AGP Executive Report

Medicaid & Maternal Care: Arkansas lawmakers cleared rules to let Medicaid cover doula services starting Sept. 1, a move aimed at improving maternal health outcomes and reducing cost barriers for expectant parents. Health Care Finance: Northeast Arkansas hospital leaders warned that Medicaid changes coming in 2027 could add pressure as reimbursement lags while costs keep rising. Education Policy: Arkansas education officials advanced updated Course Choice Program rules, tightening how outside providers get authorized and how courses are funded for students in grades 6-12. Local Government: Jefferson County Quorum Court will hold an emergency meeting Aug. 24 on a $1.5 million sanitation funding package amid reported operating deficits and sanitation contract procurement questions. Animal Control: Saline County just adopted a new animal control ordinance after testimony tied to stray dog attacks. Trade & Tariffs: Canada’s PM Mark Carney says retaliatory tariffs will hit the U.S. starting Sept. 8 after trade talks broke down. Energy & Industry: Alcoa was selected to negotiate a federal award tied to recovering critical minerals from Arkansas bauxite residue in Saline County. Public Safety: Arkansas agencies are joining a national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement push ahead of Labor Day.

Impaired Driving Crackdown: Arkansas law enforcement is joining the federal “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign ahead of Labor Day, with extra enforcement aimed at preventing drunk-driving crashes. Direct Democracy Fight: A federal judge permanently blocked Arkansas laws that restrict ballot initiative and referendum efforts, ruling residency and signature-based pay rules violate the First Amendment; the state says it will appeal. Public Safety & Crime: DHS highlighted fentanyl seizures and arrests statewide as part of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day, while Little Rock police say a driver fleeing on I-430 crashed, killing a passenger. Courts & Scams: Two Indian nationals pleaded guilty in a Gentry PayPal refund scam tied to fraud targeting elderly victims. Sexual Predator Sting: Court filings detail a Harrison man accused of internet stalking of a child, including claims he offered a job described as “having sex while cattle farming.” Local Governance: White County quorum court appointed George Brown to finish his late wife’s term as county judge. Health Policy: Arkansas Medicaid rules approved to cover doula care starting Sept. 1. Community Notes: Calico Rock marked Vada Sheid Day with a Women’s Hall of Fame celebration.

Arkansas Supreme Court & Direct Democracy: The court dismissed a lawsuit seeking to keep a pro-direct democracy ballot measure on the November ballot, after Protect AR Rights was rejected for using the wrong ballot name on petition pages. Elections & Governance: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders set a Nov. 3 special election for House District 8 after Austin McCollum resigned following domestic violence charges; the GOP nominee is Kara Armas, with Democrats still lining up an opponent. State Politics: A Q&A with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred Love frames his pitch on groceries, education, and healthcare as he tries to break through against Sanders’ fundraising edge. Courts & Public Safety: NCAA eligibility litigation put two Arkansas football players in limbo after a federal appeals court granted the NCAA a stay. Economy Watch: Arkansas unemployment held at 4.0% in July as job growth moderated. Defense & Federal/Global: Lockheed Martin completed the first F-35A for Germany, with early basing planned in Arkansas. Local Crime: An Oklahoma man pleaded not guilty in Fort Smith to sexual assault involving a child under 14.

