to harm others. This has been seen throughout the world, especially since the September 11th attack on the United States. In the wake of these horrific events, organizations like al-Qaeda, ISIS, and the Taliban have used the internet and recruited and radicalized citizens around the world to commit acts of terrorism in their home countries or join their fight overseas.

These are legitimate threats that can interfere with the government’s commitment to ensure domestic tranquility and to provide for the common defense. It is important for these social media platforms to assure they do not cross the line into advocating violence.

But there is a difference between citizens engaging in speech directly intended to cause violence that is illegal and those engaging in speech we may not agree with.

In his dissent in the 1929 case of U.S. v. Schwimmer, Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes noted, “If there is any principle of the Constitution that more imperatively calls for attachment than any other it is the principle of free thought — not free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate.”

The American Ideal calls for us to live in a nation where we can agree to disagree with our neighbors, have robust debate, and still live peaceably. The Bill of Rights identifies rights that the government may not infringe; it prohibits government from interfering with these rights that are essential to our freedoms, the rule of law, and our democracy.

I often see negative and hateful comments on social media. But despite this negativity, I am grateful to live in a nation where the rights of those who disagree can voice their opinions freely and without persecution. Whenever I check my Twitter account, I’ll be appreciative of the protection of freedoms we’re blessed to experience in this country.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Standing Against Hate

LITTLE ROCK – Thirty-seven years ago this week, I put on a bulletproof vest and entered a white-supremacist compound to try to convince the group they were outmanned and outgunned and should surrender.

As I have reflected on that moment as well as the racial tension and civil unrest that have roiled our nation over the past two years, I have thought about the lessons we learn from our history.

The people I confronted on April 21, 1985, were members of the Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord, known as the CSA, and one of their missions was to take down the United States government. Members of the CSA had sent out teams to assassinate several government officials, including me.

On April 21, 1985, I was the United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, appointed three years earlier by President Ronald Reagan. For two years, my office had monitored the CSA in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Missouri, as well as the FBI and the ATF.

As we developed our strategy to flush out the CSA, we were well aware that the white supremacists had stockpiled high-powered weapons and weren’t afraid to shoot law enforcement officers. Just a year earlier, CSA member Richard Snell shot and killed a black Arkansas State Trooper who had stopped him for a traffic violation. His name was Louis Bryant, and he was a true hero.

We anticipated fierce resistance, so we brought over 200 law enforcement officers to the small town of Elijah, Missouri, many of them disguised as anglers in town to fish. I joined several other agents on the negotiating team. We persuaded Jim Ellison, the CSA founder who had purchased the land for the compound, that his best hope was to surrender. After three days of negotiations, all the men laid down their weapons, and the standoff ended without gunfire or bloodshed. That day also marked the end of the CSA. But it wasn’t the death of the dangerously misguided belief that one race is superior to another.

On the anniversary of that tense standoff with the white supremacists of the CSA, I understand there remains much work to be done to close the gaps among Americans of different races, religions, and beliefs.

Ultimately, I am hopeful. Throughout history, people have often expressed their disagreement with violent language, and sometimes it goes further into actual violence, so this is nothing new. But I am optimistic because in America we learn from the mistakes of the past.

Nearly forty years ago, I joined a band of hundreds of good people who linked arms to confront those who believed violence and racial hatred were the answer to their anger. Sometimes I fear we are not moving fast enough toward an America that is truly equal. But we are making progress as long as we listen to each other and care about each other.

There will be more times when we must stand shoulder to shoulder against hate just as those federal and state agents did nearly forty years ago in western Arkansas. But Americans’ bedrock belief that all men are created equal echoes in our founding documents and rises from our hearts as we continually travel toward that more perfect union.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Combatting Violent Crime

LITTLE ROCK – Today, I would like to talk about the national increase in violent crime, and what we are doing to combat that here in Arkansas.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world felt like it came to a halt while we dealt with the issues of public health. But violent crime did not slow down. In fact, violent crime actually increased since 2018. Homicides in Arkansas were 224 that year, but in 2020, the number was 310, an increase of 38 percent. All this is according to data from the Arkansas Crime Information Center.

