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Discussion with bill sponsor ‘saved’ Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says

Published

4 months ago

March 7, 2025

Staff Editor

arkansasadvocate.com – Tess Vrbin – 2025-03-07 01:00:00

Discussion with bill sponsor ‘saved’ Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says

by Tess Vrbin, Arkansas Advocate
March 7, 2025

A proposal to eliminate the governing board that oversees educational public television programs in Arkansas is not likely to advance further in the Legislature, the board chairman said Thursday.

The Arkansas Educational Television Commission oversees Arkansas PBS programs and finances and acts independently of the Arkansas Department of Education despite operating under its umbrella. Senate Bill 184, which passed the Senate in February, would abolish the commission and transfer its powers and authorities to the education department.

At the commission’s quarterly meeting Thursday, Chairman West Doss said he came to “an understanding” with SB 184’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Jonesboro, earlier that morning.

“I’m passionate about education, I’m passionate about what this commission has done, and I will fight for it every minute of the day, so that’s what we were doing,” Doss said. “Maybe we didn’t have all the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed, but we have saved the commission now. We’ve saved the work that we are doing.”

Sullivan has been a vocal critic of Arkansas PBS, particularly since its regularly scheduled 2022 audit indicated that administrators might have sidestepped state laws related to contract bidding, and a specially requested audit that concluded last year led auditors to forward the findings to a prosecuting attorney.

Proposal to eliminate Arkansas State Library and PBS governing boards passes Senate

Arkansas PBS CEO Courtney Pledger told lawmakers in September that the agency had learned from its “mistakes and errors,” but Sullivan told the Senate the commission should have taken action in response to the audit findings.

Twenty-three Republican senators voted to approve SB 184 on Feb. 17, but the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs has yet to take up the bill for discussion.

Committee chairman Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, R-Paragould, told the Advocate Wednesday that Sullivan anticipated an amendment to the bill and had requested it not to be heard yet. Bills are considered deferred in a committee if they are not heard for three meetings in a row, and sponsors must give two days’ notice to remove a bill from the deferred list.

Discussion

Arkansas PBS could lose both federal and private funding, limiting its ability to provide public programming, if its governance is no longer independent of the state’s executive branch, Pledger and other opponents of SB 184 have said.

The dissolution of the commission would also cause “far-reaching legal and practical problems” for Arkansas PBS and the state itself, according to a Feb. 27 letter to the agency from a Washington, D.C. law firm that specializes in telecommunications law. The Advocate received the letter via the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

“If the Arkansas Secretary of Education (or any other elected official or individual appointed to serve at the pleasure of an elected official) has the power directly to control the broadcast stations, there would be little question that the Secretary was directly involved in the state’s political and administrative process,” wrote Margaret Miller of Gray Miller Persh. “He would in fact be a political officer of the state.”

AETC State Reorganization Letter

Miller also said the Federal Communications Commission might require every new Arkansas education secretary in the future to go through “the whole expensive and time-consuming transfer process” of obtaining Arkansas PBS’ FCC license.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette first reported on the letter Feb. 28.

In response to questions Thursday from commissioner Gary Newton, Doss said he directed Pledger to seek the expert legal opinion on short notice because the commission and the agency were “facing extinction.”

“If we put [Arkansas PBS] under a political entity, such as the head of the Department of Education, appointed by the governor… they are political animals, and Arkansas PBS becomes a propaganda arm for whoever is in power, whether it’s the Republicans or it’s the Democrats or it’s the Green Party or whoever, and that’s the reason we’re an independent commission,” Doss said.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appointed Sullivan’s wife, Maria Sullivan, and Newton to the Arkansas Educational Television Commission last year.

Newton said he disapproved of Doss apparently speaking for the whole commission in his discussion with Sullivan about SB 184. He also said he was “disappointed” to learn about the letter from a news outlet instead of from Arkansas PBS leadership.

“For that subject to not be on the agenda, it feels like it’s being kept from the very commissioners whose role on this commission is at stake with the passage of SB 184,” Newton said.

Doss continued to defend his and Pledger’s request for the opinion and said his discussion with Sullivan “avoided a potential tragedy.”

“As far as I’m concerned, and [as far as] I think Sen. Sullivan’s concerned, it’s over right now,” said Doss, who could not be reached for further comment Thursday after the meeting.

Sullivan refused to answer questions from the Advocate about his conversation with Doss. He said the Advocate “rarely prints anything as accurately” as he would prefer.

SB 184 would also abolish the Arkansas State Library Board, which oversees public libraries and disburses state funds to them on a quarterly basis. Sullivan has been critical of the State Library Board and its relationship with the American Library Association, a nonprofit trade organization that advocates for public libraries and helps them secure grant funding.

The commission later adopted a motion by Newton directing Pledger and her staff to work with the education department to make PBS’ “rich library” of professional development videos available to homeschoolers and private school teachers as well as public and charter school educators.

Commissioners also adopted several motions from Newton directing PBS executives and staff to work with the education department to explore the potential development of broadcast quality videos highlighting high-wage Arkansas industries and job availabilities and videos based on the “science of reading” to help young learners and those struggling with literacy.

Another Newton motion directed PBS staff to develop an evaluation tool for assessing whether the network’s programming meets AETN’s mission as described in law, whether it or something comparable is available on the commercial market, “how educational is it,” and “how Arkansas is it.” Commissioners also approved it.

“The overall goal [of the flurry of motions] is to try to demonstrate relevance … and that we as a commission are doing our jobs,” Newton said.

