Natural State News

Rex Nelson, the senior editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, talked to Roby Brock of Talk Business and Politics as he praised the leadership but discussed what he saw as problems in the current legislative session in Arkansas. 

"I think we've been helped by the fact that we have a very good moderate speaker in Matthew Shepherd over on the House side," Nelson said in his interview.

Nelson then addressed criticisms of the session. 

"I'm seeing a lot of divisive social issues that really don't have anything to do with state government," Nelson told Brock. "The real goal of a legislative session ought to be to set a budget in which we spend the dollars as efficiently as possible and then we provide services that are hopefully, again, as efficient as possible. We ensure efficient state government. I think we've allowed this legislative session to get away from that."

In light of these criticisms the legislature took measures to be more productive this session. On March 22, the Arkansas House of Representatives advanced a resolution to delay the end of the legislative session to April 30. 

The resolution also enables the legislature to reassemble later this year to handle redistricting. During that session redistricting, the coronavirus, responses to vetoes and any general "errors and oversights" will be the only topics covered. In addition, the Arkansas House passed a resolution by a 92-1 vote to go into recess without adjourning, thus enabling them to begin the later session without an order from the governor.