Three unemployment insurance laws in Arkansas went into effect on January 1, 2024. Together, Acts 106, 196, and 587 reduce maximum unemployment insurance benefits, establish the contribution rate of employers, disqualify an individual from receiving benefits under certain circumstances of refusing a job offer or failing to attend a job interview, and require benefit recipients…
Incumbent Steve Womack (R) and Clint Penzo (R) are running in the Republican primary election for U.S. House in Arkansas’ 3rd Congressional District on March 5, 2024. Womack has represented the district in the U.S. House since being elected in 2010. He earlier served as mayor of Rogers, Arkansas, and on the Rogers City Council.…
The filing deadline for the Arkansas Democratic presidential primary passed on Nov. 14, 2023. Seven candidates have met the initial qualification criteria to appear on the March 5, 2024, ballot. In order to file, candidates had to submit paperwork to the secretary of state and state party, and submit either a petition with 5,000 signatures…
The filing deadline for the Arkansas Republican presidential primary passed on November 14, 2023. Nine candidates met the initial qualification criteria to appear on the March 5, 2024, ballot. In order to file, candidates had to submit paperwork to the secretary of state and state party, and pay a $25,000 filing fee to the state…
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) submitted signatures on July 31 to place a veto referendum on the Nov. 2024 ballot to repeal the LEARNS Act, an education bill signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). To qualify for the ballot, 54,422 valid signatures are needed from 50 of Arkansas’ 75 counties. A…
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) submitted signatures to place a veto referendum on the Nov. 2024 ballot to repeal the LEARNS Act, an education bill signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R). CAPES turned in signatures on July 31 and said they expected to be about 500 signatures short of the requirement.…
Two new state laws in Arkansas creating an oversight committee to develop a list of companies using ESG in investment or boycott decisions go into effect on August 1. State and public entities “could no longer conduct business with the companies” on the list, according to The Center Square. Ballotpedia tracks support for and opposition…
Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students (CAPES) began filing ballot language for a proposed veto referendum with the Arkansas attorney general in May after the Arkansas State Legislature adjourned its 2023 legislative session. After two previous attempts were rejected, Attorney General Tim Griffin certified the ballot language submitted by CAPES. The ballot title contains…
Arkansas voters will decide on a constitutional amendment in 2024 to allow the state’s lottery proceeds to be used to fund grants and scholarships for vocational-technical schools and technical institutes. The amendment was introduced as House Joint Resolution 1006 on February 7, 2023. It was passed in the House on April 4, 2023, by a…
A new Arkansas law effective March 6, 2023, will limit the maximum length of unemployment insurance benefits from 16 weeks to 12 weeks starting Jan. 1, 2024. The bill passed with veto-proof majorities in both chambers (29-3 in the Senate and 79-15 in the House). The law will also reduce the new employer unemployment insurance…