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Governor Hopeful For Early End To Arkansas Legislative Session

Gov. Asa Hutchinson talking to reporters Wednesday about the status of the 2017 session.
Governor's Office
Gov. Asa Hutchinson talking to reporters Wednesday about the status of the 2017 session.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson talking to reporters Wednesday about the status of the 2017 session.
Credit Governor's Office
Gov. Asa Hutchinson talking to reporters Wednesday about the status of the 2017 session.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson is suggesting the Arkansas Legislature might be able to wrap up the 2017 session earlier than expected. Wednesday he praised lawmakers for "setting aside peripheral issues" and focusing on important matters.

The Republican governor has seen passage of three key issues he had for this session: a tax cut for low income residents, an exemption of income taxes for the pensions of military retirees and a change to the state’s higher education funding model. Hutchinson's comments came immediately after signing the bill moves funding for public colleges and universities from being based on enrollment to a "performance-based" formula.

"I’m hopeful that the session keeps progressing this way, that there will be an early conclusion to the session," Hutchinson said. "I think we will shift soon from the substantive legislation that we’ve been working on, there’s still some more to do, but we’ll be able to shift to the revenue stabilization act and the preparations for that."

With state revenue below forecast by $57.1 million for the fiscal year that began last July, Hutchinson said he and finance officials are watching carefully to determine if any adjustments are needed to the state budget.

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As News Director, Michael Hibblen oversees daily news coverage for KUAR. He handles assignments for the news staff, helps develop story ideas and edits copy. Michael isresponsible for starting a news-sharing partnership between public radio stations in Arkansas in 2009 which laid the foundation for what became Arkansas Public Media. He is also a regular panelist and fill-in host on AETN's Arkansas Week, where journalists discuss issues in the news.