Latest news with #HouseBill1961
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas Legislature concludes 2025 legislative session; conflict over planned prison continues
The Arkansas Capitol on Nov. 14, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) The Arkansas House and Senate adjourned sine die Monday morning, marking the end of the nearly four-month 2025 legislative session. Sine die — a Latin phrase for 'without day' — means the Legislature isn't scheduled to convene again this year unless Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders calls for a special session. The next scheduled session will be the 2026 fiscal session early next year. The Legislature ended the business portion of the session on April 16 after considering more than 1,600 bills. Sanders signed 1,026 bills into law and vetoed four others. Lawmakers can override the governor's vetoes with a simple majority vote in both chambers before sine die adjournment. Both chambers convened briefly Monday but did not vote to override Sanders' vetoes; leaders in both chambers said there was not enough support for this option. Arkansas governor vetoes two more bills from 2025 legislative session House Speaker Brian Evans, R-Cabot, said after adjournment that he spoke with the sponsors of two of vetoed bills, Rep. Aaron Pilkington, R-Knoxville, and Rep. Brandon Achor, R-Maumelle. He said neither indicated they wished to attempt a veto override. Evans said Achor had been in communication with the constituents involved with House Bill 1961, which would have allowed medical providers to temporarily withhold medical records if they had a reasonable belief patients would misinterpret the records in a way that could endanger their health, safety or mental state. Evans said Achor and his constituents were already working on an interim plan and 'believe there will be a good collaborative agreement on that.' HB 1961 passed the House with 75 votes and the Senate with 18 votes, the minimum needed to advance out of the upper chamber. Meanwhile, Evans said Pilkington did not feel he had the votes for an override for his bill that would have allowed delivery of marijuana and drive-thru window pickup. House Bill 1889 narrowly passed the House and Senate with 51 votes and 19 votes, respectively. Prior to adjournment, Evans told his colleagues that legislation passed this year 'will shape our state for years to come.' He reiterated both on the House floor and after adjournment that members of his chamber should take pride in the work they did during the session. 'We worked late into the night, we debated, we disagreed, we discussed; the most important thing, we collaborated,' he said. 'We thoroughly vetted legislation, we brought diverse perspectives to the table and we made good bills through that debate even better.' Similarly, Senate President and Lt. Gov. Leslie Rutledge told senators they should 'leave here today proud' of their work during the session and that they 'zealously and respectfully advocated' for their constituents. The House conducted no business in addition to the adjournment, while the Senate confirmed a batch of five gubernatorial appointments to state boards and commissions in a voice vote after no debate. Sen. Matt Stone, R-Camden, was the only audible dissenting vote. The appointments included Sanders' deputy chief of staff, Judd Deere, to the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. Deere was appointed in March and will retain his position in the governor's office. Deere is replacing Sheffield Nelson and his term on the board expires March 1, 2035. Additionally, Larry Walther, former state Treasurer and Secretary of Finance and Administration, was confirmed to the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System's board of trustees. Walther is replacing Candace Franks and his term expires March 9, 2031. Finance and Administration officials announced last week that the state's income tax revenue in April dropped 15.5% compared to a year earlier. Sanders also extended Arkansas' tax filing deadline in light of recent severe weather across the state. The state has reduced individual and corporate income tax rates four times in the past three years, most recently in June 2024. Three of those instances have been since Sanders took office in 2023, and she supports phasing out the income tax entirely. Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, said Monday that he hopes the Legislature will cut taxes again in a special session later this year. The fiscal year ends June 30, and state officials should take the year's revenue into account before convening for a special session, he said. Hester also said he anticipates no other reasons for a special session, including the ongoing controversy over Sanders' plans to build a 3,000-bed prison on 815 acres of land the state purchased in Franklin County. A $750 million appropriation bill to support the prison's construction died after five failed votes in the Senate in April. State officials, including Republican Sen. Bryan King of Green Forest, and Franklin County residents have fought against the project, citing concerns about transparency, infrastructure and staffing. Arkansas lawmakers consider other funding methods as they abandon sixth prison appropriation vote The appropriation would have covered the remainder of the projected $825 million cost of the project. An additional $75 million appropriated in 2022 for prison expansion has already been allocated to the Arkansas Department of Corrections, which can use the funding to move the project forward. The Legislature also set aside another $330 million for the project in 2023 that hasn't been appropriated yet. Hester said the state has 'a clear path forward' and 'plenty of money' to complete the prison project. The state has already hired a construction management company, Vanir Construction Management Inc., and started seeking proposals from architectural firms and contractors. 'Once we have the architecture and engineering done, hopefully we can get a hard bid, and I think that will bring a comfort level to a lot of members and ultimately get us the vote we're needing' for the Senate to approve the rest of the funding for the project, Hester said. King, who represents part of Franklin County, sent Sanders' office a letter Monday asking for the 2022 appropriation funds to be used for their original purpose, which would add 525 beds to the state prison in Calico Rock. Sanders has pushed for the new penitentiary to alleviate overcrowding in county jails, but King said Monday morning in a news conference that the Calico Rock expansion would be 'much faster and much more economical.' He criticized the possibility of building water and sewer lines between the prison and the city of Fort Smith, saying it would be a waste of money. Arkansas prison board approves contractor search for Franklin County prison Evans told the Advocate there were existing issues with Calico Rock's infrastructure that impacted its expansion previously, adding that he was 'not aware' of any new developments on that front. 