Legislative Update
Volume 2025, No. 25 (February 21, 2025)
There have been recent developments in many bills the AEA has been tracking since the start of the legislative session, including the following:
· HB 1060 as amended, which requires curriculum changes on anti-totalitarian governments, passed and is headed to the Governor’s desk;
· HB 1117 as amended, which requires firearm education in schools, the passed House Education Committee and is headed to the House floor;
· HB 1189, which outlines an exclusion for mentoring requirements for novice teachers who have completed a clinical practice program, passed and is also headed to the Governor’s desk;
· HB 1221, which AEA opposed due to the requirement that the State AG has what amounts to complete authority to strike down ballot issues and further erodes and undermines the citizen-led ballot process passed and is headed to the Governor’s desk;
· HB 1305, which would have empowered the State Board of Education to issue a teacher’s license to anyone regardless of training, has been withdrawn;
· SB 142, the “Bell to Bell No Cell” Act, passed and is headed to the Governor’s desk; and
· SB 59, the “Free Breakfast” bill, passed and is also headed to the Governor’s desk;
Finally, in a recently filed bill which may be of interest to AEA educators, Senator M. Johnson (R, District 17) has sponsored a bill entitled The Religious Rights at Public Schools Act, SB 223. This bill would create Free Exercise rights that would require a wide range of religious expression. Some may be unconstitutional in that they may violate the Establishment Clause, others fit squarely within current Free Exercise rights. This bill was referred to the Senate Education Committee and was pulled for amendments and re-referred to Senate Education.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 24 (February 20, 2025)
This week the awaited higher education bill touted by the Governor and other policymakers, the ACCESS Act, was introduced concurrently in the Senate and the House as SB 246 and HB 1512. The text of the bill is currently 122 pages long, and it makes some significant changes to Arkansas public education.
Some of the more significant changes in the ACCESS Act for AEA educators are as follows:
· The AEA and other educational stakeholders have been removed as advisors on number of important committees in favor of appointed “relevant stakeholders;
· “Accelerated learning” programs replace the current Advanced Placement program;
· The school rating system eliminates numerous reporting requirements;
· It prohibits “excused absences” in the public schools and in higher education for political protest, social or public policy advocacy, or attempts to influence legislation at the local, state, or federal level, with significant penalties and sanctions on students who engage in those activities;
· It includes the loss of numerous programs, including the Traveling Teacher program, the Smart Core Incentive Funding program, the AP and IB Diploma program, the Dual Licensure Program, and a number of scholarships;
· It adds programs like the Purple Star School and Campuses program, the Direct Admissions program, the use of the Classic Learning Test as an alternative to the ACT and the SAT, and the Arkansas Heroes Scholarship Act; and
· It creates rules for the rejection of “discrimination and indoctrination” in post-secondary education (DEI).
The AEA is opposed to this bill and will continue study it and will continue to lobby on the bill on behalf of AEA educators.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 23 (February 19, 2025)
Today was an icy day at the Capitol. However, there have been some recent developments in important bills that AEA is tracking and lobbying.
Many of the anti-direct democracy bills have progressed (see Update No. 21). SB 207, which would require advisement of potential criminal offenses by canvassers, has passed the Senate and has passed to the House. It was heard by the House Committee for State Agencies after an amendment today, and despite members of the public asking to table the the bill until Monday due to the weather, and numerous members of the Committee were not in attendance also due to the weather, the Committee passed the bill and it will proceed to the House floor.
SB 208, which would require inspection of a photo ID by canvassers, has passed the Senate and been re-referred to House State Agencies. The Senate, on SB 209 and SB 210, dealing with disqualification of petition signatures and the reading of the ballot titles, has twice failed to pass the Senate due to the emergency clause contained in the bill. SB 211, which would require an affidavit from each canvasser, has also been referred to House State Agencies.
