SESSION SNAPSHOT: Direct democracy takes center stage at Arkansas Capitol
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, speaks in opposition to bills that would regulate Arkansas' petition-gathering process on Feb. 12, 2025. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate)
Arkansans' ability to participate in the democratic process came into focus during the fifth week of the 2025 legislative session. Some members of the public took part in a rally Monday that advocated for policies supporting healthy kids and families. Others showed up to committee meetings to speak in support of or in opposition to proposed legislation.
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee, for example, heard testimony both for and against a bill that would have repealed state law requiring fluoride in drinking water. The proposal failed after a tie vote from committee members.
Members of the public also continued to share their thoughts on a bill that would require public schools to show students a fetal development video produced by an anti-abortion group that has been criticized for being agenda-driven and medically inaccurate.
House Bill 1180 stalled in the Senate Education Committee Monday after a handful of senators expressed their own concerns about the bill. Sponsor Rep. Mary Bentley, R-Perryville, expressed a willingness to amend the bill, which could be brought back up for consideration in the future.
Sen. Ken Hammer, R-Benton, this week proposed six bills to regulate the ballot initiative process in Arkansas. Five advanced out of committee to the full Senate, which also approved all five bills Wednesday.
However, only three of Hammer's bills garnered enough votes for an emergency clause, which would allow them to go into effect immediately upon the governor's signature. Hammer tried again on Thursday to get enough votes to approve the emergency clause on the final two bills, but the Senate votes fell short once more.
While Hammer maintains the goal of his legislation is to improve the integrity of the petition-gathering process, opponents have argued it would make the process more restrictive and discourage Arkansans from participating.
Arkansas' elections are overseen by the secretary of state. Hammer is running for the position in the 2026 general election.
People packed into a room at the Capitol Tuesday to make their voices heard on a bill that would require Disability Rights Arkansas, a federally empowered disability advocacy group that doesn't receive state funds, to submit reports to the Legislature.
Lead sponsor Rep. Jack Ladyman, R-Jonesboro, called for more oversight of the independent nonprofit because 'they provide services to our most vulnerable citizens.' DRA Executive Director Tom Masseau noted that 'no other private, nonprofit organization' is specifically named in statute, and said lawmakers were going down a 'slippery slope.'
Public testimony was limited to two speakers — one for and one against — because a lawmaker called for immediate consideration following their testimony. House Bill 1382 passed, with some dissent from committee members.
The legislation barely advanced out of the Arkansas House Thursday with only 53 members voting in favor. Eighteen representatives voted against the bill, 11 didn't vote and 18 voted not present.
The bill will next be heard by a Senate committee.
A legislative panel on Thursday advanced a bill that would abolish the state boards that oversee public libraries and Arkansas PBS and transfer those powers to the Arkansas Department of Education. Both are under the umbrella of the department, but act independently.
Senate Bill 184 is sponsored by Jonesboro Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, a long-time critic of public libraries and Arkansas PBS. Sullivan said the boards 'rarely' make consequential decisions and the move would 'better align' with the goals of the legislative and executive branches.
Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, said he believed the Arkansas State Library and Arkansas PBS should continue to have oversight independent of the education department. Tucker was the only committee member to vote against the bill, which will next be heard by the full Senate.
Lawmakers filed more than 100 new bills this week, including:
Senate Bill 217 by Sen. Clint Penzo, R-Springdale, would require the Department of Human Services to request a waiver to exclude candy and soft drinks from eligible foods under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The governor called for these reforms in a December letter to federal officials.
Senate Bill 223 by Sen. Mark Johnson, R-Little Rock, would create the Religious Rights at Public Schools Act. The bill would require public schools at the beginning of the year to distribute a copy of the act, which declares that students have 'broad religious freedom' to participate in activities like prayer and promoting religious activities at school.
House Bill 1443 by Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, would create the Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act, which would prohibit government entities from keeping a list of privately owned firearms or owners of privately owned firearms.
House Bill 1841 by Rep. Wayne Long, R-Bradford, would create the Anti-ATF Commandeering Act, which would prohibit the state from providing material aid and support for enforcing federal firearms laws. Issues between state lawmakers and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arose following the shooting death of Little Rock's airport director last year.
Among the bills filed this week were proposed constitutional amendments. The Legislature can refer up to three such proposals to voters each session. Lawmakers filed 20 proposals in the House and 24 in the Senate by Wednesday's deadline.
Although Monday is a state holiday — George Washington's Birthday and Daisy Gatson Bates Day — lawmakers will continue their session work with meetings beginning at 10 a.m. Updated schedules and agendas are available on the Legislature's website.
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