4 News
THE POLK COUNTY
November 8, 2023
From the
State House of Representatives
The General Assembly also As November rolls around, passed Act 201 and Act 137. we are reminded of a day Act 201 seeks to have veterthat holds a special place in an disability benefits excluded the hearts of countless Ameras income for eligibility for the icans – Veterans Day. On this Supplemental Nutrition Assisoccasion, we pause to reflect tance Program (SNAP) by dion the sacrifices, courage, and recting DHS to seek a federal unwavering commitment of those who have served in the John Maddox waiver. Act 137 allows a licensing U.S. Armed Forces. Honoring our veterans is about rec- agency to consider national certificaognizing the sacrifices they’ve made. tions toward occupational licensure It’s the sleepless nights and missed requirements for uniformed service birthdays, anniversaries, and fam- members and veterans. It also extends ily gatherings. It’s the physical and the application for initial licensure to the emotional scars, the injuries, and the spouse of a uniformed service member post-traumatic stress that some bear or a uniformed service veteran and refor the rest of their lives. It’s the time moves the one-year limit for veterans away from home and the loved ones to apply for service education, training, left behind. It’s the uncertainty and the or certifications toward occupational licensure. courage to face danger head-on. We will continue to review proposMore than 186,000 veterans call Arkansas home. That equals close to 6% als to improve the lives of veterans in Arkansas. We encourage Arkansans of our state’s population. The Arkansas General Assembly to consider ways they can support continually reviews ways to ensure our veterans this Veterans Day and our veterans and their families are well throughout the year. Veterans Day is not just a day on the cared for and that our policies make life calendar; it’s a time for us to pause, rea little easier for those living here. In the last Regular Session, we flect, and appreciate the sacrifices and passed Act 395 defines “homestead” bravery of our veterans. It is a reminder for purposes of the property tax ex- that the debt we owe them is immeaemption for disabled veterans, sur- surable, but we can still strive to repay viving spouses, and minor dependent it with gratitude, respect, and support. children of disabled veterans.
Contact Your Legislators!
John Maddox
John Boozman
john.maddox@ arkansashouse.org 520 Church Avenue Mena, AR 71953 Call: 479-394-6060
1120 Garrison Ave. Suite 2B Fort Smith, AR 72901 Phone: (479) 573-0189 Fax: (479) 575-0553
Terry Rice
Bruce Westerman
Terry.Rice@senate.ar.gov P.O. Box 2195 Waldron, AR 72958 479-637-3100
101 Reserve St. Suite 200 Hot Springs, AR 71901 Phone: (501) 609-9796 Fax: (501) 609-9887
From the
State Senate
Pulse
The Arkansas Economic Dethan 3,000 people. velopment Commission broke A team at the commission has records for job creation and inthe important duty of working vestment last year. to retain existing industry and Thirty companies investto encourage their expansion. ed close to $6 billion and anLast year they helped retain nounced the creation of 5,359 3,058 jobs and generate $46 jobs. The average salary of million in new investment. Terry Rice those new jobs is $29 an hour. Arkansas is home to 6,800 Last year got off to a good start, with transportation, logistics and distributhe announcement of the largest single tion companies that employ 55,000 project in Arkansas history, an expan- people. An advantage is our location in sion of the U.S. Steel plant in northeast the geographic center of the country. Arkansas. In addition, Arkansas is a producer of Private companies aren’t the sole fo- transportation equipment. cus of economic developers. The United Statewide, 12.7 percent of the jobs States Air Force and the State Depart- in Arkansas are in manufacturing. The ment located the F-35 Foreign Military AEDC promotes industry with tax inSales Pilot Training Center at the Ebb- centives, job training, infrastructure ing Air National Guard base in Fort and financing. Smith. Pilots will also be trained to fly F-16 fighter aircraft. Protecting Poultry Other military investment by the fedMore than 1,800 people from 81 eral government creates jobs at the Pine countries attended a summit hosted by Bluff Arsenal and the Little Rock Air the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Force Base in Jacksonville. Station and the Center of Excellence for South Arkansas is home to some of Poultry Science. the nation’s largest defense industries. They discussed methods of conNortheast and Central Arkansas also trolling highly pathogenic avian inhave hangar space, extensive runways fluenza, a serious disease that requires and a skilled work force. They make rapid response measures to avoid the aerospace and defense part of the state’s spread of massive losses of birds. In economic foundation. Their impor- the United States, the disease has cost tance is reflected in the fact that 15 state producers 59 million birds in 47 states universities and 22 two-year colleges in since 2021. Arkansas offer courses in aerospace and In addition to the economic impact military technology, as well as computer on growers, the loss of so many birds engineering. affected consumers because it factored More than 14,000 people work in into the recent price increases for eggs, Arkansas aerospace and defense indus- chicken and turkey. tries. Cases of the disease have been conSouthern Arkansas University in firmed in Oklahoma, Colorado, MonMagnolia was the first institution in tana, Utah, Idaho, South Dakota, North the state to be certified by the Federal Dakota, and Minnesota. Aviation Administration as an aviation Experts from Chile, Scotland, Meximaintenance training facility. Graduates co and the United States made presencan work anywhere in the world where tations at the summit. They discussed aircraft maintenance is in demand. how to extensively sample domestic Producing firearms and ammunition flocks and wildfowl, the challenges of is another industry that is strong in Ar- vaccination and other measures to conkansas. Companies of varied sizes are trol the spread of the disease. throughout the state, employing more
