Bills signed into law March 12th by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Wednesday, March 12, 2025, the Governor signed into law: 

HB1400 – An act to amend the law concerning the redemption of a tax-delinquent parcel; to exempt disabled veterans from certain penalties when redeeming a tax-delinquent parcel; and for other purposes. 

HB1556 – An act to amend Arkansas music appreciation day; to change the date on which Arkansas music appreciation day is celebrated; and for other purposes. 

SB236 – An act to amend the insurance holding company regulatory act; and for other purposes. 

HB1466 – An act to amend the fair mortgage lending act; and for other purposes. 

HB1184 – An act to amend the fair mortgage lending act; to protect a consumer’s privacy in certain mortgage applications; and for other purposes.

SB292 – An act to amend the law concerning the date of annual school election; to move the annual school election if the annual school election is scheduled on a state holiday in certain instances; and for other purposes. 

HCR1007 – To encourage the United States Congress to reevaluate the Medicare physician fee schedule locality structure and ensure accurate geographic practice cost indices for the metropolitan statistical areas of this state. 

HB1182 – An act to replace the defined term “medication assistive person” with the defined term “certified medication assistant” throughout § 17-87-701 ET SEQ.; to set forth the certification requirements, qualifications, and the scope of practice for a certified medication assistant; and for other purposes.

HB1213 – An act to amend the Arkansas athletic trainers act; to clarify the definition of “athlete” within the Arkansas athletic trainers act; to define “healthcare provider” regarding student athlete concussion education; and for other purposes. 

HB1217 – An act to establish the interstate massage compact in Arkansas; and for other purposes. 

HB1309 – An act to amend the law concerning coverage of examinations for breast cancer; to clarify the cost-sharing requirements for examinations for breast cancer; and for other purposes. 

SB119 – An act to establish the interstate medical licensure compact; and for other purposes.

HB1369 – An act concerning the establishment of the maximum campaign contribution limit by the Arkansas ethics commission; amending portions of law resulting from initiated act 1 of 1990 and initiated act 1 of 1996; declaring an emergency; and for other purposes.

HB1452 – An act clarifying the law on the use of medical marijuana in certain places; to prohibit the possession of an unsealed container of certain forms of medical marijuana in a motor vehicle; and for other purposes.

SB188 – An act to amend Arkansas law concerning initiative petitions and referendum petitions; to require public posting of statewide initiative petitions and referendum petitions; and for other purposes. 

SB209 – An act to amend the law concerning initiative petitions and referendum petitions; to disqualify signatures obtained by a canvasser under certain circumstances; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. 

SB210 – An act to create the require examining of authoritative documents act; to amend the law concerning initiative and referendum petitions; to require the signer to read the ballot title of the petition in the presence of a canvasser; to declare an emergency; and for other purposes. 

SB244 – An act concerning postponement of judgement in district court; to permit a suspended imposition of sentence in certain district court cases; and for other purposes.

SB251 – An act to amend the law concerning the Arkansas Trails Council; to amend the law concerning the executive secretary of the Arkansas Trails Council; to amend the law concerning the participation of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism on the Arkansas Trails Council; and for other purposes. 

SB260 – An act to amend the law concerning the collection of court fines, fees, or costs after default; and for other purposes. 

SB272 -An act to amend the law concerning voter registration; to prohibit pre-filled fields on a voter registration form in certain instances; to amend provisions of Arkansas constitution, amendment 51, § 6; and for other purposes. 

SB291 – An act to amend the law concerning complaints of election law violations; to amend the deadlines for complaints of election law violations; and for other purposes. 

SB294 – An act to amend the law concerning election audits; to allow the state board of election commissioners to audit a county in the preceding election in certain circumstances; and for other purposes. 

SB295 – An act to amend the law concerning appropriation for election expenses; to allow compensation for a certified election monitor as an election expense; and for other purposes. 

SB296 – An act to amend the law concerning the designation of an early voting location by the county clerk; and for other purposes. 

SB297 – An act to amend the law concerning municipalities choosing to elect council members; to require the governing body of the municipality to file the ordinance describing the election of city council members with the county clerk; and for other purposes. 

SB308 – An act to amend the law concerning a write-in candidate; to remove references to a write-in candidate; and for other purposes.

HB1279 – An act to amend the Arkansas Egg Marketing Act of 1969; to authorize repackaging of eggs by a retailer if certain criteria is met; and for other purposes.

HB1325 – An act to amend the provisions regarding credited service under the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System; to allow a member of the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System to receive service credit from service under an alternate retirement plan to meet eligibility requirements for a retirement benefit under certain circumstances; and for other purposes. 

HB1379 – An act to amend the law concerning the special authorization for reimbursement for meals and lodging while traveling on official business of the state; and for other purposes. 

HB1499 – An act to amend the sale and purchase procedure for public property; and for other purposes. 

HB1568 – An act to amend the law concerning examinations, investigations, and postmortem examination; to amend the law requiring a postmortem examination when a death is by apparent drug, alcohol, or poison toxicity; and for other purposes. 

SB224 – An act to repeal the law concerning natural organic fertilizers; and for other purposes. 

SB249 – An act to amend the law concerning violations and penalties related to forestry; to amend the powers of the Arkansas Forestry Commission; and for other purposes. 

SB250 – An act to amend the pest control law; to reassign certain duties of the state plant board; and for other purposes. 

SB259 – An act to transfer appointment authority for the director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission to the Governor; and for other purposes. 

SB265 – An act to reduce and modify the membership of the licensing committee relating to wastewater; to reduce and modify the membership of the licensing committee relating to solid waste; to amend the apprenticeship licenses in solid waste licensing; to amend participation requirements for environmental officers; and for other purposes. 

SB267 – An act to repeal the Arkansas alternative motor fuel development act; to repeal the alternative motor fuel development fund; and for other purposes. 

HB1146 – An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Office of Attorney General for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes. 

HB1175 – An act to make an appropriation for personal services and operating expenses for the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism – Division of Heritage for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026; and for other purposes.  

