We are continuing our series on campaign words by asking: What does it mean when a candidate says, “I’ve been endorsed by the Chamber of Commerce.”
Most people think it is a good thing because they consider the many small businesses that are members of local Chambers of Commerce and the local Chamber’s efforts to promote shopping locally. But there is another side of the Chamber you probably won’t like if you are conservative, especially the State Chamber of Commerce.
To their shame, in July of 2021, the State Chamber led the way with a Chamber-sponsored seminar (given by highly paid attorneys) advising employers (after incentives had failed), how to legally force their workforce to take the Covid vaccine — or be terminated. It was after this Arkansas Chamber-sponsored mandate that Biden gave his famous “Our patience is wearing thin….” speech on September 9, which seemed to directly support the Chamber’s position already implemented by Arkansas employers such as Tyson, Walmart, and hospitals across the state.
While the State Chamber may support generally favorable legislation like income tax cuts, unemployment insurance reforms, and opposing unlawful squatting, too many times they act against the interests of most Arkansans.
This session highlighted the disconnect from the assumed pro-business mission of a chamber of commerce and the actions they take under the dome. Their recent legislative report for 2025 tells everyone where they stand. They highlight how they support and will spend money to implement new taxpayer-funded corporate welfare districts to funnel this taxpayer money to special interests and their preferred companies, who have the money and time to lobby for it. This highlights their rampant use and support for targeted special incentives and tax breaks for specific industries and companies.
They also brag about finally “privatizing” the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) through a new law passed this session (HB1797). This bill now allows this shady government organization with a history ripe with abuse, corruption, and cronyism to now operate free from oversight on how they give away taxpayer money. They are no longer subject to transparency laws that allow the people to know how they are operating or spending taxpayer money. Again, all in the name of “economic development” for special interests.
The State Chamber reports that they monitored 618 bills (nearly 40% of all legislation filed) for the 2025 regular session. This shows just how wide they cast their net. They included in their report how they even focused on legislation for “government employees” and against “property rights and zoning conflicts” – seemingly far outside the scope of what a person would consider for their local chamber’s mission. They bragged about defeating “anti-business” legislation, including the reform of the aforementioned largest state government welfare program (Medicaid Expansion). This reform effort would have saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. But it would also cost Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield and other potential insurance providers millions of dollars in premiums collected. So, Arkansas will remain the only state with a corrupt Medicaid expansion model rather than the direct fee-for-service model – all for free healthcare for able-bodied, working-age adults who do not work full-time. The State Chamber went even further this session by opposing and lobbying against legislation to protect people against vaccine harm (SB6) and to allow the people locally to decide on water fluoridation (SB2).