On Monday, the AEA and its coalition partners, held a press conference in the Old Supreme Court room of the Capitol to express concerns regarding the anti-direct democracy assault in the legislature. AEA President April Reisma appeared at the press conference and stated that “we oppose these bills because we trust voters to make decisions on key issues that impact Arkansans.” She added that the bills were simply an effort to limit any say from the public about how the government is run. President Reisma is also the chair of the FOR AR Kids Ballot Question Committee, which is supporting the Educational Rights Amendment and which will greatly improve education in the State by making private schools receiving EFA money more accountable and increasing resources available to support the education of students in the public schools.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 22 (February 14, 2025)
“Arkansas is a “populist state. Its motto is Regnant Populus, or “The People Rule.” If we keeping passing these bills, we need to change our motto to Regnat Imperium — the “Government Rules.” If the people can’t pass their own laws, then the government does rule.”
-Senator Clark Tucker.
On Wednesday, the Senate passed five bills sponsored by Senator Hammer which would make certifying and qualifying initiatives to be placed on the ballot much more difficult and have a drastically chilling effect on any such efforts by citizens. These bills, among other constraints, would place new burdens on canvassers collecting signatures for ballot measure campaigns and people signing petitions (see AEA Legislative Update No. 20). SB 207, SB 208, and SB 211 are scheduled to be heard as special items of business in the House State Agencies Committee on Monday afternoon. The AEA is continuing to oppose these bills and lobby against them, and will be sponsoring, with our coalition partners, a press conference in the Old Supreme Court room on Monday at 12:00 p.m., which is open for educators to attend.
Other anti-direct democracy bills opposed by the AEA are progressing. SB 1221 and SB 1222 (see Legislative Update No. 16) will be heard in the Senate on Thursday, February 20.
There have been several House and Senate Joint Resolutions that impact direct democracy as well. The most significant of these are HJR 1017, sponsored by Representative Payton (R, District 22), which is a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a majority of voters as well as counties to support any passed ballot initiatives before they can become law. HJR 1016, brought by Representative Ray (R, District 69) would prohibit the sponsor of any ballot initiative or referendum to amend any measure found to be insufficient by the Secretary of State.
Your “Under the Dome” Team
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 21 (February 12, 2025)
There were some important developments yesterday in the Senate Education Committee and the House Education Committee.
In Senate Education, the Committee heard the numerous bills filed by Senator Hammer (R, District 16) which would greatly increase the requirements for ballot initiatives in Arkansas. Collectively, these bills raise draconian barriers which would impair the right of Arkansans to propose and certify these ballot measures. This would, in turn, prevent Arkansans from having a direct voice in holding our government accountable and exercising that voice. The AEA, working closely with our coalition partners, took an “oppose” position on these bills and the AEA and our partners were lobbying on the bill. Senator Tucker, who opposed these bills in Committee, stated “[w]e’ve passed laws to make the signature-gathering process more difficult in every legislative session since 2013, and sometimes several times a session. And if you look at any one of these individual measures by itself, maybe it’s fine. But there comes a point where it’s death by a thousand cuts and it becomes too stifling." Nevertheless, these bills passed through the Committee and will proceed.
There are currently other “direct democracy” bills heading through Committee. SB 188, sponsored by Senator Tucker (D, District 14), would require the posting of certified ballot questions by the Arkansas Secretary of State. HB 1221 and 1222, which would require time limits for ballot initiatives and require a review for “problematic” status, respectively, are continuing to proceed. HB 1042, which would strip away some of the strict ballot signature review requirements, is also being heard in the House Education Committee this week.
In the House Education Committee, several bills were heard which would directly impact AEA educators and the children we teach. HB 1144, sponsored by Representative Wooten (R, District 59) would have required private schools receiving funds through the EFA program to be accountable under the same reporting requirements as the public schools. This bill failed to pass through the Committee.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 20 (February 9, 2025)
This week was marked on an all-out attack on direct democracy sponsored by Senator Hammer (R, District 16). These bills collectively raise substantive and procedural barriers which would greatly impact the ballot initiative process and further impair the right of Arkansans to propose and certify these ballot measures. This would, in turn, prevent Arkansans from having a direct voice in holding our government accountable and exercising that voice. These bills are as follows:
· SB 212 would create a law enforcement agency within the Secretary of State’s office, called the “Validity Division” to carefully investigate any documents filed for potential fraud. This would include a power to investigate, subpoena individuals, hold hearings and require the surrender of the subject’s Fifth Amendment right to avoid civil or criminal penalties.
