TODAY AT THE CAPITOL

The House and Senate will convene the 95th General Assembly today at noon. Once convened, the House will formally elect its Speaker. House Speaker-elect Rep. Brian Evans (R-Cabot) is expected to assume the role. Once elected, the new Speaker will name chairs and co-chairs of standing committees.

TOMORROW AT THE CAPITOL

The House and Senate will convene at 10 a.m., followed by a joint session at 10:30 a.m. to hear the State of the State address by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

STATE CHAMBER/AIA LEGISLATIVE TRACKING LIST

Since January 1, the House has pre-filed 10 additional bills, bringing its total to 80. The Senate has filed 38 bills during the same period, bringing its total to 38. We have added the following five bills to our tracking list, increasing the total number of bills we are tracking to 61:

• HB 1074 (Ray-R): Amend the Property Tax Relief Trust Fund and require a higher vote threshold for using funds for non-property tax relief purposes.
• HB 1075 (Ray-R): Prohibit local governments from regulating or taxing lawn care devices in certain situations.
• HB 1076 (Hudson-D): Create the Caring for Caregivers Act and provide an income tax credit for caregiving expenses.
• HB 1078 (Long-R): Amend laws on runoff elections and provide for runoff elections for Senate and House candidates.
• HB 1079 (Allen-D): Mandate coverage for genetic testing and cancer imaging for certain individuals.

STATE CHAMBER/AIA LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION

Save the date! The State Chamber/AIA will host its Annual Legislative Reception on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The event will take place in the big tent on the State Chamber/AIA parking lot.