Daily Summary for January 16th

The Arkansas House has officially wrapped up the first week of the 2025 Regular Session. On Thursday, the House Education Committee, House Judiciary Committee, and House Public Transportation Committee held their organizational meetings. Starting next week, committees will begin reviewing and discussing filed bills. Over 160 bills have been filed in the House thus far.

The House passed HB1056 on Thursday. This bill seeks to establish a Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. This committee, composed of 12 House members and 8 Senate members from the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, would conduct ongoing studies on military and veterans' issues.

Currently, most legislation affecting active military and veterans is handled by the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. A separate resolution is expected to be introduced to rename that committee.

The House will not meet on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and will reconvene on Tuesday, January 21, at 1:30 p.m.