First week of the fiscal session
T he 2024 Fiscal Session is now underway. The House and Senate convened for a Joint Session on Wednesday to hear an address from Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The Governor told members she would sign a budget that funds critical services for Arkansans while slowing the growth of government.
The Governor’s proposed budget calls for a 1.76 percent spending increase. The proposed increases prioritize education. Additional funding is also proposed for public safety and human services.
On the second day of the session, the House passed HB1003, the General Appropriation Act for the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year.
The House also passed HB1001 which allows for session expenses. There is no increase in either appropriation.
Fiscal sessions are limited to only the consideration of appropriations unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote in favor of a resolution substantially describing a bill for introduction.
The Governor is also requesting the legislature to approve a temporary pay plan for state employees which would authorize a one-time 3 percent increase and raise the minimum pay to $15 per hour by July 1. A resolution requesting the introduction of that legislation has been filed and assigned to the House Rules Committee.
Several resolutions requesting the introduction of legislation regarding digital asset mining have also been assigned to the House Rules Committee.
Deborah Ferguson
