LITTLE ROCK – A bill to grant the state greater authority to investigate abuse and neglect cases involving elderly or disabled adults cleared the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.Senate Bill 266 by Sen. Mary Anne Salmon, D-North Little Rock, resulted from a legislative review of the law after the death of Shirley Chittum, 71, of [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – A $9 million appropriation bill to institute a tuition forgiveness program for Arkansas residents who seek jobs in the trucking, transportation and logistics fields has been referred to the Joint Budget Committee.Senate president pro temp Jack Critcher, D-Batesville, filed the Senate Bill 703, which he said would help Arkansans get jobs and [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – A bill that would require the payment of attorney’s fees to plaintiffs who win Freedom of Information Act lawsuits was defeated Wednesday in the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. The committee rejected House Bill 1520 by Rep. Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville, in an 8-9 vote.State law directs that Arkansas courts are [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – The Senate unanimously passed a tax credit for low-income workers Wednesday, as well as legislation that would allow law enforcement officers to pull over drivers for not wearing a seat belt. House Bill 1443, part of a tax reduction package agreed to by Gov. Mike Beebe and legislative leaders, was approved [...]

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Bill would restrict locations of new adult businessesThe House Rules Committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would limit the location of adult-oriented businesses in proximity to locations frequented by children.House Bill 1536 is part of Attorney General Dustin McDaniel’s legislative package and has 89 sponsors.McDaniel said the bill was inspired by an adult business that [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – A House committee Wednesday endorsed legislation that would direct the state’s environmental agency to develop regulations for recycling Styrofoam, the plastic foam used to make cups and packaging material.Under House Bill 1465, regulations developed by the state Pollution Control and Ecology Commission after public input then be used by landfill operators and [...]

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LITTLE ROCK – A bill filed Wednesday would increase lawmakers’ expense reimbursement by 50 percent, the first increase since 1997, its sponsors said.“The cost of living goes up every year, and we haven’t had an increase in 10 years,” said Sen. Shawn Womack, R-Mountain Home. Womack is sponsor of the increase in Senate Bill 785, [...]

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FAYETTEVILLE – An object of curiosity, Stan Heath was his usual classy self.Aware that he is likely only an Atlanta loss away from being unemployed, you’d never know it watching him Wednesday night. The Arkansas basketball coach roamed the sideline, exhorted his players, and challenged the officials. In other words, it was SOP for Heath [...]

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WASHINGTON – Five years and a courtroom loss later, Nolan Richardson took his push for racial equality among college coaches to Congress on Wednesday, continuing to assail University of Arkansas officials for his treatment at the school.The former UA men’s basketball coach testified at a House subcommittee hearing that he was treated unfairly at the [...]

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WASHINGTON – Officials from the Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs said Wednesday they do not support a bill that would expand education benefits for National Guard and Reserve troops.They said the initiative could prove to be expensive and might hurt the miltary’s efforts to retain soldiers.The bill, sponsored by five House lawmakers including two [...]

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