· SB 211 would require canvassers to file affidavits in support of petitions and prohibit them from filing additional petitions after the affidavit is filed unless the ballot title has been amended.
· SB 210 would require the reading of the ballot title for each petitioner, with the failure to do so a misdemeanor offense.
· SB 209 would require disqualification of signatures obtained without compliance with applicable laws, presumably including the new substantive and procedural requirements.
· SB 208 would require canvassers carrying petitions to verify the signature of each petitioner by viewing a photo identification and include such verification in their respective affidavits.
· SB 207 would require canvassers to verbally or formally disclose to petitioners that petition fraud is a criminal offense.
The AEA will be updating these important bills in the days and weeks to come. We are also working with our coalition partners to address the implications of these bills for our members. Meanwhile, please reach out to your legislators and let them know how you feel about these bills taking away our voice!
Watch this informative webinar by our coalition partners at the Arkansas Public Policy Panel.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 19 (February 7, 2025)
Yesterday SB 3 passed in the House 65-27, with eight legislators not voting. The bill underwent an emotionally charged debate in which many legislators spoke out against the bill. As you know, AEA has taken an Oppose position on this bill, which would essentially strip our state of programs providing opportunities for educators and potential educators based upon gender, disability, national origin, and race. Thanks for all your efforts in contacting members of the legislature to speak out against this bill.
In the House Education Committee, HB 1060, the so-called “anti-totalitarianism” bill, passed, as did HB 1189, the novice teacher mentoring bill. SB-59, the free meal bill, was passed by the Senate and referred to the House Education Committee. HB 1062, the teacher protection bill, remains in a holding pattern and the AEA continues to watch this bill and make suggestions, working closely with Representative Richardson and our coalition partners.
In the Senate Education Committee, HB 142, the “Bell to Bell No Cell” bill passed. In Monday’s Senate Education Committee, SB90, the school district board public comment bill, SB 149, a public school funding proposal, and HB 1236, teacher contract release/rescind dates bill, are up for discussion. HB 1236, although initially supported by AEA, has been amended to provide two weeks less time for contract release than the original bill.
In a very important development, one of the anti-direct democracy bills, HB 1221, passed the House. This is the bill which would create a ballot issue expiration date on the date of the next election after the ballot issue is certified. This would make it even more difficult to collect the requisite number of signatures to support any ballot issue in the time period available. This is just one more example of the erosion of the right to direct democracy by the people to support needed change as a grassroots effort. The other anti-direct democracy bill, HB 1222, is still in the House and being amended. This is the bill that would create new standards for legal certification review.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 18 (February 5, 2025)
In an important development today, SB 3 passed out of the House Education Committee after a contentious hearing. SB 3 was pre-filed on November 20 (see Update No. 1) and would curtail what has been termed “discriminatory and preferential treatment.” AEA has taken an Oppose position on this bill, which would essentially strip our state of programs that provide opportunities for educators and potential educators based upon gender, disability, national origin, and race. The testimony by the bill sponsor was that since President Trump issued executive orders abolishing DEI, this bill is required to bring Arkansas in compliance. The AEA has issued an Action Alert on this bill and has been actively lobbying against the bill and working with our coalition partners to oppose the bill.
In other developments, on Monday the Senate Education Committee heard SB 142, the “Bell to Bell No Cell Act,” which was unanimously approved, passed out of committee. The House Education Committee passed another bill of interest on Wednesday. HB 1236 as amended, sponsored by Representative Carr (R, District 34), provides that school district employees were required to be released from their contracts for the following school year upon request received unanimous support, also was approved and passed out of committee. The AEA supported this bill; however, the amendment was not acceptable as it set a rescind date two full weeks earlier than the original bill. This may require AEA to reassess its position on this bill.
