Bob Ballinger

Senate Bill 3, commonly known as the “hate crimes bill,” boils down to a crucial chance to burnish Arkansas’ image and remove a hurdle to recruiting companies and workers, government officials and business leaders say. read more >

An Arkansas House panel on Tuesday rejected legislation that would have eased the state's restrictions on the use of deadly force in self-defense. read more >

The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday passed legislation easing restrictions on the use of deadly force in self-defense, sending the measure to the House. read more >

Entegrity of Little Rock announces a deal to install a solar power generation system for Eureka Springs that is expected to save the city $750,000 in electricity costs over the next 25 years. read more >

As the minimum wage for Arkansas is raised, the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Arkansas Hospitality Association fear increasing costs. read more >

The Trump administration's efforts to push the poor toward self-sufficiency were dealt a blow Wednesday, when a federal judge ruled that Medicaid work requirements undermined the program's mission of providing health care for the needy. read more >

An Arkansas state senator who angrily repudiated her senate judiciary colleagues when the committee voted to limit public debate on a gun rights bill has said she stands by her words and won't apologize for her passion. read more >

After a heated and contentious debate, Arkansas' Senate Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday against a bill which would have loosened regulations for the use of deadly force in self-defense. read more >

Two Republican lawmakers in Arkansas are proposing exempting school employees, people under 18 and others from voter-backed increases in the state's minimum wage. read more >

So-called tort reform has been an easy sell in states controlled by Republicans, and backers of a lawsuit-limiting proposal on the ballot in Arkansas this fall expected little trouble winning passage until they ran into a surprising obstacle from a reliable conservative ally. read more >

Arkansas lawmakers said Tuesday they're concerned about the impact of a recent court ruling that they can't scale back the state's immunity from lawsuits, and said they may need to put the issue before voters. read more >

Amazon would be required to tell Arkansas customers they owe the state sales tax under a bill approved by the House Tuesday, one of two efforts by lawmakers to recover millions in tax revenue from the e-commerce giant. read more >

The Arkansas House approved a plan Tuesdayto reinstate a voter ID law that was struck down more than two years ago, with Republicans counting on a new state Supreme Court makeup to uphold the measure this time. read more >

The Arkansas House voted Tuesday to delay the launch of the state's voter-approved medical marijuana program and ease a restriction on doctors who certify a patient is eligible to use the drug. read more >

A new rule allowing counselors to refer clients elsewhere if they have a religious or moral objection to treating them is a sign that the debate over a law that was upended in the final days of last year's legislative session is far from over. read more >

With three of its top political figures tapped for primetime speeches, Arkansas Republicans heading to the GOP's national convention will have a much higher profile than it did when it was a Democratic stronghold. read more >

After eight years of forcing state Democrats to keep their party's standard bearer at arm's length, top Arkansas Republicans are now grappling with a presumptive nominee who wasn't their first, second or even last choice. read more >

Opponents of Arkansas' hybrid Medicaid expansion have filed a proposal to cap enrollment in the program and terminate the expanded coverage by year's end. read more >

Arkansas House leaders say a host of state programs including public schools, prisons and colleges would face cuts if lawmakers don't fund the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion. read more >

Arkansans have had the legal right to know more about what all levels of our government are saying and doing for longer than most other Americans, but legislators do keep chipping away at the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act — and refusing to adopt technology that could improve its service to taxpayers. read more >