Arkansas State Legislature Gets Bold

Arkansas isn’t here to play. 

It’s only March, and with bold leadership paired with efficiency, the state is a rapidly rising star for pro-family, pro-work reforms that put common sense ahead of activist agendas. 

If you’re a parent, a business owner, a teenager, or a taxpayer in the state of Arkansas, you’ve already won in the first few months of this legislative session. Here’s a quick recap:

Parents: Education Reform

The historic Arkansas LEARNS education reform package was signed into law in March, after quick action by the Arkansas State Legislature. The bill gives parents the transparency, transportation, resources, and options they need to direct their kids’ education; gives students additional tutoring and career readiness; and gives teachers a healthy pay raise and merit bonuses. 

Business Owners: Unemployment Insurance Reforms

Like many parts of the country, businesses in Arkansas have been struggling to find workers. Two major reforms in the Legislature would help able-bodied adults find work: a work requirement for public housing and a crackdown on unemployment recipients’ bad-faith “ghosting” of potential employers. 

Teenagers: Youth Work Permits

Likewise, Arkansas Act 195 will relieve some pressure on the workforce by removing the outdated requirement that Arkansas youth must get permission from the state to be employable. Whether or not a teenager should work is a decision for families to make for themselves without government input beyond basic safety standards. 

Each of these reforms, with the public and the taxpayers as the beneficiaries, serves as important progress for the public and a model for other states to follow.

Learn more about the FGA’s work in Arkansas here, and keep following FGA for the latest developments as the session progresses.