Arkansas Governor called special three-day session

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called a special three-day session this week to consider changes to the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act in an attempt to exempt broad new categories of government records from public view.

However, the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act Task Force voted unanimously to oppose Governor Sanders’ plan to overhaul the state’s sunshine law on Monday.

Lawmakers are considering two identical bills. They are House Bill 1003 and Senate Bill 7. The propose expanding exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act, which governs public records and open meetings. Sanders’ wants to exempt documents related to the governor’s security and the policy making process, from disclosure.

The Freedom of Information Task Force, created through legislation in 2017, met via Zoom Monday morning to listen to public comments and to vote on a recommendation.

The task force also condemned the timing of the bills, arguing that a major change to the state’s sunshine law should not be pushed through during a special session.

The special session will also cover tax cuts and COVID-19 regulations.

Sanders wants legislatures to cut $250 million in annual personal income taxes and $58 million in annual corporate income taxes. The proposal would lower the personal income tax rate to 4.4 percent and the corporate income tax rate to 4.8 percent.

The proposal includes offering a single $150 tax relief payment to Arkansans making less than $90,000 annually.