Arkansas Library Board has final meeting before law disbanding it goes into effect
Gathered for the last time, the board met to discuss funding and recommendations to leave for the new board to take up.
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Act 903, passed during the recent legislative session, removes all seven current board members and allows the governor to replace them. Legislators in support of the bill testified during the session that the current board is not run correctly, citing concerns about young people's access to certain library materials.
Rep. Howard Beaty (R-Crossett) is a sponsor of the bill that became law.
'This board is not functioning in a manner that we find acceptable,' Beaty said in introducing the legislation.
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Misty Hawkins is the regional director of the Arkansas River Valley Regional Library system. During the meeting, she thanked the board and said the library shouldn't be partisan.
'We do not want to be affiliated with either party, but we need to work with both,' Hawkins said.
If Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders acts in accordance with the new law, which will go into effect Aug. 3, the next library board meeting will have new members.
Hawkins said she hopes the new board will reach across party lines. Although it's bittersweet to have this board leave, she's optimistic.
'I do think that bi-partisan, nonpartisan, that is something we need to focus on, we have business to do, let's do it,' Hawkins said.
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The board's next meeting will be Aug. 8.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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