HB1493 – An act to make an appropriation to the institutions of higher education for capital improvement projects; and for other purposes. 

HB1544 – An act to make an appropriation for state turnback for counties and municipalities by the Office of the Treasurer of State which shall be supplemental and in addition to those funds appropriated by Act 140 of 2024; and for other purposes. 

Senate panel advances two bills defining ‘public meeting’ in Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

KUAR | By Sonny Albarado / Arkansas Advocate,

Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

An Arkansas Senate committee approved two bills hours apart Tuesday seeking to define a public meeting, an issue that has plagued local elected officials and government transparency advocates for decades.

Sen. Clarke Tucker, a Little Rock Democrat and sponsor of Senate Bill 227, told the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday morning his proposal would, “after 50 years, bring clarity to the law” by setting parameters for what members of city councils, quorum courts or school boards can discuss outside of a public meeting.

The bill also would amend the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to add cybersecurity breach as a reason to meet in executive session, introduce and regulate remote meeting attendance, and allow a court to nullify official actions taken as a result of violations of open meetings law.

Senate panel advances two bills defining ‘public meeting’ in Arkansas Freedom of Information Act

Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate

Little Rock Democratic Sen. Clarke Tucker (left) considers a question from Sen. Kim Hammer, R-Benton, at a Senate State Agencies Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.

April 14 workshop aims to help Arkansans plan to keep the farm in the family

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

SEARCY, Ark. — Keeping the family farm in the family can be more complicated than many realize. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is working to help farm families and other interested Arkansans plan for the inevitable with a second succession planning meeting on April 14.

MAKE A PLAN — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is working to help farm families and other interested Arkansans plan for the inevitable with a second succession planning meeting on April 14. (Division of Agriculture graphic.)

Sherri Sanders, White County agriculture extension agent for the Division of Agriculture, said reaction to the first session, held Feb. 25, helped shape the upcoming meeting agenda.

“Our first session got the conversation started,” Sanders said. “It’s emotional, it’s hard. You’re coming to terms with your death or retirement from your farm that’s been in the family for generations. Most people just don’t talk about it, and they think they’re OK because they’ve got a will — but a will isn’t a succession plan. It doesn’t lay out who gets what, or how the farm will be run.

“This second session is still for farmers and ranchers, but the information can really apply to anybody who wants to plan for their estate,” she said. “Because estate taxes, power of attorney and living wills affect everybody.”

Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, will be the meeting’s featured speaker.

“People know they need to find an attorney, but they don’t know what to be prepared for at that first meeting,” Sanders said, noting that attorneys typically charge by the hour. “Rusty will help them understand how to prepare to meet with that attorney.”

The session will take place at 6 p.m. at the White County Extension Office, located at 2400 Old Searcy Landing Road in Searcy, Arkansas. The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes dinner.

The deadline to register online is April 7.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

Arkansas Farm Bureau to launch Arkansas Farm Trail program

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Farm Bureau (ArFB) will launch the Arkansas Farm Trail (AFT), on Saturday, March 15.

AFT allows farmers to share stories, connect with consumers and increase visibility for ArFB members who produce direct-to-consumer products. This first-of-its-kind Arkansas program will connect consumers with local agriculture and teach about the state’s agricultural industry.

“With agriculture being the number one industry in Arkansas, this program is a long time coming,” said John McMinn, director of commodity activities at ArFB. “Over the past decade, farmers in the state have built a strong community of direct-to-consumer sales, which provides a unique opportunity to teach customers how their food is produced. We wanted to capitalize on that teaching opportunity while also promoting the state’s farmers. The Arkansas Farm Trail is a win for farmers and consumers.”

Arkansas Farm Bureau to launch Arkansas Farm Trail program

Farmers Market - Flickr Image

League of Women Voters seek to ‘reform’ ballot initiative process

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The League of Women Voters of Arkansas (LWV) has submitted a proposed constitutional amendment it says is designed to counter recent legislative efforts that “weaken and dismantle” the ability of citizens to place amendments on the ballot.

According to a LWV press release issued Tuesday (March 11), the amendment and ballot title presented to Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin “aims to reform the state’s ballot initiative process and address concerns over transparency and accessibility.”

The LWV action follows attempts by the Arkansas Legislature to add more requirements to citizen initiatives. One of those was SB 211, filed by Rep. Kendon Underwood, R-Cave Springs, which requires a signature canvasser to file an affidavit with the Arkansas Secretary or State “certifying that the canvasser has complied with the Arkansas Constitution and all Arkansas law regarding canvassing, perjury, forgery, and fraudulent practices in the procurement of petition signatures during the current election cycle.”

League of Women Voters seek to ‘reform’ ballot initiative process

UAMS Doctor Receives VA Merit Award to Address Overprescribing of Thyroid Medication

By David Robinson

UAMS’ Spyridoula Maraka, M.D., has been awarded a Veterans Affairs (VA) Merit Award of $830,000 over four years to address the widespread overprescribing of levothyroxine (LT4), one of the most prescribed drugs in the United States.

LT4 is used to treat hypothyroidism, a condition where the thyroid produces too few hormones. However, many patients are prescribed LT4 based solely on a single abnormal test, even when thyroid function is normal, Maraka said, which can lead to unnecessary treatment and financial burden, disruptive lifestyle changes, cardiovascular risks and even death.

About 20 million people in the United States receive LT4. Among those starting LT4, about 31% have normal thyroid function, meaning LT4 should not have been prescribed, according to a 2021 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine that Maraka co-authored.

UAMS Doctor Receives VA Merit Award to Address Overprescribing of Thyroid Medication

UAMS’ Spyridoula Maraka, M.D., will implement strategies that she hopes will reduce overprescribing of the common thyroid medication levothyroxine (LT4).

House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee considers Womack’s protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act

Washington, DC—March 11, 2025…Today, the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Health considered Congressman Steve Womack’s (AR-3) bill, H.R. 1107, the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025. At the hearing, Congressman Womack spoke about the importance of the legislation and urged swift passage.

