Arkansas Lawmakers Near Completion of Budget Work Amid Tax Credit and Staffing Debates
Arkansas lawmakers are approaching the conclusion of their fiscal session, with expectations to finalize budget work by Wednesday. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders plans to call a special session to discuss tax cuts, although a formal schedule has not been announced. A key legislative proposal involves increasing the state's homestead property tax credit to $675, a $300 rise since Sanders took office. This bill has significant support, with 68 co-sponsors in the House and 34 in the Senate, and is likely to pass. Meanwhile, a proposal by Sen. Terry Rice to eliminate a senior adviser position in the governor's office, held by Joe Profiri, failed to advance. Profiri, hired in 2024 after being dismissed as corrections secretary, has been criticized for his high salary and lack of engagement on a controversial prison project. Other legislative efforts include funding for small isolated school districts and Arkansas' public television network's PBS membership dues. 
