Credit Arkansas House
A bill that would establish statewide minimum housing standards is one step closer to going to the governor, after passing the Arkansas House on Thursday.
By a vote of 89-0, with one member voting present, representatives passed Senate Bill 594.
The legislation establishes minimum housing standards for rented properties that landlords must provide such as an available source of electricity and a functioning roof.
Neither landlords nor tenants rights’ advocates have expressed major dissent over the amended legislation, though Lynn Foster with the group Arkansans for Stronger Communities, said previously in a committee meeting that the bill does not do enough to be considered a habitability standards bill. Arkansas is currently the only state in the country without a statewide warranty of habitability in its code.
House Passes Housing Standards Bill, Fails Commerce Appropriation ualrpublicradio.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ualrpublicradio.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Credit Arkansas Senate
The Arkansas Senate failed to pass appropriations for the Arkansas Department of Commerce s 2021-2022 fiscal year on Monday. Members of the Senate voted 20-8 with five members not voting, which was ultimately not enough to pass Senate Bill 132.
In speaking against the bill, Sen. Trent Garner, R-El Dorado, said he could not vote for any appropriation that would fund and pay for the head of the Department of Commerce, Sec. Mike Preston. I’ve lost confidence in his ability to lead that critical department, Garner said. We look over the last year, we look at how contracts went to out-of-state businesses like Carvana for economic development, putting our small businesses here in Arkansas at a competitive disadvantage. We look at how he has authorized $15 million dollars for grants during the height of the pandemic without approval from this body.
Some Arkansans still waiting on pandemic unemployment assistance benefits
The Department of Commerce says the backlog is cleared up but says there are several reasons people still haven t received their benefits. Author: Kathryn Gilker Updated: 6:56 PM CDT April 19, 2021
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Many Arkansans who have filed for unemployment benefits still have not received all of their benefits. Some people have gone months without receiving any money and say they are frustrated they aren’t able to get a hold of anyone to tell them why.
“It has been very frustrating. There were times that it had gotten so bad, money was so tight that I didn’t know if we were going to make it,” Angelia Guest said.
Unemployment benefits hurting job market in Arkansas thv11.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from thv11.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.