Watch Congressman Womack’s Remarks

Remarks as prepared:

“Chairwoman Miller-Meeks, Ranking Member Brownley, and distinguished members of the subcommittee, thank you for considering my bill, H.R. 1107, the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025. I also want to express my sincere gratitude for allowing me to speak in support of this legislation today.

“This bill aims to guarantee that our nation’s veterans—whether in bustling cities or remote rural areas—have continuous access to the healthcare services they need and deserve.

“The Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 2008, was designed to regulate the prescription of controlled substances via telemedicine in response to the rise of online pharmacies and the risk of misuse. While this law plays a crucial role in protecting public health, it has not been updated to reflect the realities of 2025. Nor does it account for the fundamental differences between the VA and civilian online pharmacies.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ryan Haight Act’s in-person consultation requirement for prescribing controlled substances was temporarily waived. The DEA and HHS later extended these flexibilities through the end of this year.

“My bill, the Protecting Veteran Access to Telemedicine Services Act of 2025, would make this exemption permanent for the VA allowing VA healthcare professionals to prescribe medically necessary controlled substances via telemedicine under specific conditions.

“This exemption has been a lifeline for our veterans. Without it, many will face severe restrictions in accessing vital healthcare.

“For veterans in urban areas, letting this exemption expire would mean longer wait times for in-person appointments, further straining an already overburdened VA healthcare system. The impact is even greater for veterans in rural communities, where geographic isolation and limited healthcare providers create significant barriers. The exemption has allowed them to receive care from VA specialists hundreds of miles away, without the burden of costly and time-consuming travel.

“Continuing this exemption isn’t just a matter of convenience—it’s a necessity. It ensures that every veteran, no matter where they live, has equal access to the care they have earned and deserve.

“I’m honored to speak in support of this legislation today. I urge my colleagues to act swiftly in passing this bill. Our veterans have sacrificed so much for our country—it’s our duty to ensure they receive the care they need in a way that meets the demands of today’s world.”

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’ Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

womack.house.gov

Economists tackle estimating consumer effects following the loss of billions of birds and eggs lost to avian influenza

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Fewer and more expensive eggs in 2024 put estimated $1.41 billion burden on consumers in 2024, according to study by a trio of researchers examining the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza — HPAI — on the economy.

Expectations are for the price burden to continue through 2025 as producers work to repopulate laying hens lost to HPAI.

The study, “The Economic Impact of HPAI on U.S. Egg Consumers: Estimating a $1.41 Billion Loss in Consumer Surplus” was published last month by the Fryar Price Risk Management Center. It was conducted as an extension to an earlier paper, “Biological lags and market dynamics in vertically coordinated food supply chains: HPAI impacts on U.S. egg prices,” published in the journal Food Policy in 2024.

PRICE OF EGGS — Clocks in at more than $9 for 18 eggs on March 10, 2025, in Little Rock. (U of A System Division of Agriculture File photo)

The Fryar Center is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, was the lead author on both papers, which were written with Jada Thompson, associate professor and Division of Agriculture economist and Trey Malone, an economist formerly at the University of Arkansas, but now at Purdue University.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, HPAI affected 38.4 million commercial egg laying birds and 29 flocks in 2024.

“As a result, we estimate an average week-to-week increase of 9 percent in retail egg prices, independent of other sources of egg price inflation,” the authors said. Using own-price elasticities — a measure of demand responsiveness to price changes — they estimated that price increases lowered demand for eggs by 2 percent on average.

“This reduction in consumption, coupled with higher prices, led to an estimated consumer surplus loss of $1.41 billion,” the researchers said. “This estimate reflects the economic burden on consumers due to reduced availability and affordability of eggs following HPAI outbreaks.

“The magnitude of these losses underscores the importance of understanding how disease outbreaks in the egg supply chain influence consumer welfare and market dynamics,” the three authors said.

The cost of eggs

While the cost of eggs may seem to be a simple supply vs. demand equation, determining the size of the economic loss is quite a bit more complex, say the economists.

“Someone not familiar with broiler or turkey or egg production might say, ‘oh, a bird died today because of bird flu and egg prices today are impacted by that’,” Mitchell said.

HPAI has been hitting broilers, egg layers and turkey production in the U.S. and globally hard since 2022, resulting in the loss of billions of commercial birds, not to mention birds and other animals in the wild.

“Our main thesis is that you have to consider a longer timeframe,” Mitchell said. “What’s happening today is a function of what happened six months ago.”

Because of the fierceness of the current strain of HPAI, which has a mortality rate of higher than 75 percent, whole flocks are destroyed once the disease is detected. Mitchell said if a flock has to be depopulated because of avian influenza or another cause, “you’re losing egg production from that flock.

“But you don’t just replace that flock tomorrow. It takes about six months for the new birds to reach maturity and start laying eggs,” he said.

Mitchell said that when they started their initial analysis looking at 2022 data, the challenge was “how much consideration had to be given to disentangling the impacts of bird flu from other things that were happening in 2022.”

Economic aftershocks from the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine war and resulting higher grain prices “were something we had to be careful about,” he said.

Price rollercoaster

When egg prices rise, so do the number of media interview requests for Thompson.

“The questions that are asked right now are, ‘Why are prices are high?’ And ‘when are they coming back down?’” Thompson said. She noted that in 2022, HPAI led to some 43 million laying hens being taken out of egg production” in the U.S.

That was possibly the largest loss of layers in one quarter, at least until 2024-25.

“In the fourth quarter of 2024, there was a loss of 20 million birds,” Thompson said. “And in the first two months of this year, some 30 million birds. That’s an astronomical number of birds being affected by HPAI.”

Much of the nation’s commercial egg production is concentrated in a fairly small area, including Minnesota and Iowa, Mitchell said.

There have been proposals within the industry to bring broiler eggs to the market, but both Thompson and Mitchell say that’s not an easy fix because the broiler and egg production systems don’t interact.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had this conversation,” Thompson said. “There are limitations on what can be done when dealing with a different system. How do we collect these eggs? How are we going to store and clean them? This will mean additional transportation costs.