Supreme Court Appointment: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Cory Cox as a temporary special justice to fill in for Justice Barbara Webb while she’s temporarily unable to serve, ending when Webb returns or Dec. 31. Medicaid Watch: More than 50 Arkansas healthcare groups are urging CMS to approve a two-year extension of ARHOME so the state can wind down the current hybrid expansion and build a replacement without disrupting coverage for 200,000+ patients. Federal Policy & Data: A national abortion-rights debate spilled into a Senate CDC confirmation hearing, with Arkansas Sen. Josh Hawley pressing Dr. Erica Schwartz on expanding abortion reporting beyond voluntary state submissions. Elections & Polling: A new poll shows a tight Congressional District 2 race, with Chris Jones leading French Hill 48%-44% among likely voters. Law Enforcement & Privacy: Arkansas lawmakers reviewed proposed Highway Police rules for license plate readers and Flock cameras, including how long data is retained and concerns about outside vendors. Weather & Safety: Severe storms hit southern Arkansas, damaging Monticello school buildings and causing outages and school closures. Energy & Industry: Entergy Arkansas broke ground on the Ironwood Power Station in Hot Spring County, a 446-megawatt natural gas project tied to the retirement of a nearby unit. Community & Local Life: Fort Smith is clearing the way for a Butterfield Stagecoach monument downtown, and Arkansas lawmakers are also stepping up Labor Day impaired-driving enforcement statewide.

SNAP Overhaul: The Trump administration’s SNAP “no-soda/no-candy” push is expanding, with South Carolina starting Aug. 31 and North Dakota, Montana, Ohio and Virginia following—retailers will block certain items at checkout, while benefit amounts stay the same. Arkansas Courts: The Arkansas Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit challenging the rejection of a direct democracy ballot measure after Secretary of State Cole Jester said petition pages had an incorrect ballot name; Protect AR Rights says the ruling shut the door without a clear explanation. Supreme Court Personnel: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Cory Cox as a special justice to serve temporarily while Justice Barbara Webb recovers from a head injury. State Politics: Arkansas Democrats are pointing to momentum in three legislative battleground regions as they chase more House seats. Local Law Enforcement: Texarkana police arrested a suspect after a high-risk SWAT search warrant tied to a Price Lane shooting. Public Safety & Compliance: Walmart says it’s using $2.9B in tariff refunds to lower prices. Community Spotlight: Bryant native Cara Brookins will keynote an Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund luncheon in Little Rock.

Arkansas Courts & Appointments: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders named attorney Cory Cox as a Special Justice on the Arkansas Supreme Court while Justice Barbara Webb recovers from a head injury, with Cox serving through Dec. 31, 2026 (or Webb’s return). State Politics & Elections: A Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College poll finds U.S. Senate race momentum for Democrat Hallie Shoffner over Sen. Tom Cotton, within the survey’s margin of error. Local Government: White County Republicans chose an administrative assistant to succeed late County Judge Lisa Brown, setting up a path to the Nov. 3 ballot. Public Safety: Arkansas State Police Cpl. Chris Short was honored as MVCI Officer of the Year for major highway drug interdictions. Education & Civil Rights: The U.S. Department of Education opened a civil rights investigation into Milwaukee Public Schools over whether race is used in discipline decisions, alongside a separate Fayetteville-related probe. Medicaid Policy: Arkansas is seeking a two-year extension after a verbal denial of ARHOME Medicaid expansion renewal could affect 200,000+ people. Legal/Policy Watch: A federal appeals ruling cleared the way for Arkansas Act 372, which could expose librarians to criminal liability over “harmful” materials. Energy & Cost of Living: GasBuddy reports show Arkansas regular prices easing statewide in the week ending Aug. 8, with notable low points in multiple counties. Business & Economic Development: Sanders visited Paragould, Corning and Jonesboro, highlighting a planned $150 million InnovAsian investment and jobs tied to the Jonesboro food-processing push. Crime: In a separate development, Kendra and Joseph Duggar entered a 12-month advisement/probation period in their Arkansas child neglect case, with dismissal possible if they comply.

College Access: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and the Arkansas Department of Education launched the Arkansas ACCESS Portal, letting high school seniors submit one application to up to five participating Arkansas colleges/universities with no application fees, with data auto-filled via the state’s electronic transcript system. Public Safety Tech: Several Arkansas cities—including Centerton, Greers Ferry, Searcy, Mayflower, Farmington and Pea Ridge—are ending or pausing Flock Safety automated license plate camera use, and lawmakers are signaling possible regulation next session. State Energy Policy: An Arkansas legislative panel reviewed a nuclear feasibility study concluding nuclear power is “feasible and advisable,” citing rising demand, coal retirements, and the need for reliable generation. Law Enforcement: Arkansas agencies are stepping up DWI enforcement for Labor Day under the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. National Education Oversight: The U.S. Department of Education opened an investigation into Milwaukee Public Schools over discipline practices that may consider race. Military Partnership: The Arkansas National Guard won top awards for its security cooperation work with Guatemala under the National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program.

