The Arkansas Legislature adjourned its fiscal session Wednesday, wrapping up three weeks of work that included debate over a multimillion economic incentive package and ended with lawmakers rejecting an effort to provide state matching funds for donations to the state’s public television network
Known in legislative jargon as “special language,” the strings lawmakers attach to budget bills used to be a dirty little secret of the Arkansas Legislature. They were a way to sneak major policy changes in without the public noticing.
The Senate voted 34-0 to allow Magnolia Republican Sen. Steve Crowell to introduce his proposal increasing the homestead tax credit to $675. An Arkansas House committee approved an identical bill last week.
Some lawmakers are hoping their colleagues will consider their non-budgetary bills during the fiscal session that began last week
