tippi mccullough
Proposed ban on teachers using transgender pronouns heads to Arkansas Senate
The Arkansas House approved a bill Monday that would require school employees in Arkansas to address students and other employees by their given names and pronouns. House Bill 1468 would require written permission from a minor’s parent or guardian for school employees to use any “pronoun or title that is inconsistent” with the minor’s biological […]
Bill allowing malpractice suits for transgender minors’ health care goes to Sanders’ desk
A proposed law that would open the door for medical malpractice lawsuits against Arkansas doctors who provide gender-affirming care to transgender minors passed the House on Wednesday and will go to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk. Senate Bill 199 would create civil liability for a doctor who “performs a gender transition procedure on a minor […]
Arkansas governor signs wide-ranging education bill into law
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday signed expansive changes to Arkansas’ education system into law. The LEARNS Act takes unprecedented steps in hopes of restructuring the state’s K-12 schools, addressing teacher pay, school safety, career readiness, literacy, a new voucher program and “indoctrination,” among other topics. The legislation was Sanders’ main priority since taking office […]
Governor shares details of education overhaul proposal
Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday unveiled some details of her long-awaited education overhaul plan, which includes raising the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 and rolling out a new school voucher program that will eventually be available to all Arkansans. During a press conference inside the Capitol, Sanders said providing every child with access to […]
Arkansas House approves work requirement for public housing recipients
A proposed Arkansas law that would require able-bodied adults to work or volunteer part-time to receive federal housing assistance will head to the Senate after passing the House in a party-line vote Monday. Adults between the ages 19 and 64, except people with disabilities and participants in drug and alcohol treatment programs, would have to […]
Rewritten ‘drag’ bill passes Arkansas House, will return to Senate
The Arkansas House passed a heavily amended bill Monday that prohibits “adult-oriented” performances from public property or using public funds. The original version of the bill sought to restrict drag performances, but the version passed by the House on a party-line vote doesn’t mention the word “drag.” Senate Bill 43, which was rewritten Thursday, defines […]
Two LGBTQ-specific bills move forward in Arkansas Legislature
Two proposed laws that activists say discriminate against LGBTQ Arkansans progressed in the state Legislature Wednesday. State Rep. Mary Bentley (R-Perryville) is sponsoring both bills and has said repeatedly that they are meant to protect children from sexual behavior that could emotionally damage them. House Bill 1156 would restrict bathroom use in public schools based […]
Democrats file legislation to increase pay for Arkansas teachers, school staff
Arkansas Democrats filed bills on Thursday to raise minimum salaries for teachers to $50,000 a year and for classified staff to $15 an hour. Sponsored by House Minority Leader Rep. Tippi McCullough (D-Little Rock), the Raising Arkansas’s Investment in Schools and Educators (RAISE) Act calls for an immediate $10,000 raise for all full-time teachers. The […]
Arkansas legislative Democrats promise to fight, acknowledge bleak numbers
Democratic leaders know they don’t have the numbers to win many battles in the Arkansas Legislature, but they still plan to try to find common ground with Republicans and fight bills they oppose. Arkansas Democrats hold essentially no power as a group after Republicans solidified supermajorities in both the state House and Senate during November’s […]
Arkansas LGBTQ group cancels minor league baseball event after drag queen denied first pitch
A Central Arkansas LGBTQ advocacy group canceled its participation in an Arkansas Travelers game Thursday after the team did not allow a drag queen to throw the first pitch, the organization said in a Facebook post. Central Arkansas Pride was set to host its second Out Days, in which members of the local LGBTQ community […]
Lawmakers approve $188 million in relief funds for schools in third review round
An Arkansas Legislative Council subcommittee approved the disbursal of $188 million in federal relief funds to 44 school districts Thursday. This was the third round of plans reviewed by lawmakers. Today’s authorization by the Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review panel is part of the council’s continued efforts to review districts’ use of American Rescue Plan […]