“And egg prices are really high already,” she said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics retail egg prices reached $4.95 per dozen in January 2025, an increase of 96 percent compared to January 2024.

The research comes with a few important caveats. First, the estimate assumes that consumer preferences and purchasing behavior remained stable, meaning that consumers responded to price increases in the same way as they have in the past.

Second, the analysis focuses on the direct impact of HPAI on egg prices and consumer surplus, meaning it does not account for any indirect effects, such as potential changes in producer behavior or government policy responses.

“Despite these considerations, this estimate provides a clear and useful benchmark for understanding how HPAI affected egg prices and consumer spending in 2024,” the authors said.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

Cotton, Colleagues: Get spies out of our national labs

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced the Guarding American Technology from Exploitation (GATE) Act, legislation that would ban foreign scientists from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba from visiting or working in Department of Energy National Laboratories without a waiver granted by the Department of Energy and the intelligence community.

Senators Mike Lee (R-Utah), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and James Lankford (R-Oklahoma) are cosponsoring the legislation. 

“Scientists from our adversaries like Russia and China should be nowhere near our national laboratories. Foreign nationals in our country’s most sensitive labs pose a clear threat to our national security and should end immediately,” said Senator Cotton. 

“For too long, our national labs have been exploited by foreign adversaries. The Chinese Communist Party and other hostile regimes have systematically targeted these labs, luring away top scientists and using American research to fuel their military ambitions. Senator Cotton’s GATE Act is a necessary step to shut the door on this national security threat and ensure our most sensitive technology stays in the right hands," said Senator Lee.

PICRYL Image

“Our foreign adversaries should not have unregulated access to the cutting-edge research at our national laboratories,” said Senator Barrasso. “The groundbreaking work at our labs must be safeguarded. We cannot allow foreign nationals to take advantage of and use our taxpayer-funded research against us. Our bill will protect our critical information and identify security threats to prevent harm to the U.S., our allies, or our interests.”

“Sensitive research conducted at Department of Energy National Laboratories is vital to America’s national security and economic development. Allowing foreign scientists from adversarial nations access to this information poses a serious risk of espionage, sabotage, or theft – actions they may be pressured to undertake by the governments of their home nations,” said Senator Collins. “This legislation is a necessary step to prevent our adversaries from gaining unchecked access to critical taxpayer-funded research.”

Full text of the bill may be found here. 

Background:

• In FY2023, 40,000 foreign scientists visited our national labs and approximately 8,000 of those were Chinese or Russian. That means that 1 out of every 5 scientists visiting our labs are from our most dangerous foreign adversaries. We are not talking about individuals with green cards or dual citizenship. These are simply foreign scientists.

• The CCP forces scientists to report this information back to the Chinese government. 

• This legislation passed out of SSCI last Congress by a vote of 17-0 but was blocked by Democrats from being included in the NDAA

Boozman, Hirono, Tuberville, Gallego introduce legislation protecting defrauded veterans

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) and fellow Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee members Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) introduced bipartisan legislation that permits the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) to remove burdensome red tape that can cause bureaucratic delays when reimbursing benefits to veterans who are victims of fraud.  

The Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act would expedite benefits access for defrauded former servicemembers by waiving the requirement that the VBA completes a full internal negligence investigation and determination before restoration can occur.

VBA - Veterans Affairs

“Disabled veterans who are victims of benefit fraud should not have to endure bureaucratic delays in order to receive reimbursement,” said Boozman. “Ensuring the VA has established protocols to reinstate the hard-earned benefits of those who have served is not only commonsense, but a critical part of strengthening the services veterans deserve, expect and rely on.”

“Our veterans have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country and if they are defrauded of the benefits they have earned, they should not have to deal with unnecessary hurdles in order to be made financially whole again,” said Hirono. “Due to the oversight in the VBA fiduciary program, some veterans are dying before they ever receive their reimbursements—that is unacceptable. That is why I am glad to join my colleagues in this bipartisan, bicameral push to support defrauded veterans and help ensure they get the benefits they deserve in a timely fashion.”

“We’d like to believe we live in a country where no one would take advantage of our veterans, but sadly it does happen,” said Tuberville. “This bill attempts to help right that wrong by ensuring veterans with disabilities are made financially whole if they are defrauded of their benefits. It’s my priority to find ways to make the government work better for our veterans, and this bill is a small step toward doing just that.”

“It’s unacceptable that the veterans who put their lives on the line for this country could be defrauded out of the benefits they earned. To make matters worse, right now, defrauded veterans often have to wait years before they get their money back. We owe it to them to cut the red tape and make sure they’re repaid quickly without having to jump through unnecessary bureaucratic hoops,” said Gallego.

In a July 2021 report, the VA Office of the Inspector General (OIG) highlighted the significant wait times defrauded veterans in the VA fiduciary program face due to the universal negligence determination requirement. The Veteran Fraud Reimbursement Act will right this wrong by allowing the VBA to conduct a statistically valid analysis of the misuse cases to determine the rate and nature of negligence on the part of the VBA. The negligence determination would ultimately become part of a quality assurance measure without delaying reimbursement to affected veterans.

Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives by Gerry Connolly (D-VA-11) and Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06). 

The full text of the legislation is available here.

Legislative panels pass ACCESS bill with student political activity amendment

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

The House and Senate Education Committees passed Gov. Sarah Sanders’ far-reaching Arkansas ACCESS Act on March 10 with an amendment granting excused absences to students engaged in political and public advocacy activities.

In separate voice votes, a majority of House and Senate members approved the two identical bills, Senate Bill 246 by Sen. Jonathan Dismang, R-Searcy, and House Bill 1512 by Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado.

The full House and Senate will vote on their own chamber’s bills Tuesday, March 11. Then they will vote on the other chamber’s bill on Thursday. With no more committee meetings necessary, the bills could be headed to the governor’s desk by the end of the week.

ACCESS stands for acceleration, common sense, cost, eligibility, scholarships, and standardization.

Legislative panels pass ACCESS bill with student political activity amendment

Arkansas Legislature approves executions using nitrogen hypoxia

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

A proposal to allow executions using nitrogen gas has cleared the Arkansas Legislature.

