S.R. 16 Fails in Arkansas Senate

Home School,

On Tuesday, the second of two bad homeschool Educational Freedom Account measures at the Arkansas Capitol failed.

Lawmakers created the Educational Freedom Account (EFA) program in 2023 making it possible for Arkansas students to use public funds to pay for an education at a public or private school or at home. Thousands of students have taken advantage of school choice in Arkansas under this program.

But this year, lawmakers filed H.R. 1008 and S.R. 16 reducing EFA funding for homeschoolers and imposing new restrictions under the EFA program.

These proposed laws are homeschool control measures dressed up as accountability measures. They turn educational freedom into a state compliance program.

On Tuesday, S.R. 16 failed in the Arkansas Senate. H.R. 1008 previously failed in committee.

This is good news, but lawmakers are still expected to review new rules from the Department of Education governing EFA accounts at some point in the near future.

The rules would prohibit Educational Freedom Account spending on team sports that require tryouts or that limit participation based on ability. That means that a homeschool student who wants to play basketball for a local school could not pay for athletic expenses with EFA money even though public schools pay for team sports with state money.

Arkansas law clearly caps extracurricular spending at 25% of a student’s total EFA funding, which means no more than one-fourth of a student’s EFA money can go toward team sports and extracurricular activities. The new rules go farther by prohibiting all spending on team sports that require tryouts.

Family Council and the Education Alliance are still urging homeschoolers to contact their lawmakers and ask them to oppose the new EFA rules from the Arkansas Department of Education.

You can call 501-682-2902 to leave a message asking your state senator to oppose these rules.

You can call 501-682-6211 to leave a message asking your state representative to oppose these rules.

The Following Senators Voted FOR S.R. 16

  • S. Flowers
  • Hickey
  • B. King
  • G. Leding
  • F. Love
  • R. Murdock
  • J. Scott
  • C. Tucker

The Following Senators Voted AGAINST S.R. 16

  • J. Boyd
  • J. Bryant
  • A. Clark
  • Crowell
  • B. Davis
  • Dees
  • J. Dismang
  • Flippo
  • Gilmore
  • K. Hammer
  • Hester
  • Hill
  • B. Johnson
  • M. Johnson
  • M. McKee
  • J. Payton
  • C. Penzo
  • J. Petty
  • Simon
  • Stone
  • D. Sullivan
  • D. Wallace

The Following Senators Did Not Vote

  • Caldwell
  • J. English
  • Irvin
  • Rice

The Following Senator Was Excused from Voting

  • J. Dotson

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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CA Authorities Seize 20K+ Illegal Marijuana Plants in Raids

Marijuana

California authorities seized more than 20,000 illegal marijuana plants in a series of related raids last week.

Nationwide, states like California and Colorado have legalized marijuana believing it would help stop illegal drug trafficking, and marijuana’s supporters often claim their laws contain safeguards and oversight to stop criminals.

But legalization has actually emboldened drug cartels and spread illegal marijuana on the black market. The U.S. Department of Justice has said organized crime from Mexico and China may be making millions of dollars from marijuana grown in states like California.

On April 16, California Department of Fish & Wildlife Cannabis Enforcement Program officers seized more than 20,000 illegal marijuana plants at three different locations. Law enforcement told the media all three locations also had foreign-labeled, illegal pesticides — something that has been a serious problem at other illicit marijuana grow sites.

All told, California has seized more than $1.2 billion in illegal cannabis since 2022.

In Maine, authorities have said there are hundreds of black market growing operations connected to Chinese organized crime groups.

Oklahoma’s lax marijuana laws have created similar issues, with law enforcement alleging that 40% of America’s illicit marijuana has come from legal grow sites in Oklahoma.

Major drug trafficking corridors pass through Arkansas, and as a result, the Arkansas State Police routinely intercept marijuana from other states that appears to be intended for the black market.

Besides fueling organized crime, marijuana’s legalization has also jeopardized public health in America.

Yale reports roughly 30% of current cannabis users now meet the criteria for addiction, and researchers writing in JAMA found nearly one in three “medical” marijuana users may suffer from cannabis use disorder.

THC — the main psychoactive substance in marijuana — has been tied to everything from heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.

In fact, researchers now say marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Kansas Legislature Stands Up for Free Speech, Life, and Families with Laws Similar to Arkansas’

Current Events, , , , , ,

The Kansas Legislature made headlines recently by overriding Governor Laura Kelly’s vetoes of several important bills — such as bills protecting free speech on college campuses, defunding Planned Parenthood, strengthening women’s informed consent laws, and expanding education freedom for families.

All of these measures are similar to good laws Arkansas has enacted over the years.

The Kansas Intellectual Rights and Knowledge Act — the KIRK Act — protects students at public colleges and universities from being censored for their beliefs. Under the law, students are free to engage in speech and expressive activities on campus without fear of punishment for holding the “wrong” viewpoint. The measure is similar to laws Arkansas has enacted in the past.

Public universities are supposed to be places where ideas are freely exchanged. But in recent years, students and faculty with traditional or Christian viewpoints have increasingly found themselves silenced. As our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom have said, this kind of viewpoint-based censorship is a clear violation of the First Amendment.

Government should not be in the business of picking which ideas are acceptable and which ones must be silenced.

The Kansas Legislature also voted to keep taxpayer dollars away from Planned Parenthood. That is exactly the right call.

Arkansans have long agreed that their tax dollars should not subsidize the abortion industry, and Arkansas law reflects that.

On education, Kansas lawmakers passed the Education Freedom Tax Credit, which lets families choose a school that reflects their values rather than being locked into a government-run school. That is a commonsense parental rights measure, and it mirrors the kind of education freedom Arkansas has worked to expand through its own Educational Freedom Account program under the 2023 LEARNS Act.

Arkansas has consistently been a leader when it comes to protecting free speech, the free exercise of religion, and the right to life. It’s good to see other state legislatures doing the same.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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