Government has no greater responsibility than to assure public safety, and at the state level, we are taking several measures to address this increase in crime and the current threat to public safety.

First, we have tangibly shown our support of our law enforcement.

I signed into law a $5,000 bonus for every certified full-time police officer in the state. We raised the salaries of our state troopers and have expanded the number of positions at the Arkansas State Crime Lab to accelerate rape-kit testing. Finally, we also allocated money to enlarge the prison at Calico Rock.

The prison expansion is necessary because our local court system does not have enough flexibility or adequate space in the county jails due to the lack of space in our prison system.

This last week, based on recommendations by Secretary Solomon Graves and the Division of Community Correction, I announced the expansion of the Intensive Supervision Program.

This expansion will add officers to a team dedicated to providing a higher level of support and supervision to those who pose a higher risk of violent crimes.

These are those that have spent time in prison and were released on parole. We want them to get a second start in life, and our ultimate goal is to help them do that. But you have an element of those who pose a greater risk than others, and the design of the Intensive Supervision Program is to focus on those high-risk offenders.

I have asked the General Assembly to approve $1 million in funding for this initiative. It will cover new positions at a five-county area in Central Arkansas. This initiative will help keep our streets safter and curb violent crime.

It is a dangerous but important time to be in law enforcement as violent crime is on the increase. Our need to support the men and women who put their lives at risk increases every day.

I want officers to know we support them, and we want to make their job as safe as it can be.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | The Black Bear Makes a Comeback

LITTLE ROCK – One hundred-fifty years before I took office, Arkansas was home to so many black bears that we were known as The Bear State, but by the early years of the last century, enthusiastic hunters had thinned the population to the point that the General Assembly outlawed bear hunting.

Today I’d like to share a bit of the story of the demise and the historic reintroduction of the black bear in our state.

I learned much of this history two weeks ago when I accompanied several of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s 14-member bear team on a visit to a bear den near Jessieville. The team is led by Game and Fish Deputy Director Roger Mangham and Myron Means, the coordinator of the Large Carnivore Program. The annual survey starts in January and is complete by the end of March.

The team tracks the bears with radio collars that allow them to distinguish one bear from another and to find each bear’s den. As they usually do, the members of the team found each of its 43 collared bears this spring.

The day I joined the team, the members were visiting the den of mama bear Brenda Lee, who has two cubs. They safely tranquilized and examined Brenda, and held her cubs to measure and weigh.

A hundred years ago, the number of Brenda Lee’s ancestors had dwindled to fewer than about 50 in the entire state. From 1958 to 1968, Arkansas brought in bears from Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada. Now the project, with almost 6,000 bears, is considered the most successful reintroduction of a large carnivore anywhere in the world.

By 1980, the state had once again allowed bear hunting in the Ozark and Ouachita mountains. This year, the Game and Fish Commission is expanding bear hunting into south Arkansas.

Myron Means, who grew up in Van Buren and now lives in his grandparents’ home there, has worked with bears for 27 years. His degrees are from Arkansas Tech and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He started his career as a field biologist in the Ozarks. In 1989, he caught his first bear, which was two years old and weighed 110 pounds. Out of the thousands of bears Myron has handled, he remembers that one. That was the moment he knew he wanted to work with bears.

A bear has never attacked him, but plenty of mama bears have bluff charged him. Myron says the mamas attempt to scare humans by running at them, but they stop short of an attack. Bears really are timid, and the bears that attack a person have lost their fear through frequent interaction with humans.

My visit with Brenda Lee and the bear team was exciting, informative, and safe. Now I can add bears to my list of Arkansas wildlife I have seen in the woods.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Women’s History Month

LITTLE ROCK – This is women’s history month, and it is important to recognize their contributions.