Execution Chamber - Wikimedia

House Bill 1489 now heads to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. If signed into law, Arkansas would become the fourth state in the U.S. – joining Alabama, Oklahoma and Mississippi – to allow executions by nitrogen hypoxia.

The bill’s co-sponsor Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, introduced it on the Senate floor Tuesday.

“These are the worst of the worst in our society, and they have [gone] through the judicial system and many of them have been on death row for 20 and 30 years,” Johnson said. “We have a responsibility to those who are on death row and the citizens we serve to take this seriously and to administer this penalty.”

Arkansas Legislature approves executions using nitrogen hypoxia

Attorney General Griffin announces 6 Medicaid fraud convictions and 1 civil settlement

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing six Medicaid fraud convictions and one civil settlement:

AR Attorney General Tim Griffin

“Protecting Arkansans from Medicaid fraud will continue to be a priority for my office. I want to recognize the outstanding work of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) for their unwavering dedication to protecting Arkansans. Their recent efforts have led to six convictions and one civil settlement. I specifically want to thank Special Agent Marcus Custer, Special Agent Brandon Muldrow, Special Agent Heath Nelson, Assistant Attorney General David Jones, Senior Assistant Attorney General Leigh Patterson, Assistant Attorney General Gabrielle Davis-Jones, 23rd Judicial District Prosecutor Chuck Graham, and Sixth Judicial District Prosecutor Will Jones for their work on these cases.”

Convictions

On March 11, 2025, Trey Franks, 28, of Jacksonville pleaded guilty to Abuse of an Endangered or Impaired Person (Exploitation), a Class ‘C’ Felony, and was sentenced to a five-year term of probation, and ordered to pay a $250 fine, court costs, and restitution in the amount of $867.89. Franks used an impaired person’s debit card to pay his credit card bills.

On March 10, 2025, Hannah Christmas, 34, of Hamburg pleaded guilty to Medicaid Fraud, a Class ‘B’ Felony, and was sentenced to a five-year term of probation, and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine, court costs, and restitution in the amount of $5,951.56. Christmas billed the Dermott, Hamburg, and Lakeside school districts for physical therapy services that were never rendered.

On March 6, 2025, MFCU fielded four surrenders on warrants and secured convictions for each one of them. Spencer Deral Smith, 23, of Jonesboro pleaded guilty to a Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor for Medicaid Fraud. Smith was convicted of billing for personal-care hours while the beneficiary was admitted as a patient at a local hospital. He was ordered to pay $1,242.50 in restitution, a $500 fine, court costs, and serve 12 months of Suspended Imposition Sentence (SIS).

Chavelia McCullum, 45, of Jonesboro pleaded guilty to a Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor for Medicaid Fraud. McCullum was convicted of billing for personal-care hours while on a cruise ship. She was ordered to pay $360 in restitution, a $200 fine, court costs, and serve 12 months’ SIS.

Letrell Damone Pettis, 39, of Jonesboro pleaded guilty to a Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor for Medicaid Fraud. Pettis was convicted of billing for personal-care hours while on a cruise ship. He was ordered to pay $630 in restitution, a $300 fine, court costs, and serve 12 months’ SIS.

Felicia Marie Johnson Davis, 36, of Paragould pleaded guilty to a Class ‘A’ Misdemeanor for Medicaid Fraud. She was convicted of billing for personal-care hours while she was working at her second job in another location. She was ordered to pay $412.50 in restitution, a $200 fine, court costs, and serve 12 months’ SIS.

Civil Settlement

MFCU entered a settlement agreement for $216,950.78 with No Limits Pediatric Therapies, PLLC, Unbridled Holdings, LLC, and owner Terrica Weatherford. The settlement resolved two Medicaid False Claims investigations for therapy services billed by the providers. Weatherford, No Limits, and Unbridled cooperated fully.

To download a PDF of this release, click here.

Governor Sanders Appoints Judd Deere to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced that she has appointed Judd Deere to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. He is replacing Sheffield Nelson, and his term will expire on March 1, 2035. Judd will remain in his role as Deputy Chief of Staff in the Governor’s Office while serving on the board.

“I’ve been lucky enough to work with Judd on campaigns, at the White House, and now in his role as my Deputy Chief of Staff. He is one of the best hires I’ve ever made,” said Governor Sanders. “Judd absolutely loves the state of Arkansas, and I know he will approach this appointment with the same leadership, passion, and loyalty that I have come to know and value. He will excel on the University of Arkansas’ Board of Trustees and help further my administration’s priorities to improve our K-12 and higher education system for every Arkansan.”

“I am deeply honored by and grateful to Governor Sanders for her confidence in me to serve on the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees,” said Judd Deere. “I was raised to love our state and want nothing more than to see the University of Arkansas System succeed in preparing the next generation for the workforce—be it a four-year degree or certificate at a community college— because when it does, so does our state. In addition to the governor, I also want to express my gratitude to my parents, sister and brother-in-law, grandparents, amazing colleagues in the governor’s office, and Robert for their unwavering support and encouragement as I take on this exciting opportunity to ensure our entire state—alumni and fans alike—is proud of the University of Arkansas.”

Judd Deere bio:

Judd Deere, who has more than a decade of government management and communications experience at the national and state levels, currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Like the Governor, Judd served as a White House aide to the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump, working in various capacities over the course of three years, including Director of State Communications, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs, and finally as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary.

In addition to his work in the Trump Administration from 2017 to 2021, Judd also twice worked on Capitol Hill (2011-2014 and 2021-2022) in Washington, D.C., including as Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications to U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (Tenn.), Press Secretary and Digital Director for U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (Idaho), and Correspondence Director for U.S. Senator John Boozman (Ark.).

In addition to his current role with Governor Sanders, Judd’s other work in the state includes Communications Director for the Office of the Governor-elect and Sarah for Governor campaign (2022),Communications Director for then Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge (2014-2017), Deputy Campaign Manager and Communications Director for the Tim Griffin for Arkansas campaign (2014), and Northwest Arkansas Field Director for the Republican National Committee and Republican Party of Arkansas (2010).

