Sanders Signs Arkansas Trans Care Malpractice Bill Into Law
Legal experts have said the change could close access to gender-affirming care for children by making it nearly impossible for providers to get malpractice insurance. read more >
Legal experts have said the change could close access to gender-affirming care for children by making it nearly impossible for providers to get malpractice insurance. read more >
The proposal, which has been endorsed by a Senate committee, would allow someone who received gender-affirming care as a minor to file a malpractice lawsuit against their doctor. read more >
Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces additional appointments to the Arkansas Levee Task Force he created by executive order last month. read more >
A proposal to prohibit Arkansas cities from refusing to cooperate with federal immigration authorities failed before a House committee on Monday after the state's Republican governor said he wanted the legislation changed to ensure it wouldn't open the door to racial profiling. read more >
Government secrecy was a big winner in Arkansas during 2017. But open records advocates say the 50th anniversary for Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act could have been worse. read more >
Lawmakers across the country — including in Arkansas — introduced and debated dozens of bills during this year's legislative sessions that would close or limit public access to a wide range of government records and meetings. read more >
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has signed into law a bill allowing companies to sue anyone who shares secretly made videotape aimed at harming a business owner. read more >
The Arkansas Senate has approved a bill that would let companies sue anyone, including employees, if they share a secretly made videotape aimed at harming a business owner. The bill was set up to target agricultural practices but opponents say it goes too far and could threaten nearly all whistleblowers. read more >
It was Arkansas Advanced Energy Day at the state Capitol, and Sen. Garry Stubblefield was speaking to the state’s top energy efficiency and renewable power companies, but he had to hold to his priorities. read more >
In the 50 years since Republican Gov. Winthrop Rockefeller's signature enacted one of the nation's strongest laws ensuring government openness, legislators have carved out fewer than two dozen exemptions to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act. read more >
Disputes over recent state contracts have put Republican lawmakers at odds with the Republican governor, angered potential vendors and muddied understanding on what businesses can expect from the process of awarding state work. read more >
An Arkansas Senate committee advanced bills to change the medical marijuana law approved by voters in November by banning smoking medical marijuana and the selling of food or drinks containing the drug. read more >
A proposal in the Arkansas Legislature to allow grocery stores to sell more wines failed in the House on Monday, but is expected to be brought up again this session. read more >
The plan has spurred warnings from Hutchinson, as well as tourism and business groups, that such a measure isn't needed and could subject the state to the widespread backlash and boycotts North Carolina faced over its bathroom law. read more >
Arkansas lawmakers said Tuesday they're working on a "bathroom bill" targeting transgender people, despite warnings from the Republican governor that such a measure isn't needed and could harm the state. read more >
A legislative subcommittee gave a thumbs-up to a five-year, $34.5 million advertising contract to CJRW to market the Arkansas Scholarship lottery. But first, lawmakers got a primer on the limitations they face in reviewing contracts. read more >
After grilling Lottery Director Bishop Woosley and State Procurement Director Edward Armstrong for nearly an hour over the process that awarded a $34.5 million, five-year lottery advertising contract to CJRW, a legislative subcommittee votes not to approve the contract. Later, the full committee kicks the matter back to the subcommittee. read more >
The road to the White House this year runs through Arkansas, with four presidential hopefuls booking flight plans through the state as its primary approaches. State election officials are touting the visits as a sign lawmakers made the right choice in moving up the state's primary to March. read more >
Specialized agriculture education in Arkansas will soon not be solely the purview of higher education. A measure approved in this year’s legislative session will create a pilot program for “agriculture schools” in the state. read more >
Legislation to move Arkansas' primaries from May to March failed Tuesday to make it out of a Senate committee, while a House committee narrowly advanced an identical bill. read more >
