I hope that you had a chance to honor veterans last week. I shared what the Assembly has been doing in support of veterans; including making business and job search easier as well as continuing research to aid in uplifting veterans if they have struggles.
The 2021 Regular Session is fast approaching. We have had some national and local leadership changes; but we still must be about the business of the people. I have been sharing that we are continuing the budgeting process. We started October 13th with the pre-budgeting hearing process that will last until November 19th. Pre-filing bills and resolutions started on November 16th. The Assembly will host the Legislative Institute December 7th thru the 9th, and the Regular Session will convene on January 11, 2021.
This past week, Assembly members were presented with the Governor’s Balanced Budget Proposal as well as the General Revenue Forecast. Governor Hutchinson’s proposal is calling for diverse considerations for our State budget. The Governor proposes a tax reduction for new Arkansas residents as well as a tax reduction for vehicles valued at less than $10,000. The Governor’s proposal also includes recommendations for one-time funding from the expected surplus. That total is $240 million for the State. The considerations include a $30 million transfer to the Department of Commerce for rural broadband as well as a $100 million transfer to the Long-Term Reserve Fund. The law requires that the Governor present a balanced budget; however, all appropriation bills, executive branch proposals, and final budget items shall be legislatively approved.
The joint Education Committees from the House and Senate have proposed an increase of $99.7 million for funding k-12 education for the next fiscal year. They also proposed a progressive increase of $86.9 million for fiscal year 2023. Funding is currently $6,985 per student. The committee proposes an increase to $7,131 per student for next year increasing to $7,281 per student for the fiscal year 2023. This change was reflected in the Governor’s budget.
Also, this week, the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) issued an economic forecast. DFA expects an increase of $172 million which is a 3% rise over this previous fiscal year. The short-term financial outlook remains mixed because of challenges with COVID-19. We hope to soon recover from notable declines in restaurants, conventions, and travel. Assembly members can begin filing bills for the upcoming Assembly as of November 16. Constituents can follow legislation at www.arkansashouse.org. You can also find the General Revenue Forecast as well as the Governor’s Budget. Regular Session for the 93rd Assembly begins on January 11, 2021.
In other community news, please remember we are still in the middle of a pandemic. Coronavirus cases are rising in every state. Wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands often, and disinfect common surfaces. You and your family are worth it.
Finally, I like to share informative items that constituents might find useful. If you have questions about any legislation or the legislative process, feel free to contact me at my House of Representatives email at don.glover@arkansashouse.org or by phone at 501-682-6211. Follow me on Facebook @GloverForAR.
