Hutchinson Talks School Safety, Budgets

Gov. Asa Hutchinson held a “pen and pad” session with reporters Thursday as questions about public safety continue after a spate of mass shootings.

Earlier this week, Hutchinson noted that he was open to conversations regarding some regulations of AR-15 style rifles, which were used in recent deadly shootings in Buffalo, New York, Uvalde, Texas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“I think you’ve got to be able to talk about the AR-15 style weapons, and whether that’s an 18 or 21 age,” Hutchinson told CNN anchor John Berman Tuesday. “You have to at least have a conversation about that.”

Whether the governor could find much support in the GOP-led Arkansas General Assembly for such measures remains uncertain, however.

n addition to questions of public safety, the governor talked about state budgets. The fiscal year for the state wraps at the end of June, and projections are estimating that Arkansas could see a $1 billion surplus.

A link to the session can be found on the Ozarks First Website.
(Story by Bill Smith, Ozarks First)