In the first few days of Governor Sarah Sanders’ term of office, the Governor issued several Executive Orders to state government. The Executive Orders include:
- An effort to stop the radical left’s Critical Race Theory indoctrination of children in schools.
- A procedure to reduce the burden of state agency rules by requiring most agencies to obtain the Governor’s approval before moving forward on rules.
- Several orders designed to improve state government and reduce waste
- A repeal of COVID-19 Executive Orders issued by former Governor Asa Hutchinson; and
- A review of previous Executive Orders to determine which should be repealed.
To see Governor Sanders’ Executive Orders follow this link.
In the first few days after being inaugurated, Governor Sanders is showing the state what it looks like to have a Republican governor. The Governor’s Executive Orders are a breath of fresh air after eight years of Governor Asa “MSNBC” Hutchinson’s carefully crafted double speak and dancing around issues so as not to offend the liberal media.
For the following reasons we assume Governor Sanders will follow up some, but not all, of the Executive Orders with strong legislation.
- First, Executive Orders are often repealed or reversed from one Governor to the next. We have also seen dramatic changes of Presidential orders such as President Trump repealing many orders of President Obama and President Biden repealing many orders of President Trump. Some of what Governor Sanders put in Executive Orders should be given permanent status by being passed as legislation.
- Second, Executive Orders do not have as broad a reach as legislation passed by the General Assembly because not all political entities are under the control of the Governor.
- Third, the Arkansas General Assembly is overwhelmingly a Republican majority, unlike the divided Congress which makes Executive Orders the only way to get some things done.
Governor Sanders is setting a conservative tone. Now it is time for the members of the General Assembly to join in by passing legislation consistent with the conservative agenda of the Republican Party of Arkansas.
