Short version: I've worked with a group of FOIA advocates with a variety of perspectives (to put it mildly) to craft a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine FOIA in its rightful place, our state constitution. The text is available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1MgkTgH… 1/

A government transparency group on Wednesday released its awaited proposal to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act into the state Constitution.

via Arkansas Advocate Hunter Field
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The transparency group seeking to enshrine the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act into the state Constitution has drafted their amendment.

I stand firmly in support of the proposal to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from state sales and use tax. #arpx

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has approved ballot language for a 2024 initiative to exempt feminine hygiene products and diapers from state sales tax.

Backers can soon start collecting signatures to qualify for the ballot.

Dr. Brian Hyatt, the former Arkansas Medical Board chairman, was arrested Monday on felony Medicaid fraud charges. A warrant repeats many, but also adds to the, allegations against the psychiatrist first made public in a February Advocate investigation buff.ly/45okpU4

Roughly 4,800 students are participating in the first semester of Arkansas’ new K-12 voucher program.

via Arkansas Advocate Hunter Field
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Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin has rejected the proposed ballot title and popular name for an initiative to exempt feminine hygiene products from state sales tax.

#GoBlue 〽️

A resolution has been filed to extend the special session to consider repealing a state law the Legislature passed earlier this year limiting how cities and counties can regulate crypto mining facilities #arpx arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocume…

Arkansas House votes to suspend the rules on how long bills must wait to be heard after being filed or heard in committee. Earlier effort to do this was defeated. Special session will move much more quickly now as it appears there is a consensus among lawmakers on the FOIA bill.

#arpx #arleg Newest new legislation on FOIA is filed. SB 10 by Sen. Bart Hester and others. It is edited down to include security provisions and retroactivity clause > arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocume…

Gov. Sanders: I’ve asked the Senate and House to file a bill limited to security - the most critical and important aspect of FOIA reform. Nobody said changing the status quo would be easy but this is a great starting place for making our government safer and more effective. #arpx

UPDATE: The Arkansas Senate this morning passed legislation to trim the top individual and corporate income tax rates as well as create a $150 tax credit for the ongoing tax year arkansasadvocate.com/2023/09/11/the…

A brief interruption to the #arpx FOIA debate for some unrelated news, a group this morning filed proposed language for a ballot initiative to exempt feminine hygiene products from sales tax in Arkansas. More to come Arkansas Advocate

Bills have started posting to the Arkansas Legislature's website. They include the already reported vaccine mandate and tax cut proposals as well as several clean up bills apparently related to the LEARNS Act and the PROTECT Act arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Recently…

Arkansas Legislature will meet next week in special session to further cut state income taxes, add significant exemptions to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act and ban state employee vaccine mandates. More to come Arkansas Advocate.