HB 1062, the Teacher Protection bill, and HB 1060, the Failure of Communism and Autonomy bill, both sponsored by Representative Richardson (R, District 13), were pulled from the agenda at the last minute. The AEA is in support of HB 1062, as amended.
A new bill was filed today, HB 1370 by Representative Mayberry (R, District 92), which would require that school districts provide an additional five days per year in their respective calendars, subject to use in certain enumerated circumstances including exceptional or emergency situations.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 17 (February 4, 2025)
In the last several days, some additional bills have been filed of interest to AEA educators. HB 1305, filed by Representative Andrews (R, District 98), would allow school districts to hire persons that do not possess “traditional” licenses by simply sending a letter outlining the background of these educators and requesting the state board to issue a license. The AEA is opposed to this bill.
HB 1312 would marginally increase the foundation funding amounts in the next two school years, as well as increasing the alternative learning environment funding. Similarly, SB 149 would marginally increase foundation funding per student. The AEA is monitoring both of these bills.
Finally, SB 142 would ban cell phone use “bell to bell” except in cases of emergency and would require school districts to establish discipline policies to deal with students who violate the ban. The AEA supports this bill.
Stay tuned for further developments on these and other important bills.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 16 (February 3, 2025)
In recently filed bills, the attack on direct democracy in Arkansas continues. HB 1221, by Representative Ray (R, District 69), would provide that any ballot issue title and name certification would expire on the date of the next general election after certification, and any signatures collected would be invalid. This would shorten the available time for the AEA, working in our coalition of educational stakeholders, to start work on signature collection for the Educational Rights Amendment for 2026, which has already been certified by the State Attorney General.
HB 1222, also by Representative Ray, would give power to the State Attorney General to review any proposed ballot measures to determine whether they are legally problematic, have already been filed in a conflicting manner; that is, if multiple ballot measures are filed which are similar. This clearly would introduce a subjective layer of legal review to certify ballot measures which would go beyond simply reviewing them based upon existing legal standards for such measures.
The AEA is continuing to closely monitor these bills and work with our coalition partners. Stay tuned for developments on these and other important bills implicating the right to direct democracy.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 15 (February 2, 2025)
There have been some important developments regarding bills of interest to AEA members in the last week. SB 3, which is the bill purportedly to prevent preferential treatment, was heard in the Senate Education Committee last week. Despite vigorous opposition and testimony, and with only one witness in support of the bill, it passed out of Senate Ed and proceeded to the floor of the Senate where it was also handily approved. It will now proceed to the House. The AEA and many of our coalition partners have been vigorously opposing this bill, and the AEA through President Reisma issued a call to action on February 2. Please contact your legislators and express your opposition to this harmful bill.
On the Teacher Protection bill, HB 1062, Representative Richardson has been meeting with many legislators and education stakeholders and is currently amending the bill. This bill will likely be heard soon by the House Education Committee and it is important that AEA educators continue to watch the website for updates. The AEA is actively supporting this bill as amended and will continue to advocate for amendments that would protect educators and students. This bill, as you may be aware, would give educators power over their own teaching environment and make it possible to remove abusive and violent students from the learning environment pending a review of the student’s conduct. This would protect educators from having to constantly manage habitually disruptive, abusive, or violent students. As AEA educators know, these issues have risen to crisis levels in recent years and teachers have not been empowered with control over their own work to ensure that they and their students are safe.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 14 (January 29, 2025)
A bill was filed yesterday HB 1283 by Representative Mayberry (R, District 92) pertaining to online safety of students. This bill would require, by the 2026-2027 school year, the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish K-12 digital media standards in English, language arts, and existing English language arts and library media and consider embedding those standards in other existing content standards. Digital media standards would include digital citizenship, digital wellness, internet safety, social media literacy, and the proper use of artificial intelligence. The Division would be charged with creating curriculum standards and parental resources for the digital media standards.
