Latest Arkansas state government News
Arkansas governor, attorney general urge corrections board to approve 500 new prison beds
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Attorney General Tim Griffin urged the state Board of Corrections Friday to approve 500 temporary prison beds, sharply criticizing the panel for not moving forward with an effort to alleviate overcrowding. Sanders...
House Speaker Mike Johnson was once the dean of a Christian law school. It never opened its doors
WASHINGTON (AP) — Before House Speaker Mike Johnson was elected to public office, he was the dean of a small Baptist law school that didn't exist. The establishment of the Judge Paul Pressler School of Law was supposed to be a capstone achievement for Louisiana College, which...
Arkansas Supreme Court upholds procedural vote on governor's education overhaul
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the procedural vote that allowed Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' education overhaul to take effect immediately, rejecting a judge's ruling that threw into question the way state laws have been fast-tracked into enforcement over...
Arkansas AG sets ballot language for proposal to drop sales tax on diapers, menstrual products
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Menstrual hygiene products and diapers are a step closer to being exempt from sales taxes in Arkansas after the state attorney general's office approved a second attempt to get the issue on next year's ballot. Just over two weeks after rejecting the initial...
Stricter state laws are chipping away at sex education in K-12 schools
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A dozen state or county agencies have parted ways with tens of thousands of dollars in federal grants meant to help monitor teenagers' sexual behaviors and try to lower rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The withdrawals reflect a...
Former Arkansas state Rep. Jay Martin announces bid for Supreme Court chief justice
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — A former Arkansas legislator who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic gubernatorial nomination last year is running for chief justice of the state Supreme Court. Jay Martin on announced Wednesday that he's running to replace outgoing Chief Justice Dan Kemp...
Arkansas Board of Education returns Pine Bluff School District to local control
PINE BLUFF, Ark. (AP) — The Pine Bluff School District has been returned to local control five years after the state took the district over and declared it in fiscal distress. The Arkansas Board of Education on Friday unanimously voted to return the district to local control after...
Today in History: September 12, Voyager 1 becomes first man-made object to leave the solar system
Today in History Today is Tuesday, Sept. 12, the 255th day of 2023. There are 110 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Sept. 12, 2013, Voyager 1, launched 36 years earlier, became the first man-made spacecraft ever to leave the...
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders proposes carve-out of Arkansas public records law during tax cut session
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Friday proposed shielding a broad range of records about her administration, travel and security from public release as she called for a special legislative session next week focusing on additional tax cuts. The...