Since childhood, Judd has been a passionate fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks, attending more events and games than he can count. Several of Judd’s family members are graduates of the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, including a late grandfather J.W. Deere, class of 1963, his uncle Ron Deere, class of 1980, his father Steve Deere, class of 1984, and his cousin Jason Deere, class of 2006. 

Judd is a 2010 graduate of Lyon College in Batesville and holds a Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Political Science and History. 

In 2020, Judd was recognized by his alma mater with the Patterson Decade Award, which is bestowed to one man and one woman of the 10-year reunion class who achieved a notable degree of success in his or her chosen field, career, or profession. 

A native of Benton, Arkansas, and 2006 graduate of Benton High School, Judd currently resides in Little Rock.

Deere, who has more than a decade of government management and communications experience at the national and state levels, currently serves as Deputy Chief of Staff for Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Like the Governor, Judd served as a White House aide to the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump, working in various capacities over the course of three years, including Director of State Communications, Special Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs, and finally as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary. 

Sevier County 4-H’ers see government in action at 4-H Day at the Capitol

Sevier County 4-H’ers with DeAnn Vaught.

Sevier County 4-H members participated in 4-H Day at the Capitol, where they met legislators, learned about the legislative process, and shared how they are making a difference in their communities through 4-H.

They were among the 500 4-H members from 54 of Arkansas’ 75 counties who participated in the event held every other year when the Arkansas Legislature is in session. The statewide gathering is also a chance for 4-H to showcase its impact on a large scale.

The Sevier County delegation included 4-H members John Moe, Chip Stamps, Evan Wolcott, Max Rosson, Wade Melton, Kambree Haarmeyer, Leighton Frachiseur, Caselyn Van Voast, Braylee Reynolds, Margaret Moe, and Raegan Frachiseur along with Rex Hering and Kim Frachiseur.

The 4-H member group attended a Tribute to Arkansas in the Capitol Rotunda where several of the state’s elected officials spoke to them, including Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge, State Treasurer John Thurston, Secretary of State Cole Jester, and Attorney General Tim Griffin, who called the 4-H gathering “the single largest group ever assembled in the Arkansas Capitol” that he could recall.

Later in the day, members of the House and Senate read resolutions proclaiming March 4 as 4-H Day.

A highlight of the day was visiting with DeAnn Vaught and learning about her role as our local Arkansas Representative. Vaught spoke about the importance of young adults taking part in the legislative process and how they could make a positive impact.

Civic engagement and leadership are part of Arkansas 4-H’s mission mandates; the others are Healthy Living and Science.

4-H Day at the Capitol is just one event that helps 4-H members understand how they can lead and encourages them to think about citizenship and civic responsibility — tenets of the 4-H program, along with leadership, healthy living and science and technology.

To learn more about 4-H, contact Kimberly Frachiseur at the Sevier County Extension office at 870-584-3013.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Sevier County 4-H’ers learning about DeAnn Vaught’s job and how they can have an impact.

Growth rates of broilers contribute to behavior differences, shed light on welfare impacts

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As poultry companies weigh cost and efficiency with higher animal welfare standards, research comparing conventional and slow-growing broiler breeds showed that the slow-growing chickens displayed behaviors more closely associated with positive welfare.

Broilers — chickens specifically bred for meat production — are typically raised for six to eight weeks, while slow-growing broilers need up to 12 weeks to reach maturity.

AN EYE FOR WELFARE — Rosie Whittle, a poultry science postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Animal Food Wellbeing and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Life, and Food Sciences, worked on a study examining conventional and slow-growing broilers by tracking their behaviors to see how they exhibit positive welfare. (Image courtesy of Rosie Whittle)

Though gaining popularity in some European markets, slow-growing broilers have not seen the same market expansion in the United States, as they take longer to reach market weight than conventional broilers.

“The economic impact to the broiler industry raises the question: 'Why would you want to use a broiler that is going to eat more food, grow slower, and cost more to produce?'” said Rosie Whittle, poultry science postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Whittle, alongside Shawna Weimer, assistant professor of poultry science and director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing, set out to explore this question facing industry leaders who are weighing the choice of conventional versus slow-growing broilers.

Weimer conducts research for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The Center for Food Animal Wellbeing is a unit of the Division of Agriculture.

Their work explored the impacts of genetic strain, stocking density, and, most importantly, the comparison of physiological versus chronological age between the two genetic strains on broiler behavior. Genetic strain, or the specific breed of chicken, defines whether broilers are conventional or slow growing. Stocking density represents the number of birds in a specific area.

Researchers reviewed video recordings of the birds at specified intervals to track behaviors, such as walking, standing, and preening, which are signs of positive animal welfare. Preening is when a bird uses its beak to clean its feathers.

Their study, “Effects of genetic strain, stocking density, and age on broiler behavior,” was published in Poultry Science, an official journal of the Poultry Science Association.

Results of the study revealed that a larger percentage of slow-growing broilers were observed standing, walking, and preening, while more conventional broilers sat in a lateral posture. The effects of stocking density were minimal, so the number of birds in an area did not have a significant impact on broiler behavior.

Detailing bird behavior

LOOKING FORWARD — Shawna Weimer, assistant professor of poultry science and director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing, served as corresponding author of the study and said she would like to see further research on a larger scale to examine what other factors could affect animal welfare. (University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture photo)

Weimer pointed out that “animal welfare is quite dynamic” and emphasized that further investigations of broiler behavior should be undertaken. Whittle also stressed that their research was focused on understanding the effects of growth rate on broiler behavior, not necessarily what is best for companies or consumers.

Whittle also noted that the study focused on two types of broilers, but “all genetics companies have a different recipe for chickens.” Therefore, in tracking behavior, it is important to be aware of the possibility that “one genetic strain of broiler behaves completely different to the other,” she said.

Whittle said further research is required because “it’s always important to expand so we’re not just generalizing based on two specific genotypes.”

