Stories by Rachel Herzog

Five lawmakers join call for U.S. vote audit Five Arkansas lawmakers have signed on to a letter calling for a 50-state audit of the 2020 presidential election and making unsubstantiated claims about corruption. The letter, addressed to "the cit... October 21, 2021

5 Arkansas lawmakers join call for U.S. vote audit Five Arkansas lawmakers have signed on to a letter calling for a 50-state audit of the 2020 presidential election and making unsubstantiated claims about corruption. The letter, addressed to "the cit... October 20, 2021

Sanders tops $11 million in Arkansas gubernatorial campaign; others also report Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders raised nearly $2.2 million last quarter, pushing her total fundraising haul past $11 million, the campaign reported Friday. Arkansas Surgeon ... October 20, 2021

Sanders' fundraising hits $11M; others also report Republican gubernatorial candidate Sarah Huckabee Sanders raised nearly $2.2 million last quarter, pushing her total fundraising haul past $11 million, the campaign reported Friday. Arkansas Surgeon ... October 19, 2021

Candidates for Arkansas governor file financial reports Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has raised more than $1.6 million for her bid for governor, while Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Jones surpassed $1 million in total campaign contri... October 16, 2021

Foes of new voting map rally at state Capitol Cheers and chants rang out from the state Capitol rotunda Thursday as voting-rights advocates gathered to speak out against Arkansas' recently enacted congressional redistricting plan. More than 100 ... October 15, 2021

Redistricting, shot-mandate exemption bills to become law without Arkansas governor's signature Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will allow a congressional redistricting plan that trisects the state's most populous county and legislation targeting employer-mandated coronavirus vaccinations to become... October 14, 2021

Arkansas governor to allow redistricting, shot-mandate exemption bills to become law Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will allow a congressional redistricting plan that would trisect the state’s most populous county and legislation targeting employer-mandated coronavirus vaccinations to b... October 13, 2021

Shot-mandate constraint defeated in Arkansas On the final day of the Arkansas Legislature's regular session, representatives rejected a Senate bill that would have prohibited employers from asking about a worker's covid-19 vaccination status. F... October 9, 2021

Arkansas lawmakers reject bill on right to vaccination status privacy, close session Arkansas lawmakers closed out the 93rd regular legislative session on Friday after rejecting a bill that would have created a right to privacy with regard to covid-19 vaccination status. Both the Hou... October 8, 2021

Bills to redraw congressional maps head to governor; changes remove 21,000 Black Pulaski County residents from 2nd District Arkansas lawmakers on Thursday voted to send the governor identical congressional redistricting bills that would trisect the state's most populous county, despite objections that the plans would remov... October 8, 2021

State lawmakers push through bill prohibiting employers from requiring disclosure of vaccine status A bill that would create a right of privacy regarding an employee's vaccination status sailed through the Arkansas Senate and cleared a House committee Thursday. Senate Bill 731, by Sen. Bob Ballinge... October 8, 2021

State Legislature sends redistricting bills to governor; plans would split Pulaski County into 3 parts The Arkansas House and Senate voted to send twin redistricting bills that would trisect the state’s most populous county to the governor Thursday morning. The Senate passed House Bill 1982 by Rep. Ne... October 7, 2021

State legislators pass 3-way split for Pulaski County; congressional map heads to final vote The Arkansas House and Senate passed redistricting bills that would divide the state's most populous county between three congressional districts on Wednesday, a week after coming back into session. ... October 7, 2021

Arkansas lawmakers OK opt-outs for covid vaccine mandates Identical bills aimed at exempting employees from federal or employer covid-19 vaccination mandates cleared the Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday. The measures are a response ... October 7, 2021

State House, Senate pass bills dividing Pulaski County among 3 congressional districts Both chambers of the Arkansas Legislature on Wednesday passed redistricting bills that would divide the state’s most populous county among three congressional districts. The Senate passed Senate Bill... October 6, 2021

Redistricting plans gelling at state Capitol; Pulaski County trisected in map backed by panels Lawmakers in both chambers of the Legislature on Tuesday advanced proposals to redraw the district lines for the state's four U.S. representatives that would split the state's most populous county, Pu... October 6, 2021