With just slightly more than 50% of Americans being women, it's not hard to imagine how much of an impact they have on our country.

Women are mothers, educators, caretakers, medical professionals, executive administrators, managers, factory workers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. The list of contributions by women in America is endless.

We set March aside to honor and reflect on the courage, bravery, and perseverance of women through history. The vital role women have played in the development of America is undeniable, and women’s role in the development of Arkansas was just as important.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital is the only pediatric hospital in the state, and among the ten largest children’s hospitals in the United States. In 1934, Ruth Olive Beall became superintendent of the hospital and was an integral part of change and growth that garnered the support of President Franklin Roosevelt when he visited Little Rock in 1936. In that same year, the American College of Surgeons accredited the hospital which became an important milestone in the development of what the hospital is today.

In 1917, women won the right to vote in primary elections, thanks to the efforts of valiant women who did not waiver when the legislature rejected their initiatives. In 1919, Arkansas became just the second state in the south to pass the Nineteenth Amendment, giving women the right to vote in all elections. 

In 1932, Arkansan Hattie Caraway became the first-ever woman elected to serve in the United States Senate.

One of the most notable movements of the 20th century included the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s. Here in Arkansas, Daisy Gatson Bates, president of the Arkansas NAACP and mentor to the Little Rock Nine, led the way for the desegregation of Arkansas schools.

Today, women are an essential part of my leadership team, and I have relied upon women in several positions to bring success to my administration.

The impression that women have left on the state can not be overstated, yet even today new developments and issues arise daily. For that reason, I created the 2022 Arkansas Women’s Commission to address new issues, and there is no better perspective on an issue than that of those who are affected by it.

The Arkansas Women’s Commission is an opportunity for women from across Arkansas to be heard. The first regional meeting was held in Fayetteville with other meetings planned for Pine Bluff, Mountain Home, and locations to be chosen. These meetings are open to the public and materials can be found at Women.Arkansas.Gov.  

I urge you to take the opportunity to share your experience because your perspective could be one that makes a difference for our future.                                                                                

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Showing Appreciation to our Law Enforcement Officers

LITTLE ROCK – The 93rd General Assembly wrapped up its fiscal session this week, and today I’d like to commend legislators for their support of law enforcement in Arkansas.

The 93rd General Assembly was one of the most law enforcement friendly sessions ever. Legislators voted to fund stipends, pay raises, new positions, and equipment. They increased the reimbursement to county jails for the care of state prisoners and allocated money for the expansion of a prison in Calico Rock.

Legislators and leaders of law enforcement joined me at a table in the rotunda as I signed three bills that the General Assembly passed with unanimous bipartisan support.

The new laws were recommendations from a task force which I created during the national unrest that swept the nation after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in the summer of 2020.

At the time, protesters around the country were burning buildings in cities. Many demanded that cities slash spending on police departments or disband them altogether.

When I introduced the task force, I stated clearly that there would be no discussions of diminishing our support of law enforcement. The task force’s mission was to find ways that the state and cities could support law enforcement. I wanted to ensure that officers were as safe on the job as humanly possible. I wanted to improve the relationship between police officers and their communities.

This is why I signed into law 3 bills that support our police officers across the state. Senate Bill 103 grants a one-time stipend of $5,000 to full-time certified city and county law enforcement officers and full-time certified state Department of Corrections probation and parole officers.

The bill gives a one-time stipend of $2,000 to full-time certified state troopers and other certified law enforcement officers of the Department of Public Safety.

Officers who are employed by July 1 of this year, or who are hired by January 3 of next year, are eligible for the stipend. The bonus is a show of appreciation for our current officers, and it’s also a recruiting tool as we seek to hire great officers.

House Bill 1026, which became Act 223, increases the average annual starting salary for state troopers from around $42,000 to $54,000. That raises the salary by more than $11,000. The raise moves us up in the rankings in surrounding states from seventh for starting salaries to second.