Co-authors of the work included Darrin Karcher and Marisa Erasmus, both associate professors of animal sciences at Purdue University. Weimer serves as corresponding author, meaning she is responsible for communication and questions about the publication.

The project was supported by Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences and the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing. The animal care staff at Purdue University’s Poultry Unit, Olivia Walton, Heidi Rinehart, and Nathan Griffith also contributed to the work.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

Cotton, Banks: States should fight true child abuse, not punish parents for rejecting sex changes for minors

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) and Jim Banks (R-Indiana) today reintroduced legislation to stop state governments from discriminating against parents who oppose “gender transitions” for children. The Guaranteeing Unalienable and Anatomical Rights for Dependents (GUARD) Act would make a state government ineligible for Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) funds if that state discriminates against a parent or guardian in custody disputes for opposing medical treatment, clothing changes, or social changes related to a child’s subjective “gender identity.”

Child Abuse - Rawpixel Image

“If you don’t let your kid ‘transition’ to the opposite sex, certain state governments will help remove them from your custody. It sounds like dystopian science fiction, but it’s happening in the United States of America. Our bill would take funding away from states that abuse their power by taking away parents’ rights simply for opposing radical gender experiments,” said Senator Cotton.

"The government has no business punishing parents for protecting their kids from radical gender ideology. My bill ensures that states respecting parental rights aren’t strong-armed into embracing dangerous social experiments," said Senator Banks.

This legislation is supported by the American Principles Project, Family Policy Alliance, Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee, and Heritage Action.

Full text of the bill may be found here.

The GUARD Act would:

• Make any state government ineligible for Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) funds if they discriminate in child custody disputes, child services, or cases against a parent or guardian based on their opposition to medical, surgical, pharmacological, psychological treatment, or clothing and social changes related to affirming the subjective claims of so-called “gender identity” expressed by any minor, if such claimed identity is at odds with the minor’s biological sex.

• Create a private right of action for individuals to sue if they were subject to the prohibited discrimination. If a suit is successful, CAPTA funds granted to the state are required to be returned to the Treasury. 

Background:

• Left-leaning states such as California, Oregon, and Washington have been removing children from their non-affirming parents’ care for years. This violates the religious freedom, conscience, and medical rights of parents.

• In the case of Abby Martinez, her daughter was removed from her care. She ultimately committed suicide.

Boozman Honored for Support of Boys & Girls Club

Arkansas Senator, a Club Alumnus, Earns Champion for Youth Award and Celebrates Organization’s Impact

WASHINGTON—The Boys & Girls Club of America has recognized U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) as a recipient of its 2025 Champion of Youth Award for his work advocating legislation to combat childhood hunger and championing programs that provide meals to eligible American children at no cost to kids or their families.

Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Beth Presley presents Sen. John Boozman with the Boys & Girls Club of America 2025 Champion of Youth Award.

There are 5,400 Clubs across the nation, offering a second home to over 400,000 American children each day. Boozman, a product of the Jeffrey’s Boys Club in Fort Smith, reflected on its lasting impact through community involvement, nurturing good habits and friendships, and the opportunity to be connected to mentors.  

“As a former participant myself, I know firsthand how the organization can positively change lives by providing a safe, supportive and fun environment for kids and teens to grow and reach their full potential,” said Boozman. “The Boys & Girls Club also plays an important role in providing access to nutritious meals for children during the summer months, an initiative I have championed, and we are grateful for its partnership to address food insecurity. Being recognized for supporting its mission is truly a full-circle moment and an honor I deeply appreciate.”

Beth Presley, Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs CEO, alongside other Arkansan participants and leaders representing clubs in Fort Smith, Van Buren, El Dorado and statewide leadership, presented the award to Boozman at the organization’s 11th annual National Days of Advocacy event on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Boozman with Arkansas Boys & Girls Club leaders upon receiving the 2025 Champion of Youth Award.

“It was an incredible honor to present Senator John Boozman with the Boys & Girls Club Champion of Youth Award. As a distinguished alumnus of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Club, Senator Boozman has never forgotten the impact of the Club on his own life, and he continues to be a tireless advocate for young people across Arkansas and the nation. His dedication to ensuring that all children have access to the opportunities, resources, and mentorship they need to succeed is truly inspiring. We are grateful for his unwavering support and proud to recognize him for his lifelong commitment to empowering the next generation,” said Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Beth Presley.

“As an alumnus of the Fort Smith Boys & Girls Clubs Club, Senator Boozman is a testament to the impact of Boys & Girls Clubs. Since entering public office, Senator Boozman has remained a strong supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs in Arkansas and the youth they serve. We are especially grateful for his work to prevent childhood hunger which has enabled Clubs in Arkansas and around the country to provide more meals and snacks to youth at no charge to their families. It is an honor to provide Senator Boozman with our 2025 Champion of Youth Award,” said Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Boys & Girls Clubs of America Missy Dugan.

As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry and co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus, Boozman has long advocated for increasing access to school and summer feeding programs. In recent years, Boozman successfully led passage of legislation modernizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) summer meals program and permanently allowing states flexibilities to reach more food-insecure children when school is out.

Lake Millwood tops the chart in 2024 bass tournament report

BY Randy Zellers

SARATOGA — Between a recent February flurry of big bass and a steady showing in Arkansas bass fishing tournament trails, it came as no surprise to the Arkansas Black Bass Program team when Millwood Lake proved to be the best Natural State fishing tournament destination of 2024.

Alton Burton (left) and Taylor Murphy (right) holding four of the fish that made their 33.44-pound five-fish limit during a Brad’s Custom Rods and Tackle Tournament Trail event last July. Photo courtesy Brad Thomas.

The southwest Arkansas fishery was ranked number one through an assessment of fishing quality indicators in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s recently released Arkansas Tournament Information Program annual report.

“We compile information like number of fish caught by angler, total weights, winning weights and number of fish weighed that exceed 5 pounds,” Eric Naas, AGFC Black Bass Program biologist, said. “From that information, we can monitor a lot of trends throughout the tournament community and how it can help us manage the fisheries that we get data on.”