Arkansas lawmakers advance redistricting proposal Lawmakers on Tuesday advanced a proposal to redraw Arkansas’ four congressional districts. The lines for U.S. representatives are reconfigured every 10 years based on U.S. Census data to account for ... October 5, 2021

Arkansas Senate replies to shot mandate; 3 bills would limit effects of job policy The Arkansas Senate on Monday passed three bills targeting employer-mandated coronavirus vaccinations, as a contentious debate over pandemic-related measures overshadowed congressional redistricting o... October 5, 2021

Districts' redraw inching forward; splitting counties stirs map debate Arkansas lawmakers are set to reconvene Monday to continue working on redrawing the state's four congressional districts, after inching toward a consensus amid numerous different proposals over three ... October 3, 2021

Arkansas lawmakers adjourn without action on redistricting; committee hears vaccine-mandate bills Both chambers of the Arkansas Legislature have adjourned for the weekend with plans to reconvene Monday, without taking action on a plan to redraw the state's congressional districts. The 93rd Arkans... October 1, 2021

State's redistricting map on pause; lawmakers say they moved needle on consensus Arkansas lawmakers ended their second day of work Thursday on congressional redistricting without advancing any proposed map, but said they moved closer to a consensus. The 93rd Arkansas General Asse... October 1, 2021

State bills on employer-mandated shots advance, but fit for session at issue House and Senate committees Wednesday advanced a number of bills dealing with employer-mandated vaccinations, amid disagreement over whether the Arkansas Legislature could legally consider those bills... September 30, 2021

First day of remapping in Arkansas plows little new ground Arkansas lawmakers remained deadlocked over how to redraw the state's four congressional districts at the end of the first day they reconvened for that purpose. The Arkansas Legislature is responsibl... September 30, 2021

Redistricting proposals piling up in state; count hits 18 as legislators gather The Arkansas General Assembly is set to reconvene today to tackle redrawing the state's four congressional districts, but without a clear consensus across both chambers on what that map will look like... September 29, 2021

Splitting counties in Arkansas key to redistrict plans; remapping set to start Wednesday Splitting counties remained contentious Monday as legislative committees met to discuss redistricting bills for the final time before the Arkansas General Assembly reconvenes to tackle redrawing the s... September 28, 2021

State redistricting stirs debate; no consensus on proposed 3-way split of Pulaski County Redistricting bills that would split the state's most populous county among three congressional districts have generated conversation in the Arkansas General Assembly, though a consensus hadn't yet em... September 24, 2021

Arkansas lawmakers propose congressional redistricting bills that would split Pulaski County As Arkansas lawmakers develop ideas for redrawing congressional district boundaries, splitting the state's most populous county emerged in multiple proposals filed this week. The Arkansas Legislature... September 23, 2021

Redistricting bill that would split Pulaski County among 3 congressional districts filed in state Legislature A redistricting bill that would split Pulaski County among three separate congressional districts was filed Tuesday evening. Senate Bill 721 by Sen. Bart Hester, R-Cave Springs, puts parts of Arkansa... September 22, 2021

Salary commission favors 3% pay raises for elected state officials The commission that sets the pay for Arkansas' elected officials moved Tuesday to increase salaries for the state's elected constitutional officers and General Assembly members by 3% for fiscal 2022. ... September 22, 2021

Booklet from Huckabee-founded company held mask advice, Key declares A booklet aiming to inform children about the coronavirus was edited to recommend masking before it was distributed to the state's elementary schools, Arkansas Education Secretary Johnny Key said Tues... September 22, 2021

Redistricting bills focus on southeast Arkansas farm counties Arkansas lawmakers had an eye on keeping agriculturally similar counties in southeast Arkansas together when they discussed three congressional redistricting proposals on Monday. The Arkansas General... September 21, 2021

Arkansas Department of Education using federal coronavirus aid for kids' books from Huckabee-founded company Arkansas is using federal coronavirus relief funds to buy children's books about the coronavirus for distribution to schools in the state that are produced by a company co-founded by former Gov. Mike ... September 19, 2021

3rd GOP candidate enters Arkansas Secretary of State race A third Republican candidate has entered the race for Arkansas secretary of state in 2022. Eddie Joe Williams, a former state senator from Cabot, announced his bid for the office Monday morning. In ... September 14, 2021