One interesting note is that a House Resolution was filed, HR 1020, to recognize "The Links Day" at the Capitol on February 3 and recognizing all the volunteer service of the African American women and other women of African descent of The Links in 41 states, including the State of Arkansas, the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. The women of The Links will be meeting at the AEA building on February 3 for their Legislative Day.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 13 (January 28, 2025)
There were several bills of interest filed yesterday which are of interest to educators. First, HB 1242 by Representative Mayberry (R, District 92) would require that school nurses be paid, at a minimum, a salary that is at least equal to the salary required to be paid to classroom teachers. The bill would further require that nurses be paid on a salary schedule equal to that of teachers and those nurses holding a B.A. degree and are registered nurses or have a scaled salary depending upon their license status as a registered nurses or a licensed practical nurse.
HB 1239 by Representative Collins (D, District 73) would require additional funding for special education students with individualized education programs of $3,862 per student starting with the 2025-2026 school year in addition to funding under the applicable provisions of the school funding formula.
HB 1236 by Representative Carr (R, District 34) would permit an individual employed by a public school district open-enrollment public charter school to rescind their employment contract for a subsequent school year if the contact is rescinded in writing and signed by individual prior to the end of the business day on the Friday prior to Memorial Day.
As a final note, an additional bill of interest, SR5 would recognize national school choice week.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 12 (January 24, 2025)
The Senate Education Committee has been inactive for the first two weeks of the Legislative session. On Monday, however, Senate Ed will consider some bills that might be of interest to educators. SB 89, sponsored by Senator English (R, District 13), would require at least 24 hours’ notice of agendas for regular or special board meeting. Of more interest is SB 59, which has multiple sponsors including Senator Clarke Tucker (D, District 14), would provide the opportunity for each student that requests it one breakfast each school day, regardless of the student’s eligibility for a free or reduced cost meal. Finally, SB 90, sponsored by Senator English, would require that members of the public be afforded the opportunity at each school board meeting to present up to three minutes of public comment.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 11 (January 23, 2025)
The AEA team continues to work to advocate for the Teacher Protection Act sponsored by Representative Richardson. Early this week the bill was amended to clarify some of the language concerning alternative education programs. The AEA is supporting this bill and has met with Representative Richardson and other legislators to express our support and willingness to testify in favor of the bill as amended. It is currently slated to be heard in the House Education Committee on January 29. There are other bills that were recently filed which may be of interest to educators.
HB 1192, sponsored by Representative Pilkington (R, House District 45), would broaden the prohibition of tobacco, tobacco products, or cigarettes from mere use to include possessing such materials at a public school. This bill would further provide that parents or guardians whose student is found to have violated this section would be fined $100-$1,000 to be collected by a school district “collecting official” or police officer.
HB 1190, sponsored by Representative Vaught (R, House District 87), would create an income tax exemption for teachers. Specifically, this bill would create an educator exemption on the first $50,000 of wages received by an individual for employment as a “teacher,” with “teacher” being defined as a person who is engaged in K-12 instruction for more than 70% of the person’s contracted or employed time.
Finally, HB 1189 (Vaught, House District 87), would carve out an exception to the definition of “novice teacher” to ensure that educators that previously completed a supervised clinical practice required by a teacher education program.
In a procedural note, the Fiscal Impact Statement for the EFA Accountability Bill, HB 1144, has been filed and resulted in a finding of No Fiscal Impact, thus clearing its path in the House Education Committee.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 10 (January 20, 2025)
Late last week some other bills related to retirement issues were introduced. Representative Warren (R, Hot Springs, 84) has sponsored a number of bills amending various eligibility, waiver, and other issues: HB 1154, HB 1155, HB 1157, HB 1158, and HB 1160. For example, HB 1155 would establish that a presumption exists that a member is entitled to disability retirement benefits if that member has secured a letter from the Social Security Administration or a disability rating from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that a member has a 100% permanent and total disability. HB 1157 would amend applicable law to extend the dependent child annuity to children up to the age of 22. HB 1158 would provide that a member might cancel their original election and elect another distribution option under certain conditions. Finally, HB 1160 would establish, in lieu of the “gap year” language, a narrower “gap period” of one-quarter of a fiscal year.