Naas says the overall results are similar to last year, but they continue to show small increases in some categories anglers always pay attention to.

Arkansas angler Jaret Rushing fishing with his youth team during a recent event on Millwood Lake. Photo courtesy Jaret Rushing.

“Across all bass tournaments we could gather records for throughout the state, average first-place weights went up slightly, as well as the average number of bass caught per angler per tournament day,” Naas said. “In 307 tournament reports, the average angler weighed 2.12 bass per day compared to 1.87 in 2023. Anglers also weighed an average of 4.31 pounds of fish per day in 2024 compared to 3.75 pounds per angler per day in 2023. That may not seem like much, but considering it’s stretched over 300 tournaments, it’s a nice increase.”

Naas stresses that figures pulled from the report can be affected by the low frequency of reports for certain lakes.

“Some lakes may only have six or seven tournament reports while others have dozens, and one bad tournament day can throw off the final results a lot if there aren’t many cards to balance things,” Naas said. “That’s why we only rank lakes with at least five tournament reports, but even then, we’d like to get more reports.”

Roughly 73 percent of the tournament results actually were tracked down by Naas, who spent many hours scanning the social media accounts and websites of tournament organizations and fishing groups.

“We can get a lot of the data we need from those posts you see of tournament results, but if organizers would add a few more details, like the number of fish caught over 5 pounds and the number of fish per angler, we could make use of a lot more reports,” Naas said. “Of course, filling out the online form at www.agfc.com/atip takes only a couple of minutes and they can do that right at the boat ramp, too.”

Millwood has been a mainstay near the top of the rankings since the ATIP report was created, but this is the first time since 2016 that it took top honors.

Anglers wait patiently for an early February Anvil Jaw Bass Club tournament at Lake Hamilton. AGFC photo by Randy Zellers.

“There are a lot of factors that go into Millwood’s high production for anglers,” Naas said. “For one, it has a vast amount of fishable water compared to the deep highland reservoirs in the state. Being a lowland reservoir, it’s also very fertile with a lot of nutrients in the lakebed and water. Combine that with south Arkansas’s long growing season, and you have a good combination of factors to grow a lot of fish and let them grow large. That and the (AGFC’s) Florida Bass Program.”

According to database records, Millwood bass have seen ample influence from Florida bass through the AGFC’s hatchery system. Since 1984, more than 7.84 million Florida largemouth bass have been stocked in Millwood to increase growth potential in the population.

“Millwood has one of the best contributions of Florida bass in the state,” Naas said. “Especially considering the size of the reservoir.”

Jeremy Risley, AGFC Black Bass Program coordinator, says Millwood is a perfect example of how the AGFC has used Florida bass in its stockings to increase overall growth in the lake.

“When we stock a Florida bass, we’re not just stocking those fish to grow big and be caught,” Risley said. “The idea is to get their genetics into the system and keep them high. We’ll actually have fairly few ‘pure’ Florida bass in the system, but the more genetics of Florida bass a largemouth has, the better its chances of having good growth when conditions are favorable.”

Among Millwood’s impressive stats last year was the largest five-fish limit weighed, a 33.44-pound sack caught during a Brad’s Custom Rod and Tackle Tournament Trail event. Unlike many prespawn tournaments with hefty weights, this 30-pound-plus sack was weighed in July, when many fish typically are entering their lowest weight period of the year.

“Last year was a good year for top weights, with 23 total derbies having winning weights over the 20-pound mark,” Naas said. “Only 15 tournament result cards with 20-pound-plus bags were turned in during 2023, by comparison.”

The effects of high water in the White River chain of lakes are also fairly obvious when you compare the last five years of reports. Beaver Lake, which has seen a pattern of higher water during spring for the last few years has climbed from a ranking of 15 in 2020 to the third-place spot in 2024, falling just short of Nimrod Lake (the top lake in the report during the last three years). Freshly flooded habitat has created a burst of productivity not only for the bass, but also for the forage in the lake, creating ideal growing conditions. During the same time frame, nearby Bull Shoals Lake dropped from the number one spot in 2020 to a ranking of 12 last year.

Millwood Lake receives a healthy portion of Florida bass from AGFC hatcheries. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

“Bull Shoals is starting to see the same effect Norfork had with too many high-water years in a row,” Risley said. “It’s created too many mouths to feed and overall growth has slowed as a result.”

You can’t talk about bass tournament fishing without at least touching on forward-facing sonar. Risley and Naas both acknowledge the shift in fishing styles on many bodies of water, but the latest evidence indicates the overall impact of LiveScope on tournament weights may not be as drastic as once feared.

“We did track one tournament series last winter that had three tournaments allowing live sonar and three that the technology was banned,” Naas said. “The weights increased, but only slightly. Winning weights were an average of 3 pounds heavier and the average weight per bass caught was 0.5 pounds heavier, but the number of fish caught and number of 5-pound-or-larger fish was consistent between the tournaments. It’s a very small sample size, but that’s what we have to go on. The more data our tournament anglers and directors give us, the more we will be able to monitor any effects of the technology on bass tournament weights.”

Risley agrees and says he does see a slight increase in weights now compared to tournaments before forward-facing sonar became popular, but a lot of factors can go into tournament results.

“Timing, location, weather and local conditions have so much impact on tournament weights that it’s nearly impossible to make a blanket statement without a lot of data points to compare,” Risley said.

Visit www.agfc.com/atip to see the complete report and reports from the last decade. Tournament directors can also find an online reporting form to enter their tournament information on this page to help generate future reports.

Lawsuit continues between Supreme Court chief justice, court employee

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A lawsuit between Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Karen Baker and court employees is set to go forward.

The suit is about Baker's alleged unprofessional conduct. Baker is said to have harassed and retaliated against employees of the Administrative Office of the Courts, a group of non-political staffers who help with day-to-day court business.

Last year, the AOC conducted a human resources investigation into her behavior. In January, Baker attempted to fire ten court employees. This was stopped by the high court in a case she is now attempting to throw out.

Lawsuit continues between Supreme Court chief justice, court employee

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas Supreme Court building in Little Rock.