Act 223 also funds salaries for five more forensic employees for the Arkansas Crime Lab to accelerate the testing of sexual assault kits, which must be completed within 60 days of submission.

Act 225 includes money to fund a prison construction project at Calico Rock. This is important to assure space for those who are currently backed up in our county jails.

It also provides $10 million for body cameras, bullet-proof vests, and other equipment that will improve safety for officers and build community confidence in their professionalism.

Government has no greater responsibility than to assure public safety. We also owe it to our police officers, who risk their lives every day to keep us safe and to provide cutting-edge training and the best equipment to keep them on the job and safe from their work.

Our support of law enforcement did not begin with the 93rd General Assembly, but we certainly put an exclamation point on our support this year.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Arkansas’s Support for Ukraine

LITTLE ROCK – In the week since Russia invaded Ukraine, Arkansas has joined most of the world in condemning the unprovoked assault. Today I’d like to share the story of a woman from Ukraine who is watching the war from Arkansas and praying for her relatives and friends who are sheltering in basements in her homeland. Kateryna Pitchford’s story highlights the reality of the war for the rest of us.

Kateryna came to the United States in 2004 and is an associate professor of business at Central Baptist College in Conway. She was born in eastern Ukraine in 1982. The Russian invasion is one more chapter of horror for Kateryna’s family. A century ago, her great-grandparents and grandmother suffered under Soviet Russia. Kateryna grew up under the USSR, and she was nine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991.

Thirty years later, Kateryna and her family live in uncertainty and nightmare. She communicates daily with her friends and family in Dnipro and Kyiv as they send images and videos by phone. A cousin showed Kateryna the inside of her refrigerator to assure Kateryna they had enough food. A friend who has supplies for two weeks says the nearby grocery store has sold out. Some remain in their homes, comforting their children as the sirens continually pierce the air; others continue to work. Ukrainians are brave, but they are very afraid by this unprovoked aggression and air attacks on civilians.

Kateryna participated in the Arkansas Leadership Prayer Breakfast at the mansion on Thursday. She recited the Lord’s Prayer in the Ukrainian language, followed by prayer for Ukraine in English.

The international support encourages her. She is proud to inform friends in Ukraine that the Hellfire and Stinger missiles going to their country are made in her home state. She tells them Arkansas is helping.

General Dynamics makes those missile in Camden, and every Javelin anti-tank weapon carries a Camden warhead. Aerojet makes the propulsion system in Camden. The missiles are known for their power to destroy tanks, buildings, and helicopters.

The killing of innocent citizens is a terrible evil, and this invasion of Ukraine ranks as the worst attack in Europe since the end of World War II. The Russians are violating the sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine. The free world must support Ukraine with all the defensive arms it can muster. We should not pull our punches, and Mr. Putin must pay a high price for this invasion.

Mr. Putin underestimated the resolve of the Ukrainians and the reaction of the free world. He thought Ukraine would simply fold, but he has found that his attack has hardened the loyalty and courage of Ukrainians into a resistance that may save the country. Ukrainians love their country and don’t want to leave or turn it over to Russian governance.

The sanctions are essential, but we all want to do more. In Arkansas, I directed a review of our investments, and our alcohol distributers agreed to no longer buy Russian vodka. We need to do more, and I am hopeful that much more is being done covertly to help Ukraine.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Paving the Way for the Future of Mobility

LITTLE ROCK – Ever since I took office in 2015, my goal has been to make Arkansas first.

From the very first coding tour, I have pushed Arkansas to lead the nation on computer science. Legislators who share my vision for the future passed laws that put the state ahead of the rest of the nation.

