Arkansas Senate Bill SCR1

Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/13/25
• Report Pass: 1/16/25
• Engrossed: 1/21/25
• Refer: 1/21/25
• Report Pass: 1/29/25
• Passed: 1/30/25

Caption

To Adopt The Joint Rules Of The House Of Representatives And The Senate Of The Ninety-fifth General Assembly.

Impact

Beyond the operational aspects, SCR1 outlines how fiscal impact statements must be attached to any legislation affecting lottery-funded scholarships. These statements are essential for assessing the financial implications of the proposed changes, which is intended to promote fiscal responsibility. Moreover, the bill affects how and when existing scholarship programs can be modified, placing additional controls that might delay necessary updates or enhancements to scholarship offerings.

Summary

SCR1 proposes significant changes related to the introduction and consideration of bills affecting scholarship funding sourced from state lottery revenues. It sets strict deadlines for introducing bills creating new scholarships or modifying existing ones, mandating that such bills must be introduced within the first 31 days of a regular session. If this deadline is missed, a three-fourths majority vote is required in both chambers to allow for the introduction of such bills. This aims to ensure that there is timely consideration of education funding issues which are crucial for students and educational institutions dependent on these funds.

Contention

Notably, there are concerns among lawmakers and stakeholders regarding the implications of these restrictions. Critics argue that rigid timelines could hinder the responsiveness of the legislature to changing educational needs, particularly if new scholarships are needed to address unforeseen circumstances or gaps in funding. Supporters contend that these measures are necessary to maintain a disciplined legislative approach and to avoid last-minute changes that could destabilize funding streams for educational programs. The bill will likely see significant debate regarding its balancing act between ensuring fiscal responsibility and maintaining flexibility in educational funding.