In a sort of weird twist in the wake of recent local, state, and national elections, HB 1141 by Representative Richardson (R, Bentonville, 49) and Senator Bryant (R, Rogers, 32), would make the purposeful deception of an audience to “injure a candidate or influence the results of an election” by printing, publishing, or broadcasting political advertising that purports to emanating from a “source other than its true source” a criminal misdemeanor offense. This would include campaign communications or “deep fake” videos unless it includes a disclaimer that it was altered.
Finally, HB 1166 (Representative Johnson (R, Greenwood, 49) expands the allowable types of ephedrine to include nasal spray as part of “Alex’s Law.”
Your Under the Dome Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 9 (January 17, 2025)
The first week of the 2025 legislative session is now behind us. In the last week, dozens of new bills were filed and went through their first readings and were assigned to committees. There were some important bills filed.
HB 1144, by Representative Wooten (R, Beebe, HD 59), would require a new eligibility requirement for schools wishing to participate in the EFA Program that any private school receiving such funds would be required to comply with any reporting requirements within 30 days or be ineligible to participate in the program. The reporting requirements include data on academic performance, enrollment, staffing, finances, accreditation, and other issues. Such a requirement would include data and information from private schools which have never been open to the public or required in the past and would be particularly valuable in that it would shine a light on the demographics and academic achievement of students in those schools.
This issue was initially raised in the ballot issue which the AEA supported in 2024, the Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment of 2024. That Amendment, if passed at the ballot box, would have constitutionally required that any school – including private schools – receiving state and local funds in any form would be required to meet the identical academic standards and standards for accreditation. The Arkansas Educational Rights Amendment has been re-filed and certified for the ballot in 2026. It will be significant to see the progress of HB 1144 given the pendency of the ballot issue in the next 18 months.
In another legislative twist, HB 1139, by Representative McKenzie (R, Rogers, HD 7) and Senator Bryant (R, Rogers, Senate District 32), would require any public school or open-enrollment public charter school, upon the request of a parent or guardian, to excuse the student to attend a released time course in “religious moral instruction” taught by an “independent entity.” Release time for students would be required to be at least one hour per week, or not more than five hours each week.
Your Under the Dome Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 8 (January 15, 2025)
We’re off and running for this session of the Arkansas Legislature. Many of the bills which have been filed have now been read into the record, and many have been assigned to the House Education Committee. Other bills we are interested in have been assigned to other committees. Your AEA team will be tracking and updating these bills, and when they have progressed a bit further or been amended, the AEA will be taking positions on them and sharing their progress.
We are currently studying a new bill, House Bill 1083 sponsored by Representative Collins and Representative Springer, which is titled the Arkansas Kids Online Safety Act. This bill would provide online safety controls for children including what can be accessed children. It also provides for the creation and function of a “Kids Online Safety Council” through the Department of Commerce. The controls do not apply to public school libraries but may have an impact on the use of social media at school by children under the age of 12. We will continue to study this bill and its ramifications for educators.
Another bill of interest was filed this week, HB 1117, by Representative Richardson which would require firearm safety programs for students in public schools and open-enrollment charter schools. This training would be required starting in the 2025-2026 school year with “age-appropriate and grade-appropriate” instruction.
Keep watching the AEA website for updates and bill progress as the Session continues.
Your Under the Dome Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 7 (December 18, 2024)
Although no new bills have recently been pre-filed, we are expecting some potential legislative issues to arise during this legislative session, and we would like to give you a preview of what you might see which could be directly relevant to the profession and work of educators.
Representative Cozart (R-Hot Springs) has been leading a committee for the last year which has been exploring a new school funding formula for Arkansas school districts and schools. The committee has presented various iterations of this proposed funding formula, which is based upon the Tennessee school funding formula which was enacted in that state in 2022. The Tennessee funding formula (TISA) is based upon economically “weighted” system in which various types of funding are assigned to schools and school districts in categories such as poverty, special needs, and rural education. The current draft of this funding formula is very complex, and many questions remain unanswered about how it would be applied in Arkansas.
