A legislative committee hearing at the Arkansas Capitol on Wednesday brought a halt to two measures aimed at limiting spending tied to the Arkansas LEARNS Act.
The Joint Rules Committee considered two proposals one focused on guaranteeing funding for county infrastructure and another designed to cap spending on Education Freedom Accounts, or EFAs, tied to the states school voucher program.
House Resolution 1007, sponsored by Rep. James P. Eaton and Sen. Bryan King, would have provided a fixed $2 million annually to each Arkansas county for infrastructure. Supporters said the measure would help counties better plan their budgets as LEARNS expansion increases financial pressure on local governments.
The committee ultimately voted the measure down.
A second proposal, House Resolution 1008, sponsored by Rep. Jim Wooten and King, sought to place limits on EFA spending. The bill included provisions to cap funding for homeschool students and require certain academic benchmarks before funds could be distributed.
Supporters of the measure argued current spending levels are not sustainable long term.
After testimony was presented, no member of the committee made a motion to advance the bill, effectively halting its progress.
The Arkansas LEARNS Act, a key education initiative, continues to be a focal point for lawmakers as discussions over funding and long-term sustainability move forward.
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