'I feel like if that had been a reasonable option early on in the Sanders administration' then it already would have been acted upon, he said. King's letter also calls for the expansion of 'smaller regional facilities' in Benton, Sebastian and Washington counties, which are among the state's most populous, since they already have 'basic infrastructure in place' to house more inmates. About 20 opponents of the prison joined King at the news conference at the state Capitol, including members of the Chickamauga Nation, an Indigenous tribe with a presence in Franklin County. King letter to Sanders 'If you're going to put a megaprison in a community, it's certainly going to change their DNA … The fact that the governor went ahead and just tried to railroad the people without doing a basic needs infrastructure [assessment] is wrong,' King said. Chickamauga burial sites and a 'ceremonial stone structure' surround the property designated for the prison, and building the prison would have a negative impact on those sites, said Justin Flanagan, a chief with the tribe. 'We're here today providing pamphlets with this information to the House and the Senate so that all deniability is removed,' Flanagan told the Advocate. '…With all the evidence we're providing, there should be no reason not to do a three-phase archaeological study and cultural environmental impact study [of the land].' King said he is willing to meet with Sanders and discuss ways to reduce prison overcrowding, and he added that addressing the issue 'probably doesn't need to wait' until next year's fiscal session. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arkansas governor vetoes two more bills from 2025 legislative session
Sarah Huckabee Sanders addresses the crowd outside the State Capitol on Jan. 10, 2023, after she was sworn in as Arkansas' 47th governor. (Karen E. Segrave/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders vetoed two bills from the 2025 legislative session on Tuesday and returned them to their respective chambers. Both bills had emergency clauses, meaning they would have gone into effect immediately upon Sanders' signature. House Bill 1961 would have created limited reasons for medical providers to 'temporarily withhold a patient's medical records from being released directly to the patient or any individual authorized by the patient' for up to 30 days. Those reasons would have included the need to review a patient's medical information or discuss it with the patient, or if the provider 'reasonably believes that immediate disclosure of the medical records may lead to the patient's misinterpreting the information in a manner that could adversely affect the patient's health or safety.' 'Individuals have a right to access personal medical information, including medical imaging, test results, and other health records, in a timely fashion,' Sanders wrote in a letter explaining her decision not to sign HB 1961. 'Because this bill may, in some cases, unduly delay the release of such information to patients who are entitled to it, I am vetoing this legislation.' Senate Bill 451 would have required the state Education and Human Services departments to collaboratively establish 'regional behavioral health programs' to help public and charter schools determine how best to help students who display behavior 'substantially likely to cause injury to the student, other students, or staff.' It also would have required both state agencies to formulate behavioral health management plans for these students and help them transition back into school after the behavioral issue has been addressed. Sanders wrote in her veto letter that she understands the need for 'sufficient interventions' and has directed the Education and Human Services departments to 'come up with a solution that is more tailored to the needs of our local public schools' than SB 451. 'School administrators, teachers, and principals are increasingly managing student behavioral issues, including aggression and violence,' Sanders wrote. 'These issues cause disruptions in the academic environment, distracting from schools' core function: a safe environment where all students can learn.' Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, was SB 451's primary sponsor and said he appreciated Sanders' 'assurances that she understands the seriousness and the need for an immediate solution.' 'I'm less concerned with how it's done, just that it is done,' Hester said. SB 451 passed the Senate with a bipartisan majority of 30 votes, but it passed the House by the slimmest margin of 51 votes. Emergency clauses require two-thirds of lawmakers' support to pass, and the House voted three times before SB 451's emergency clause passed with 77 votes, 10 more than the minimum. Similarly, HB 1961 passed the House with 75 votes but scraped the minimum of 18 votes in the Senate. The emergency clause subsequently passed with 26 votes when 24 were needed. HB 1961 was sponsored by two pharmacists: Rep. Brandon Achor, R-Maumelle, and Sen. Justin Boyd, R-Fort Smith. The intent behind HB 1961 was to give medical professionals the opportunity to 'sit down and have a real conversation' about a patient's health needs, such as a cancer diagnosis, 'before this scary news or potentially unclear news gets uploaded into an electronic chart of some sort and becomes immediately available without the appropriate context and compassion and the human side of the doctor-patient relationship,' Boyd said Wednesday. He added that he might sponsor similar legislation in the future that addresses the governor's 'implementation concerns.' Arkansas elected officials reflect on achievements as session comes to a close Sanders issued two vetoes last week — one that vetoed a bill to legalize the delivery of medical marijuana or the purchase of it from a drive-thru, and a line-item veto eliminating the salary for the director of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock's Institute on Race and Ethnicity. A UALR spokesperson said the position was vacant and the university had not planned to fill it. Lawmakers can vote to override the governor's vetoes with a simple majority in both chambers before the sine die adjournment of a legislative session. Hester and Boyd said they do not expect to ask their colleagues to override the vetoes of their respective bills. The Legislature concluded its session and recessed April 16, and it will reconvene May 5 to handle any unfinished business before adjourning sine die. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Gov. Sanders vetoes two bills regarding behavioral health programs in schools, patient access to medical information