The AEA is actively working with coalition and state professional partners to assess, explore, and provide input as the State of Arkansas considers these important changes to the school funding scheme. If you are interested in how the school funding system works in Tennessee, you can read about it in the following article: Candelaria, Fazlul, Koedel, and Shores, “Weighting for Progressivity,” An Analysis of Implicit Tradeoffs Association with Weighted School Funding in Tennessee,” Annenberg Institute (October 2023). The work on this funding formula is not expected to conclude until this summer, however it will remain in discussion during this session.
The AEA also expects to see some changes to the LEARNS Act in regard to “contract returns,” and some potential changes regarding DEI policies at the higher education level.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 6 (December 11, 2024)
Today, a bill of interest to all educators in our state was pre-filed by Representative R. Scott Richardson (R-District 13). The bill is entitled "The Teacher and Student Protection Act of 2025". This bill underlines the national statistics compiled by the American Psychological Association which indicate that 80% of educators reported being victims of threats or violent acts at least once in their schools. We know that this is a serious and growing problem in the public schools of Arkansas. The goal of this bill is to provide a safe environment for students and teachers to work and learn. The bill requires that any student who is removed from a classroom due to violent or abusive behavior against a teacher or another student is prohibited from being placed in a classroom with that teacher or student, and that student is placed in an alternative learning environment until such time as the incident can be reviewed and a conference held. The bill also requires that if the student exhibits violent or abusive conduct due to a disability, that student’s conduct is subject to a “manifestation determination review” as outlined in the bill and that student will be placed in an appropriate interim alternative educational program within the public school district. Finally, the bill provides that repeated offenses will require that the student be permanently placed in an alternative education program.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 5 (December 4, 2024)
As pre-filing of bills for the 2025 Legislative Session continues, there are other bills of interest for AEA members regarding voting and voter registration which were pre-filed by Democratic legislators under the sponsorship of Andrew Collins (D-House District 73).
HB-1035 creates a system for online voter registration and proposes to amend the Arkansas Constitution to adjust the duties of the Secretary of State. Similarly, HB-1036 would amend the law to permit voter registration during early voting and on Election Day. HB-1037 would amend Arkansas law and the Arkansas Constitution to permit 16-year-olds and older votes to register to vote and vote pursuant to applicable law. Finally, HB-1039 seeks to amend state law in regard to absentee ballots by making it possible to file an application for such a ballot up to the day prior to Election Day.
The annual AEA legislative conference is scheduled for January 11, 2025. We are excited about this session and look forward to discussing these important issues with our members, legislators, and education stakeholders.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 4 (December 3, 2024)
There were other pre-filed bills issued by Representative Collins (D-House District 73) dealing with school health issues, conversion therapy, and voter registration reform.
HB-1028, seeks to repeal the current law regarding challenges to public library materials, repeal the criminal offense of furnishing a harmful item to a minor and amend the laws regarding obscenity, and requires libraries to have written policies prohibiting book bans and requirements of information disclosure.
HB-1030 provides that school resource officers would be required to obtain a certification in Youth Mental Health First Aid. Similarly, HB-1031 would establish the Arkansas Healthy Lifestyle Act, in part requiring school districts to adopt a health curriculum that that would require instruction on mental health issues, substance abuse and addiction issues, diet and obesity issues, tobacco use and prevention, and teenage pregnancy prevention.
HB-1032, an “Act to Ban Conversion Therapy,” provides that “conversion therapy” does not include counseling that does not seek to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity and assists a person undergoing gender transition, provides acceptance, support, and understanding, or facilitates a person’s coping, social support, or identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation neutral intervention to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices.” The bill, however, would subject healthcare professionals to potential disciplinary action concerning their license if they engage in conversation therapy with patients.
Your “Under the Dome” Team:
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 3 (December 2, 2024)
In the words of Senator Greg Leding, speaking about the volume of pre-filed bills for 2025, “boy howdy.” The list of pre-filed bills originating from the Democrats in the House is lengthy and interesting. There are numerous bills which deal either directly or indirectly with issues of great importance to educators.
