NWAOnline’s Legislative Coverage

Rep. Buddy Lovell, D-Marked Tree, released his hold as a Joint Budget Committee member on the state Department of Education Budget. The committee then recommended that budget, sending it to the Senate for approval. This clears a potential blocking of Thursday’s adjournment.

Lovell said he decided he would not keep the Legislature from meeting its schedule and was confident that his bill to make consolidation of small school districts would get a fair hearing when he presents it again to the Senate Education Committee tomorrow. The committee voted the measure down 5 to 2 previously but has agreed to reopen the discussion.