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — After signing dozens of bills into law following the end of the legislative session, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has vetoed two more bills sent to her desk for a signature. Senate Bill 451 would have required the Arkansas Department of Human Services and the Department of Education to establish regional behavioral health programs. Sanders released the following statement on Tuesday night explaining why she vetoed the bill: 'School administrators, teachers, and principals are increasingly managing student behavioral issues, including aggression and violence. These issues cause disruptions in the academic environment, distracting from schools' core function: a safe environment where all students can learn. Without sufficient interventions, these issues will continue to distract from our focus on academic improvement. I have directed the Secretaries of the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services to work with interested parties to come up with a solution that is more tailored to the needs of our local public schools.' Gov. Sanders vetoes two bills on last day of legislative session The bill was sponsored by President Pro Tempore Bart Hester (R-Cave Springs) and Rep. R. Scott Richardson (R-Bentonville). It was co-sponsored by Rep. Denise Gardner (D-Fayetteville) and Rep. Robin Lundstrum (R-Elm Springs). The bill passed the Senate by a 30-1 vote on April 8 with Sen. Stephanie Flowers (D-Pine Bluff) as the lone vote against. It passed the House on April 15 by a 77-13 vote. The other bill, House Bill 1961, would have allowed 'medical providers temporary exemptions from federal information-blocking regulations to safeguard patients during information disclosure.' It also would have provided therapeutic privileges for medical providers under specific circumstances. Sanders released a statement after vetoing HB1961: 'Individuals have a right to access personal medical information, including medical imaging, test results, and other health records, in a timely fashion. Because this bill may, in some cases, unduly delay the release of such information to patients who are entitled to it, I am vetoing this legislation.' HB1961 was introduced by Rep. Brandon Achor (R-Maumelle) and sponsored by Sen. Justin Boyd (R-Fort Smith). The governor vetoed two other bills on the last day of the legislative session, one that would have allowed for marijuana dispensaries to deliver and offer drive-thru service, and the other would have created a 'Dir. of Institute on Race & Ethnicity' position at the University of Arkansas – Little Rock. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
General Assembly passes bill giving schools more say on classroom phone rules
A group of teenagers checking their cellphones. (Photo courtesy of SDI Productions via Getty Images) Virginia school boards may soon have more control over how cell phones and smart devices are governed in classrooms. Legislation granting local districts the authority to craft their own policies cleared the General Assembly on Friday and now heads to Gov. Glenn Youngkin for consideration. House Bill 1961, introduced by Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke, and it's companion measure, Senate Bill 738 by Sen. Stella Pekarsky, D-Fairfax, comes amid growing concerns over the impact of smartphones on children's health. While research has linked excessive phone use to adverse effects on students' well-being, advocates also recognize the role devices play in providing educational resources and communication tools. Last year, a similar measure aimed at allowing school boards to ban phones and other 'handheld communication devices' during school hours failed to pass. However, many schools had already implemented their own restrictions. Unlike Yougkin's existing guidelines, Rasoul emphasized that his proposal provides more local flexibility and ensures age-appropriate policies across different schools. It also includes critical exceptions for students with disabilities who rely on electronic devices for communication. Importantly, Rasoul said the legislation prevents harsh disciplinary measures, ensuring that violating a school's phone policy alone wouldn't lead to suspension or expulsion. 'We just wanted to ensure that this new cell phone policy wasn't weaponized against the students and that would lead to suspension and expulsion,' Rasoul said. 'While the student can be pulled from the classroom, of course, if they're acting up, we want to ensure that we are not utilizing this new policy in a way that, in and of itself, just by violating the policy would lead to expelling a student.' Last summer, Youngkin signed Executive Order 33, directing his administration to implement cell phone-free policies amid rising concerns over children's mental health and declining academic performance. Citing research by the American Psychological Association, the order highlights that adolescents who spend more than three hours daily on social media daily are twice as likely to experience poor mental health. It also references studies showing that children spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on social media and that students who use their phones during class learn less and earn lower grades. Under the guidelines, which took effect on Jan. 1, elementary, middle, and high school students are required to be phone-free during the entire school day, with middle and high schoolers permitted to use their phones only before or after school. Local school divisions have the flexibility to tailor specific rules to their district's needs. The policy also includes exemptions for students with disabilities and English Learner students with documented language barriers. During a Senate Education and Health subcommittee hearing last month, Pekarsky said that the response to Youngkin's order was 'successful' and 'positive.' However, she stressed the need to formally establish these policies in state law to ensure consistency and local control. 'We just need to codify this to make sure that everyone knows that you have to have a policy, you have to talk with your community [and] discuss what policy works for you,' Pekarsky said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
