Video courtesy of the official YouTube channel of the Office of Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed a pair of identical bills Monday (April 12) that will raise the state’s median teacher salaries by $2,000 and create a fund to help lower-paying districts reach that amount.
Senate Bill 504 by Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, and House Bill 1614 by Rep. Bruce Cozart, R-Hot Springs, the chairs of the Senate and House Education Committees, respectively, will raise the target median teacher salary to $51,822 for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. The House and Senate Committees afterwards would jointly set the statewide target median salary.
Nonprofit coalition pushes back against attacks on citizen-led ballot initiatives
April 9, 20214:45 pm Some Arkansans are pushing back on attacks to citizens rights to engage in the legislative process. Brian Chilson
A coalition of citizens’ groups is getting loud about two Republican-sponsored measures that will make it much harder for grassroots campaigns to get citizen-led initiatives on the ballot.
Sen. Breanne Davis (R-Russellville) and
Rep. Michelle Gray (R-Melbourne) would outlaw paying canvassers based on how many signatures they gather. The measure already passed out of the Senate on its way to the House.
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Rep. David Ray (R-Maumelle) and
Sen. Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs), would move the goalposts substantially on what it takes to get a citizens’ ballot initiative passed. HJR 1005 would require a 60% favorable vote, rather than the simple majority currently required.
Credit Pixabay / WIkimedia Commons
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would dissolve the State Medical Board at the end of this year and let House and Senate leaders each appoint one-third of its members.
Senate Bill 570 by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, would end the terms of each of the members of the Arkansas State Medical Board by Dec. 31. They would be replaced or reappointed by that date.
The governor, Senate president pro tempore, and speaker of the House each would appoint five members. The governor currently appoints all the members of the panel that oversees the state’s medical community and licensing.
AR Bill Could Nix Discretionary Exemptions for SNAP publicnewsservice.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from publicnewsservice.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Credit Arkansas House
A bill that would eliminate some exemptions of a work requirement in order to receive supplemental nutrition assistance has advanced to the House, after a committee approved it Thursday.
The House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee by a voice vote advanced House Bill 1512 which removes no-good-cause exemptions to a work requirement for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, also called food stamps.
According to the Arkansas Department of Human Services, those between the ages of 18 to 49 and who have no dependents, or other qualifying exemptions, can be subject to the Abled Body and Without Dependants (ABAWD) work requirement in order to receive their SNAP benefits.