Education & Community Support: Ozarks Free the Future (OFF) wrapped up its Aug. 3-7 back-to-school backpack drive, delivering 51 filled backpacks to Baxter, Boone and Marion county districts for grades K-12. Public Safety & Local Government: North Little Rock firefighters extinguished a wildfire near the VA Law Enforcement Training Center on Fort Root Drive in about 90 minutes; cause was unknown. Insurance Regulation: A new ZestyAI analysis says 44% of insurer rate filings face at least one regulator objection, adding a median 38 days and potentially driving bigger rate shocks later. State Education Contract: An Arkansas legislative panel advanced a nearly $12.4M federal grant contract for a California virtual tutoring firm to provide rural “Science of Reading” instruction to 750 first graders over four years. Higher Ed Access: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and ADE launched the Arkansas ACCESS Portal, a single, no-fee college application for seniors applying to up to five participating colleges. Politics & Polling: A Talk Business & Politics-Hendrix College poll shows Gov. Sanders leading in a hypothetical race (45% to Love’s 40%, Shelby 7%), while Trump’s job disapproval in Arkansas sits at 53%. Courts & Culture Wars: Civil liberties groups asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Texas’s Ten Commandments classroom display law, with Alabama’s similar measure also facing scrutiny. Local Ballot Watch: Fort Smith cleared a major hurdle for a November 2026 change-of-government question after city clerk verified enough signatures.

Medicaid Expansion Showdown: Arkansas asked CMS to extend its ARHOME Medicaid waiver through 2028 after Trump denied renewal, keeping coverage for 200,000+ low-income Arkansans in limbo; Libertarian Colt Shelby says the governor should push for indefinite extension, while the other candidates’ approaches are also framed around the looming Dec. 31 waiver end. Election Politics: Voters head to the polls Tuesday for the Arkansas Senate District 1 special Republican primary between Laura “Missy” Wardlaw and Harrell Wilson, with the winner facing Eudora Mayor Tomeka Butler in November. Education Policy: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and ADE launched the Arkansas ACCESS Portal, a one-login, one-form application system letting seniors apply to up to five colleges for free, with transcripts and scores auto-populating. Courts & Culture Wars: Civil rights groups urged the U.S. Supreme Court to review Texas’s Ten Commandments display law in public schools, a fight with direct echoes in Arkansas. Local Government Watch: Arkansas County set a Sept. 1 public hearing on up to $600M in solar-and-battery bond financing; Ozark voters will decide in November whether to repurpose a 1% sales tax for water system improvements. Public Safety: Benton police investigated a reported shooting threat at Benton High School; Searcy closed a bike trail after a chemical spill into Gin Creek. Media & Civic Life: Little Rock Public Radio’s podcast “Track One” won a National Edward R. Murrow Award.

Election Integrity Fight: A ballot-initiative group, the Liberty Initiative Fund, is pushing state constitutional changes to require proof of citizenship and tighter voter-roll rules, arguing Congress won’t act on election eligibility reforms. Homelessness & Local Enforcement: Wichita’s largest homeless encampment at Chapin Park is set for an imminent sweep, with plans to clear and destroy sites and potentially deforest the area. Arkansas Law Enforcement: Arkansas AG Tim Griffin announced the arrest of Jacksonville’s Micheal Heird on 14 counts tied to child sexual abuse material after a Google cybertip and a search warrant. Public Safety & Courts: A Franklin County deputy’s deadly-force shooting was ruled justified by prosecutors after a man tried to grab a deputy’s gun during a stabbing response. State Government & Health Coverage: DHS Secretary Janet Mann told lawmakers Arkansas is optimistic the Trump administration will extend the ARHOME Medicaid expansion waiver short-term, warning a denial could still shift beneficiaries to fee-for-service coverage. Education Policy: The U.S. Supreme Court is set to weigh challenges to Texas’s Ten Commandments classroom display law, a case that could shape how states handle religious displays in schools. Local Politics: Filing has closed for independent candidates in Union County’s Nov. 3 city elections. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reports the lowest midgrade and E85 prices in several Arkansas counties, with midgrade lows around $3.54–$3.96 and E85 lows near $2.12–$2.49.