In a press conference this week, I announced that Arkansas can also be a worldwide leader in advanced mobility, which includes electric vehicles, driverless vehicles, drone delivery, and cars that travel by air. I created the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility to identify barriers, recommend policy, and suggest incentives to support the development of advanced mobility. Members of the council will search for innovative companies and create partnerships with businesses that are pushing the future in terms of transportation and movement of people and goods.

By doing this, we are laying the foundation for Arkansas's leadership in the transportation industry for decades to come. This is another step that will not only make Arkansas No. 1, but we will be the first to create this type of council with private sector experts, academia, and government leaders.

Arkansas is home to a growing number of mobility companies such as Canoo, an electric vehicle manufacturer, which is moving its headquarters and R & D [Research and Development] facility to Bentonville, and Envirotech announced this week it would be opening its first U.S.-based electric vehicle manufacturing facility in Osceola, Arkansas.

In Bentonville, right now thanks to a partnership between Walmart and Gatik, the world’s first autonomous driverless delivery service is operating daily, without a safety driver aboard the vehicle. This is the first time that fully autonomous operations have ever been achieved on the “Middle Mile,” a term to describe moving goods from warehouses or micro fulfillment centers to a pick-up location such as a retail store. These companies are choosing to build in Arkansas because we have made it clear we are committed to striving for the future. Nowhere else in the world has this been done yet, but in Arkansas, we have achieved it and continue to look forward to what's next.

In 1908, Theodore Roosevelt was the first president to travel by automobile while on official duties. He rode in a Columbia Electric Victoria Phaeton, an electric vehicle that ran on two 20-volt batteries that weighed nearly 800 pounds. His trip around Hartford, Connecticut took nearly four hours. Now, more than 100 years later, I was the first Arkansas Governor to sit in the driver’s seat of the next generation of transportation.

When discussing the most innovative and forward-thinking places in the world, Japan, Germany, Israel, and Finland are among those mentioned. Now, the Natural State has staked its place as a global leader as we lay the pavement for the future of transportation and mobility.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | The Masketeers of Mountain Home

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LITTLE ROCK – Today I’d like to talk about two doctors and the mask-making company they started in Mountain Home.

Dr. Rob Conner, a veterinarian, and Dr. Kyle McAlister, a radiologist, created The Masketeers early in the COVID-19 pandemic because masks were hard to find.

They made it their mission to find a supply of adequate face masks to protect themselves, their employees, and Mountain Home. Their solution was to launch a company to make them.

Since The Masketeers went into full production last January, the company has sold over 2 million masks, selling them in all 50 states and worldwide on the six inhabited continents.

Their route to opening is a good guide for entrepreneurs. Their success is encouraging to anyone with similar dreams.

As with many successful companies, the doctors founded theirs to meet an urgent need, which was a face mask that would protect people from COVID-19.

They designed and manufacture a high-filtration mask, which is a respirator mask similar to the N95.

The Masketeers produces 30,000 masks per eight-hour shift, but the small company can ramp up production to three shifts, seven days a week if the demand increases.

The Masketeers buys its nonwoven material from a company in Ohio. The material for ear loops comes from North Carolina, and the plastic-coated wires that fit over the nose are from California.

The production of protective equipment in Mountain Home, Arkansas, is an ideal model for our country. As a nation, we must be able to manufacture our own products and not depend upon foreign suppliers.

The young man who oversees The Masketeers’s team of 10 employees is 23-year-old Hunt Nosari, who grew up in Mountain Home. Hunt returned to his hometown after he earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Arkansas.

Although there has been some confusion over the past two years about the importance of masking, there is no question that a tight-fitting respirator-style mask can slow the transmission of COVID-19. The Biden administration announced this week that it will send 400 million N95 masks to pharmacies and community centers to distribute free next week.

This is an important message as the number of actives cases continues to set records in Arkansas. The vaccine and masks remain the best weapons to fight COVID-19.

Thanks to The Masketeers and Dr. Rob Conner and Dr. Kyle McAlister for helping to slow the pandemic and for building a template for other entrepreneurs.