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Arkansas Advocate
Reproductive health care in the Southeast hinges on Florida abortion-rights measure, doctors say
Dr. Cherise Felix says a recent patient yelled and swore at her before eventually hugging her, grateful she would no longer have to carry the planned-for baby that had died inside her. Felix provides abortions at Planned Parenthood clinics in Florida, which on May 1 banned abortion at six weeks’ gestation. She was able to […]
The Anti-Culture Warriors: Incubators training moderates to run for school board
In 2021, the sudden emergence of Moms for Liberty, the 1776 Project and other right-wing groups targeting mentions of race and LGBTQ people in education upended school board meetings — and elections — nationwide. Under the broad rallying cry of “parental rights,” the upstarts had overnight success recruiting culture-warrior candidates and helping them win board […]
Federal judge delays decision in Arkansas ‘indoctrination’ lawsuit
A federal judge on Wednesday heard arguments but did not rule on a motion to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges a section of the LEARNS Act prohibiting “indoctrination” in schools. The lawsuit challenging Section 16 of the LEARNS Act, which is titled “Indoctrination” and references Critical Race Theory, is also being heard in the U.S. […]
1 million+ patients lose coverage as insurers, hospitals drop Medicare Advantage
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Libby and Andrew Potter usually ignore the avalanche of Medicare Advantage ads that land in the mailbox at their home in Huntsville, Alabama, each fall as Medicare’s open enrollment period begins. Libby, a retired middle school librarian, has what she considers good health insurance through the state employee health plan. Andrew has […]
National Institutes of Health director visits Arkansas health facilities
The director of the National Institutes of Health on Tuesday praised the work of Arkansas’ medical community, which she said hasn’t historically received as much funding from her institution as other places. Dr. Monica Bertagnolli’s first trip to the Natural State was prompted by an invitation from U.S. Rep. Steve Womack, who led the NIH […]
In final months in office, Biden returns to where so many presidential hopes begin
With Election Day two weeks away, President Joe Biden stopped in Concord, New Hampshire, Tuesday to talk up his administration’s efforts to lower the costs of prescription drugs — and to begin to write his legacy on the issue of health care. It was his first time back in the state since May, when he […]
Georgia Supreme Court delays ruling on controversial election board rules until after Nov. 5
The Georgia Supreme Court Tuesday afternoon declined the Republican National Committee’s request to pause a trial court’s decision to block new Georgia State Election Board rules from taking effect during the Nov. 5 general election. The state Supreme Court issued the order rejecting the emergency motion filed by the Georgia Republican Party and Republican National […]
Newcomers campaign for open seats in the Arkansas House of Representatives
With no incumbents in seven contested races for the Arkansas House of Representatives this general election, residents will instead vote for a newcomer to act on their behalf in the state Capitol for the next two years. Candidates include nonprofit leaders, cattle ranchers, former pastors and military veterans. Candidate priorities in each district spanned the […]
Rhetoric versus reality: Addressing common misconceptions about immigration
MYTH: Immigrants increase crime rates Among the most persistent political talking points raised by opponents of immigration is that migrants bring crime with them into the U.S. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best,” former President Donald Trump famously said on the campaign trail in 2016. “Has anybody ever seen the movie […]
Arkansas lawmakers ask AG, ethics commission to investigate altered paper ballot petitions
An Arkansas legislative panel agreed Monday that state authorities should investigate potentially illegal alterations of petitions collected for a ballot measure proposing elections be conducted with hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots. After questioning witnesses for three hours about redacted and changed addresses on signature collection sheets from Conway, Faulkner and Saline counties, the Joint Performance Review […]
Early voting kicks off in Arkansas
Early voting in Arkansas started Monday, and residents took their concerns about the economy, reproductive rights and immigration with them as they cast their ballots in national, state and local elections. This general election, Arkansans will vote for the president, four congressional seats, a state Supreme Court chief justice, state treasurer, two statewide ballot initiatives […]
Arkansas Supreme Court orders secretary of state not to count medical marijuana amendment votes
