With the start of another odd-numbered year comes the start of a new regular legislative session of the Arkansas legislature. The 95th General Assembly began on Monday, January 13, 2025, with Senators, Representatives, and constitutional officers being sworn in, rules adopted, and leadership announced. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders began her third year in office by announcing her plans for re-election in 2026 and her agenda for the 2025 regular session. Her goals include eliminating the remainder of the sales tax on groceries, continued implementation of the Arkansas LEARNS Act, and keeping the people of Arkansas safe. She also highlighted the successes in her first term with Arkansas being a top state for people moving, growth in the economy, tax cuts, decreased crime, improving schools, and stopping the leftist woke agenda.
Gov. Sanders continues a push to more conservative government after Arkansas dealt with eight years of Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s massive growth in government, blocking school choice statewide, and offsetting tax cuts with tax increases.
Sanders looks to work closely with the new speaker of the Arkansas house – Rep. Brian Evans of Cabot. Speaker Evans reflected on life-changing moments that lead him to the Arkansas House of Representatives, highlighted being guided by faith and sacrifice, and announced the chairs and vice chairs of house committees. You can read excerpts of the speech and see the announced chairs and vice chairs here.
Bills have been filed and committees have been organized to hear them soon. This will be the 10th year and fifth straight session that Conduit will publish a weekly legislative report highlighting bills affecting the Economic and Individual Freedom of Arkansans.
Conduit will flag and analyze bills that may be considered for the annual Legislative Scorecard that will be published later in 2025 scoring legislators on their votes. Conduit uses the proprietary Economic Freedom Filter to determine what bills to flag for potential scoring.
The Economic Freedom Filter considers whether a piece of legislation allows more freedom or less freedom by considering: (1) If it Grows or shrinks government (2) Increases/Decreases dependency on government and/or (3) Spends money the state does not have.
New this session, Conduit will also score bills that support a transparent, open, and honest government that is accountable to the people.
Each week a legislative report detailing important legislation impacting Arkansans economic freedom will be published. This report will be sent weekly to state legislators to have an outside analysis of legislation and know about the potential scoring of their votes on this legislation.
Conduit hopes this weekly legislative report tool will help aid the public and legislators in knowing exactly what a bill does while giving historical context, real-world impact, and cutting through any carefully crafted language that may confuse people.