Library Rules & Funding: The Arkansas State Library Board revised proposed rules that would tie state aid to how public libraries handle minors’ access to “sexually explicit” materials, adding another public-comment period through Sept. 13 after concerns about accidental misplacement. Criminal Justice: Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Phillips ruled a Franklin County Sheriff’s Office deputy’s deadly-force use justified in a May 15 stabbing incident, citing the deputy’s reasonable belief he faced imminent deadly force. State Politics & Elections: A new prompt asks who Arkansans would vote for in the U.S. Senate race if the election were held today, keeping the spotlight on the state’s political matchup. Public Safety Tech: Coverage continues on Arkansas-related debates over surveillance and library/records issues, including how camera and tracking tools are being used and challenged. Economy & Daily Life: A national grocery-price comparison says Aldi is the cheapest major chain in Arkansas, while local gas-price reports track week-to-week changes across counties.

Education & Accountability: State Education Secretary Jacob Oliva told lawmakers Arkansas’ 15 education service cooperatives are being reworked after years of “dollars out the window,” saying teachers and principals are now better supported and test scores have improved. School Choice: Arkansas officials project 50,000 students in the Educational Freedom Account this year—about 12% more than last year—after parents complained about slow and unclear reimbursement processing. Local Governance: A legislative panel heard briefings on “Issue 3,” a constitutional amendment that would let cities and counties create economic development districts and issue bonds repaid with future tax revenue. Energy & Rates: Entergy Arkansas’ rate formula case drew sharp public pushback in Little Rock, with critics linking the utility’s plans to data-center growth and distrust of who benefits. Courts & Federal Appointments: President Trump nominated Eastern District of Arkansas Judge Lee Rudofsky to the Eighth Circuit, drawing praise from supporters who cite his originalist record. Public Safety: Dry heat is tightening burn-ban conditions in parts of Arkansas, with officials warning wind-driven embers can spread fires fast. Wildlife/Health & Policy: Arkansas lawmakers also got updates on lithium development efforts and battery-material testing tied to Arkansas-sourced feedstock.

Legislative Secrecy Fight: State Sen. Joshua Bryant and fellow GOP lawmakers invoked legislative privilege to block depositions of two Arkansas deputy attorneys general in a case tied to Gov. Sanders’ China rhetoric, arguing lawmakers need room for candid policy talks. School Choice Growth: Arkansas expects about 5,500 more students in the Educational Freedom Account program for 2026-27, pushing total participation to roughly 50,000 and costs above $367 million. Surveillance Cameras: Little Rock and North Little Rock use Flock Safety plate readers, even as several Arkansas cities move to shut off Flock cameras and switch vendors. Public Safety & Courts: Jonesboro police say a man struck four pedestrians in two locations, injuring two critically, and faces multiple felony charges. State Government Watch: Arkansas officials reported no change in active lawyers in Crawford County in July (30 total), while Saline and Lonoke each saw small month-to-month drops. Local Business/Community: Visit Bentonville CEO Kalene Griffith was named to the Destinations International board; Braum’s announced a Clarksville opening next week. Weather: Magnolia remains under a heat advisory through Tuesday with highs around 102-103 and heat indexes near 106-107.

