The Game and Fish Commission appropriation bill failed after Rep. Fran Cavenaugh said an amendment shouldn't have been added last-minute to raise the ceiling for the director's salary.

The House will try to pass it just before sine die in order to avoid extending the session.

After 3 weeks of discussion about crypto regulations, two bills passed #arleg and Gov. Sanders plans to sign them. They would give “a prohibited foreign-party-controlled business” a year after the laws go into effect to divest from owning a crypto mine.
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/05/01/pro…

The House took 3 tries to get the 76 votes needed (3/4 majority) to give Arkansas PBS its FY25 spending power. This also happened in 2022.

Last week, a senator proposed reducing PBS' spending power, but it didn't pass Joint Budget -- also for the second fiscal session in a row.

The Arkansas House will consider sending two bills that would regulate cryptocurrency mining operations to the governor’s desk Wednesday, a little over a year after Act 851 of 2023 became law and brought crypto mining to statewide attention.

buff.ly/44rhtqT

Also of note: a failed legislative response to #lecterngate and a proposed diversion of $500K from ACHI to an upcoming UAMS midwifery program. #arleg

Budget committee rejects move by Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro to cut spending authority of Arkansas PBS by 20%, with Matthew Shepherd, 3 other Republicans voting no; Sullivan also tried to cut PBS funding in 2022. Tess Vrbin reports.
#Arkansas #arpx
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/25/joi…

Since auditors found potential breaches of purchasing laws in #lecterngate , Rep. Julie Mayberry suggested clarifying a law in line with auditors' view that the governor's office is a state agency. The measure died in committee when no one moved to pass it.
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/24/ark…

#arleg officials from both parties want to fund a midwifery education program at UAMS Health, but some have a problem with the proposed $500K to get the program off the ground: the money would come from ACHI, which many state agencies rely on. #arpx
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/24/ark…

The Arkansas Legislative Council will consider whether to review the prison board's contract with outside counsel to represent them in litigation against the state; another committee recommends not reviewing the contract, claiming possible law violations.
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/23/ark…

This hit me this morning and it makes total sense since I feel like she's had that song in her system for years #TSTTPD

people with journalism degrees are the real tortured poets

Here's Arkansas Advocate's rundown of this week in #arleg . The biggest topics of discussion were #lecterngate and potential cryptocurrency mining regulations.
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/19/ses…

Arkansas has distributed a $1M grant to pregnancy resource centers, which are often religiously affiliated and encourage birth, for two years in a row. A state senator is proposing increasing the grant to $2M so more centers can get funds next fiscal year.
arkansasadvocate.com/2024/04/18/ark…

Back at the Capitol today. Lots of meetings on the docket, including one on the audit report on the purchase of a $19K lectern and case by the governor’s office.

Need a recap? Check out this audit summary by Tess Vrbin:
tinyurl.com/3hpysau4

#arpx #arleg