3rd GOP candidate announces run for Arkansas Secretary of State A third Republican candidate is in the race for Arkansas Secretary of State. Eddie Joe Williams, a former state senator from Cabot, announced his candidacy Monday morning. “My commitment to you, the... September 13, 2021

20 years later, Hutchinson reflects on work in Drug Enforcement, Homeland Security in 9/11 aftermath In the nearly four years he spent in then-President George W. Bush's administration, Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson had a hand in the United States' efforts to prevent terrorism in response to the 9/11 ... September 10, 2021

2nd Democrat enters District 2 House race A second Democrat has officially entered the race for Arkansas' 2nd Congressional District. Quintessa Hathaway, an educator and entrepreneur from Sherwood, announced that she would seek the seat now ... September 10, 2021

Educator, entrepreneur Quintessa Hathaway announces bid for Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District A second Democrat has entered the race for Arkansas’ 2nd Congressional District. Quintessa Hathaway, an educator and entrepreneur, announced that she would run for the congressional seat that covers ... September 9, 2021

Salary commission favors 3% pay raises for Arkansas judges The commission that sets the pay for Arkansas' elected officials moved Wednesday to increase pay for judges by 3% for fiscal 2022. The Independent Citizens Commission's vote was unanimous and came tw... September 9, 2021

Conway Republican to vie for House seat Attorney and Conway native Trent Minner announced a Republican bid for Arkansas House District 72 on Tuesday. The seat has been held by Democrat Stephen Magie of Conway since 2013. Magie's fifth two-... September 9, 2021

Judge keeps pot-licensing lawsuit in Pulaski County LITTLE ROCK -- A lawsuit accusing state regulators of improperly denying a Carroll County medical-marijuana dispensary applicant the opportunity to compete for a license will continue in Pulaski Count... September 9, 2021

Judge keeps pot-licensing lawsuit in Pulaski County A lawsuit accusing state regulators of improperly denying a Carroll County medical-marijuana dispensary applicant the opportunity to compete for a license will continue in Pulaski County, a circuit ju... September 8, 2021

Arkansas ranks last in U.S. for voter turnout, registration, report on 2020 election says Arkansas ranks last in the U.S. in both voter turnout and registration, according to a federal report on the 2020 election that was published last month. The Natural State also had the highest absent... September 5, 2021

State revenue reaches a high of $588.6M; haul most ever for August Arkansas' gross general-revenue tax collections in August exceeded the state's forecast by $52 million, or 9.7%, the Department of Finance and Administration reported Thursday morning. Last month's t... September 3, 2021

Arkansas’ general revenue tax collections in August exceeded state's forecast by $47.1M Arkansas’ general revenue tax collections in August exceeded the state’s forecast by $47.1 million or 10%, the state Department of Finance and Administration reported Tuesday morning. Total general r... September 2, 2021

State agency urged to weigh higher Medicaid funding for assisted living facilities Legislators on Tuesday asked the Arkansas Department of Human Services to look at increasing the rate the state Medicaid program pays assisted living facilities. At a joint meeting of the Senate Comm... September 1, 2021

Marijuana businesses air complaints to Arkansas lawmakers Members of Arkansas' medical marijuana industry at a legislative subcommittee meeting last week aired frustrations with the state contractor used to track cannabis products and sales. The vice chairw... August 30, 2021

Arkansas judges, prosecutors seeking 3% salary bump Arkansas judges and prosecutors are asking the state commission that sets their pay for a 3% cost-of-living salary increase. Chief Justice Dan Kemp told the Independent Citizens Commission on Wednesd... August 26, 2021

Panel backs $5.6M in relief aid for UAMS; staffing, bed shortages spur endorsement A legislative committee on Monday endorsed a request to use about $5.6 million in federal coronavirus relief funds to go toward addressing staffing and bed shortages at the University of Arkansas for ... August 24, 2021

Naming of Little Rock law professorship raises questions A missing memo led to a Little Rock law school professorship being briefly named for former President Bill Clinton in 2020 and then to questions from lawmakers on Thursday. The professorship at the U... August 20, 2021