The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Monday that votes cast in the November election for a proposed medical marijuana amendment will not be counted because the popular name and ballot title are misleading. The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2024 will still appear on the ballot as Issue 3 because the signature verification process was still […]
At odds over email and abortion rulings, Arkansas Supreme Court justices seek chief justice post
A dispute over emails at the Arkansas Supreme Court overshadowed the typically quiet campaign for the court’s chief justice post in the past two months. The disagreement saw the justices refer one another to the court’s disciplinary tribunal and heated up the contest between justices Karen Baker and Rhonda Wood for chief justice. The two […]
Concerns about LEARNS Act, abortion make some GOP-held Arkansas legislative races competitive
Democratic candidates for state legislative seats in Central and Northwest Arkansas are focusing on education, reproductive rights and working-class issues in their efforts to unseat Republican incumbents, and they say voters from both parties are responding. Since the 2022 elections, the Legislature’s Republican supermajority and Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders have enacted the wide-ranging LEARNS Act, […]
Where Harris, Trump campaigns stand on tech policy
Though technology policy isn’t one of the main drivers getting voters out to the polls in the upcoming presidential election, the speed in which technology develops will undoubtedly impact the way everyday Americans communicate, work and interact with the world in the next four years. Concern about artificial intelligence’s role in the election plague the […]
Department of Labor releases AI best practices for employers
The U.S. Department of Labor released a list of artificial intelligence best practices for developers and employers last week, aiming to help employers benefit from potential time and cost savings of AI, while protecting workers from discrimination and job displacement. The voluntary guidelines come about a year after President Joe Biden signed an executive order […]
Arkansas Legislative Council OKs bonuses for nurses who serve in state facilities
Nurses who care for people with profound intellectual disabilities at seven Arkansas state-run facilities are eligible for $5,000 bonuses after a legislative panel approved a Department of Human Services proposal Friday. The special compensation awards should be effective recruitment and retention measures for full-time “direct care” nurses at DHS’ seven facilities — the Arkansas State […]
Democratic candidates focus on voter education in Northwest Arkansas rematches
Northwest Arkansas voters may have a sense of déjà vu when they head to the polls in the coming weeks. Bentonville and Springdale residents will decide rematches in Arkansas House Districts 9, 10 and 11 where Democrats are focusing on voter education to improve their odds of victory this time around. All three Republican incumbents […]
Maryland and NY have repro rights questions on the ballots. They’re missing the word ‘abortion.’
Voters in 10 states will vote directly on reproductive rights proposals, but measures in Maryland and New York are a little bit different: Ballot summaries were crafted by lawmakers — not citizens — and exclude the word ‘abortion.’ Supporters of the ballot questions say the proposed constitutional amendments would secure existing abortion laws, while opponents […]
Early voting at two West Memphis churches required, Arkansas Supreme Court says
The Arkansas Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that early voting must occur at two West Memphis churches. The decision comes four days before early voting begins in Arkansas and after a few weeks of fast-paced legal filings and a ruling from Crittenden County Circuit Judge Chris Thyer, who ordered local election officials to conduct early […]
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Arkansas Advocate intends to show how state government affects the lives of everyday Arkansans so they can make informed decisions about themselves, their families and their communities. We strive to amplify the voices of all Arkansans. We focus especially on the relationship between people, power and policy. As an independent, nonpartisan news organization, Arkansas Advocate will keep an eye on the levers of power and those who manipulate them, and hold public officials accountable regardless of party or ideology. We believe news is a vital community service and ethical journalism a cornerstone of democracy, making us key players in fulfilling Arkansas’ state motto, Regnat Populus: “the people rule.” Arkansas Advocate proudly publishes the work of independent journalists. If you have a great idea and a passion for ethical, truthful storytelling, we’d love to hear from you. The Advocate also provides a forum for guest commentary on issues of interest to Arkansans. We separate opinion from our news reporting and clearly label each. Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Advocate retains full editorial independence.
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