Arkansas Works Update

On Thursday, April 21, SB 121 (including funding for Arkansas Works) was passed in the Senate then signed by Governor Asa Hutchinson. When signing, Governor Hutchinson executed the expected line item veto, extending the life of the program from an original end date of December 31, 2016 to amended date of December 31, 2021.

The Arkansas News Bureau reports that Senator Alan Clark, R-Lonsdale has said he will seek a veto override this week, but it appears unlikely that a majority would support an override in either chamber.

Arkansas Business reports that Governor Hutchinson is likely to have well more than the simple majority needed to uphold his decision to preserve the program, should opponents seek an override this week. And the governor has said he’s confident the [line item veto] maneuver will survive a legal challenge, which opponents have said is a near-certainty.