One of the bills, HB-1022, introduced by Representative Collins (D-House District 73) outlines a partial repeal of the performance-based incentive rewards, and amends the program to include public schools and open enrollment public charter schools. If the incentive funds are available, these schools will receive an incentive award in the amount of $100 for schools in the top 5% in student achievement, and $50 per student for schools in the top 10% of student achievement, as measured by the criteria set forth by the State Board of Education. HB 1023 would extend the eligibility requirements for loan forgiveness to increase the repayment amount. HB 1051 would provide flexibility for school start dates provided the minimum number of contact days is consistent with the requirements of State Board of Education regulations.
One of the more significant pre-filed bills for AEA members is HB-1024, which seeks to repeal the current prohibition on collective bargaining. The bill provides that nothing under state law can “interfere with, impede, or in any way diminish the right of employers and employees to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing in order to establish wages or other conditions of work.”
Your “Under the Dome” Team,
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 2 (November 27, 2024)
There were many bills of great interest to AEA educators during the first week of pre-filing, which began on November 15. These bills, taken together, outline the education priorities of the Democratic Party in the upcoming session. Representative Collins (D-House District 73) was the Democratic spokesperson for the pre-filing of these bills, on November 20.
HB-1020 seeks to repeal the Education Freedom Account, as well as to provide additional funding for students that receive special education services and to create a Community Schools Act Fund.
HB-1021 would create a tax credit for qualifying early childhood education program director, teachers, and instructional staff who are employed in a program that meets the Better Beginnings ratings standard and who earn less than the minimum K-12 annual salary for teachers.
HB-1025 seeks to create (or recreate) the Arkansas Teacher Fair Dismiss Act, with some additional requirements. The bill would provide a right to a hearing for those licensed educators employed in a public school district in the state for at least three years (the probationary period). The standard of review for such a hearing would be changed from an “arbitrary and capricious” standard of review, which is very difficult to prove, to be “just and reasonable cause.” The bill also provides the creation of rights to educator evaluations, contract renewal, hearing procedures, the right to an appeal over the recommendation of termination, and other important rights of licensed educators.
Information regarding other important pre-filed bills will be forthcoming the days prior to the commencement of the Legislative Session. Also, please be advised that the AEA Legislative Conference is currently scheduled for January 11, 2025. More details, including the AEA Legislative Guide and information about digital, phone, written, and in-person lobbying of the respective legislators, will be available soon.
Your “Under the Dome” Team
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
Volume 2025, No. 1 (November 26, 2024)
The introductory pre-filing and hearing process is now underway for the 2025 Arkansas Legislative Session. There have already been some important developments of interest to AEA educators, including the presentation of the Governor’s proposed budget and the submission of some notable pre-filed bills.
The Pre-Session Budget Hearings recently concluded after the Arkansas Legislative Council (ALC) initiated them on October 8, 2024. On November 21, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders presented her proposed budget, which outlined an increase in spending of $182 million. This proposed budget also outlined efforts to fund the Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs) by an additional $90 million, as well as an additional $90 million in set-aside funding. Approximately half of the proposed budget increase under the Governor’s budget proposal is therefore earmarked to fund the EFA voucher program.
On November 20, Senator Dan Sullivan (R, Senate District 20) again introduced a bill to curtail initiatives to recruit minority educators by prohibiting “discrimination and preferential treatment,” which would, among other things, strip Arkansas of state requirements to adhere to a teacher and administrator recruitment plan as well as recruitment of minority candidates in higher education. SB-3 would create a requirement that the government would be prohibited from discriminating or granting “preferential treatment” to, an individual or group in public education. While the bill outlines some exceptions to that prohibition, it also provides an enforcement process by which any person may bring a lawsuit against a public institution for violation of the law.
On November 21, Representative Andrew Collins (D-House District 73) introduced a bill to provide those educators that have been employed for over one year paid maternity leave or leave for the placement of an adoptee or foster child for up to 12 weeks.
Your “Under the Dome” Team
April Reisma, President
Dr. Bradley Bartels, Executive Director
Summer Lollie, Director of Field Operations
