Off to a fast start in 2025
T he 2025 legislative session got off to a fast start. By the end of the session’s third day more than 200 bills had been introduced.
In November the governor presented a balanced budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year. The legislature’s Joint Budget Committee has already begun working on a detailed review of every spending request by state agencies, and on a comprehensive new pay plan for state employees proposed by the governor. During opening ceremonies, the governor outlined a list of legislative priorities that are not budget bills.
She proposed improving access to state-supported institutions of higher education, through a plan called Arkansas ACCESS. If adopted, students will fill out one application and pay a single fee. The student will be able to send that application to every fouryear university and two-year college in the state.
Another priority of the governor’s will be to make it easier to fired tenured professors who indoctrinate students instead of educating them. Also, in order to make higher education more affordable, the governor proposes “funding college credits while students are still in high school.” More scholarships will be available for students earning associate’s degrees and certificates that are not designated as a degree.
At the request of the governor, legislators will work on changes to the higher education funding formula.
The governor proposed using revenue from taxes on medical marijuana to pay for a summer program that will help families with children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. Those families typically struggle during summer months because the children are not getting lunch at school.
The governor told legislators that the same source of revenue could be used to make school breakfast completely free.
A related proposal would protect people and businesses from liability if they donate food to hunger relief programs. Restaurants should not have to worry about ending up in court if they donate excess food to a food pantry, she said. Her proposed legislation will be called the Good Neighbor Act.
The governor mentioned her proposal to seek authority from the federal government to require that food stamps be used only for healthy and nutritious food, rather than junk food. Another proposal would encourage schools to purchase food from local farmers and businesses.
Legislators will consider a proposal to ban cell phones in schools throughout the day. Suicide rates among teenagers have risen dramatically and the culprit is clear, the governor said. It is unrestricted access to phones and social media.
A related bill, titled the Social Media Safety Act, would enable parents to sue social media companies in state court.
The governor proposed legislation allowing property owners to more easily evict squatters from their land, by calling their local sheriff.
Expanding access to Medicaid for pregnant women will be considered this year, as will legislation to pay for an additional prison unit.
Sen. Reginald Murdock