Legislative Secrecy Fight: State Sen. Joshua Bryant and GOP lawmakers are invoking legislative privilege to block depositions of two Arkansas deputy attorneys general in a crypto-mining dispute tied to Gov. Sanders’ China rhetoric. School Choice Costs: Arkansas expects about 5,500 more students in the Educational Freedom Account program for 2026-27, pushing total participation to roughly 50,000 and costs above $367 million. Surveillance Cameras: Little Rock and North Little Rock use Flock Safety and SkyCop license plate readers, with questions about retention and how long data is kept. Public Safety—School Buses: The House is reminding drivers of Isaac’s Law: stop for stopped school buses with red lights and stop arms, with penalties up to $2,500. Forensics Upgrade: Arkansas lawmakers announced major investment in the State Crime Lab, including a new facility and added staff to expand DNA, toxicology, firearms, digital evidence, and medical examiner services. Internet Safety: Arkansas highlights National Internet Safety Month, citing a near-30% rise in reports tied to child sexual abuse material and urging stronger family safeguards. Local Crime: Jonesboro police arrested a man accused in two hit-and-run incidents that struck four pedestrians, injuring two critically.

School Safety & Civic Duty: As Arkansas heads into a new school year, the House is reminding drivers that it’s illegal to pass a stopped school bus with red lights flashing and the stop arm out, with fines up to $2,500 under Isaac’s Law. Public Safety & Infrastructure: The Arkansas State Crime Lab is getting major upgrades, including a new facility slated for completion in 2027, expanding DNA, toxicology, firearms, digital evidence, and medical examiner services. State Government Oversight: The Arkansas Legislative Council reviewed revenue and policy items including proposed changes to the Educational Freedom Account, new wind energy permitting rules, and health insurance contribution rates. Disability Access: Lawmakers marked the ADA anniversary by passing multiple accessibility-focused acts, from clearer college accommodation policies to new scholarship and “envelope” programs for autism and mental illness. Privacy & Surveillance Debate: Louisiana drivers can now check whether their plates were searched in Flock Safety systems via “Have I Been Flocked?”—a reminder that searches don’t necessarily mean an investigation. Courts & Open Records: An Arkansas judge dismissed AG Tim Griffin’s open-records lawsuit against the Board of Corrections after board members backed a settlement. Health & Consumer Alerts: The FDA upgraded a 19 million-egg salmonella recall to the most serious level. Water & Drought: Fort Smith asked water customers to follow voluntary conservation measures amid triple-digit heat and low rainfall. Wildfire Watch: The Department of Agriculture warned wildfire risk is rising statewide, with burn bans in place in dozens of counties.

Medicaid & federal policy: Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton joined AG Tim Griffin to back the STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act, framing it as a way to boost Medicaid Fraud Control Units and crack down on beneficiary, recipient, and provider fraud. Prisons & open government: A Pulaski County judge dismissed Griffin’s open-records lawsuit against the Board of Corrections after the board voted to settle, ending a fight tied to who controls Arkansas’ Corrections Department. Library policy fight: The Arkansas State Library Board revised a proposed rule on restricting access to “sexually explicit” materials, softening enforcement language to “take all reasonable steps” and giving the public until Sept. 13 to comment. Surveillance oversight: Flock Safety says it’s tightening privacy and oversight for its license plate reader network, including shorter data retention and tools to limit data sharing between agencies. Courts & public safety: A Fayetteville judge is set to hear a case involving a state trooper’s ramming pursuit crash that seriously injured two people, while separate coverage reports Arkansas basketball player Isaiah Sealy arrested on multiple charges. Local governance: Fayetteville named a new chief of staff and chief information officer as the city plans for growth, and Brookland voters will consider bond restructuring for municipal improvements in November. Health & risk: Federal inspectors began work at Taylor Farms’ Mexican plant tied to the cyclosporiasis outbreak that has reached Arkansas among 17 states. Community & civic life: An NAACP Hope-Hempstead County branch meeting highlighted membership growth and upcoming local election and bond-related hearings.