Opinion

In the second week of the 2021 Regular Session, the House voted on bills addressing everything from car tags to jury duty pay. The bills now advancing to the Senate include: HB1028-This bill changes the length of time a consumer has to tag their vehicle. Current law gives car buyers 30 days to pay the sales tax and register a vehicle after purchase. HB 1028 would extend it to 60 days...

The Senate passed legislation known as the “Stand Your Ground” bill, which would allow someone to use deadly force to defend themselves against an aggressor. If enacted, the bill would remove a provision in current law that says people may not use deadly force if they are able to retreat safely...

As of January 20 at noon, the executive branch of the United States government is now headed by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. As with any new administration, we congratulate and pray for them as they embark on this journey of leadership during a very difficult time for our country...

The 2021 Regular Session begins in less than two months. We want to take this week to update you on the ongoing budget hearings in preparation for the session. Pre-session budget hearings have been extended. They began last month and will continue from now to November 19. ...

The governor presented a balanced budget proposal to the legislature for next fiscal year. It would authorize about $5.8 billion next year in spending from the state’s general revenue fund, about three percent more than this year. The legislature has been working on balancing the budgets of state agencies since mid-October. The final spending plan for Arkansas state government will be set when the legislature adjourns the 2021 regular session. It begins in January...

Arkansas is blessed with a wonderful landscape and incredible wildlife that people from all across the country come to our state to enjoy. Preserving and protecting our environment is vital to enabling future generations of Americans to participate in popular outdoor activities. This Congress, we’ve taken significant action to improve federal conservation programs, most recently with the enactment of America’s Conservation Enhancement (ACE) Act...

The state is helping people who have trouble paying their rent because of the coronavirus pandemic. People affected by the pandemic are eligible for help if their household income is less than 80 percent of the median income in their area. They can qualify for two-and-a-half months of rent under the newly created Fresh Start program...

On Veterans Day, we pause to honor the selfless sacrifice of the men and women who wore our nation’s uniform and renew our obligation to care for these brave individuals. They’ve given their best to our nation and deserve our best in return. An important part of this mission is providing timely and quality healthcare. It is exciting to see improvements for these services in Arkansas and it is something I continue to focus on in the U.S. Senate...

When we talk about ways to foster long-term economic growth, ensuring that Arkansans are prepared for well-paying jobs must be among our top concerns. Career and technical schools offer specialized training that prepares students for careers in skilled trades, applied sciences and more. We are blessed to have a number of exceptional programs in Arkansas that put students on the path to future success...

At the beginning of this year, there were more than 2,000 licensed child care programs in Arkansas. They had slots for 194,000 children. By mid-April, about half the facilities had closed. Although most have been able to re-open, as of early October at least 20 had closed permanently. They had slots for more than 1,140 children...

A vote for roads is a vote for community It’s no secret that good roads are vital to community growth. As the Executive Director of the Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal, I see first-hand how important infrastructure is to industry recruitment, jobs and overall economic health of rural areas...

The legislature has begun budget hearings, in preparation for the regular session that begins in January. Setting spending levels for state agencies is the most time-consuming duty for legislators. It also is one of the most important duties of the legislature, even though it rarely generates a lot of publicity...