Arkansas Advocate Editor Sonny Albarado contributed to this story.

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Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.

The post Discussion with bill sponsor ‘saved’ Arkansas PBS governing board from dissolution, chairman says appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com

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News from the South - Arkansas News Feed

Arkansas National Guard Texas flooding mission extended

Published

1 day ago

July 14, 2025

Staff Editor

arkansasadvocate.com – Antoinette Grajeda – 2025-07-14 14:10:00

by Antoinette Grajeda, Arkansas Advocate
July 14, 2025

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders approved a weeklong extension of active duty for Arkansas National Guard troops assisting officials with recovery efforts in central Texas due to deadly flash flooding.

Twenty-two Arkansas National Guard troops who deployed to the Lone Star State last week were originally scheduled to conclude their work on July 12. They’ll now continue their duties through Saturday, according to a press release.

Arkansas emergency management team to assist with Texas flood recovery efforts

Nearly two dozen troops and four Black Hawk helicopters are assisting with the transportation of search and rescue personnel in central Texas.

In addition to the team of 22 soldiers, which consists of pilots and crew chiefs and six maintenance personnel, two other troops are serving as liaisons in Arkansas to coordinate direct support to deployed soldiers as needed, according to the release. Their mission was also extended through Saturday, though orders may be adjusted based on mission needs.

The Arkansas Division of Emergency Management joined recovery efforts Friday when it deployed a specialized two-person team to Texas that will support resource tracking, documentation, situational awareness and operational reporting, according to an agency news release. Team members will also act as liaisons between Texas and assisting states.

At least 120 people died and 160 remain missing after heavy rains led to flooding in central Texas on July 4, according to The Texas Tribune.

GET THE MORNING HEADLINES.

The post Arkansas National Guard Texas flooding mission extended appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This content presents a straightforward news report on the Arkansas National Guard’s assistance in Texas flood recovery efforts, without evident political commentary or opinion. It focuses on factual information about troop deployment, official actions, and the ongoing disaster response, maintaining a neutral tone typical of impartial reporting. Therefore, it reflects a centrist, neutral political bias.

News from the South - Arkansas News Feed

Bentonville police search for possibly armed man on Crystal Bridges trails

Published

2 days ago

July 13, 2025

Staff Editor

www.youtube.com – 40/29 News – 2025-07-13 21:36:10

SUMMARY: Bentonville police are investigating reports of a possibly armed man seen on Crystal Bridges trails around noon today. Authorities conducted an extensive search on foot and with drones but did not find anyone. At the time, several areas of Crystal Bridges were restricted to the public, but officials confirmed there is no ongoing danger now. The venue is currently closed as a precaution, prioritizing the safety of members and guests. News teams are seeking more information from local law enforcement and Crystal Bridges, but no further updates have been provided yet. The situation remains under active investigation.

Bentonville police searching for possible armed man

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News from the South - Arkansas News Feed

Congress, state lawmakers move to juice aviation biofuel production

Published

2 days ago

July 13, 2025

Staff Editor

arkansasadvocate.com – Allison Prang – 2025-07-13 07:00:00

by Allison Prang, Arkansas Advocate
July 13, 2025

Congress’ passage of President Donald Trump’s spending and tax cuts bill this month could help grow the market for sustainable aviation fuel, a nascent industry that could be a boon for corn-producing states as airline operators are betting on it to decarbonize the sector.

The Republican budget reconciliation law that Trump signed July 4 pared back some of the credits for sustainable energy in the law that congressional Democrats passed and President Joe Biden signed in 2022 — the Inflation Reduction Act.

But the recent law extended one energy tax credit for producing clean fuels, such as sustainable aviation fuel, an alternative to the typical jet fuel planes use. The credit initially went through 2027, but the GOP law extends it through 2029.

Advocates for sustainable aviation fuel had been pushing Congress to extend the tax credit to support production as states across the U.S. have passed or proposed their own tax credits to grow the sector and lure production within their borders. Lawmakers in Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York have introduced bills enacting tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel.

For airlines, increasing availability of the fuel is essential for the sector to meet its net-zero goal for 2050, with the International Air Transport Association estimating the cleaner fuel could get the industry 65% of the way toward its target.

“We’re not yet at commercial-scale production and you need that longer lead time for these types of projects so I think the extension is really key,” said Chris Bliley, senior vice president of regulatory affairs at Growth Energy, a biofuel industry group.

While the credit’s lifetime was extended, others say the environment for sustainable aviation fuel isn’t as favorable as it was just a few years ago. The new budget reconciliation law also included provisions to lower the credit amount for sustainable aviation fuel specifically and clawed back unobligated grant funding to support the sector.

The amount of sustainable aviation fuel that producers make today is far from how much the airline industry needs to be able to use the alternative fuel regularly. U.S. production capacity over the last couple of years, however, has grown, jumping from less than 5,000 barrels per day at the start of 2024 to more than 30,000 by February of this year, according to a May report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Badger State bill

Wisconsin state Rep. David Steffen, a Republican who sponsored a bill to incentivize sustainable aviation fuel, said he learned about a sustainable aviation fuel production company based in Madison called Virent Inc., now a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corp. Virent’s fuel helped power the first domestic flight powered by 100% sustainable aviation fuel in one of its engines.

“I was intrigued that we had this company in our state and I want them and other companies of similar interest to find Wisconsin as their new home,” Steffen said. “It’s a great opportunity for not only the environmental benefits that come with it but for our farmers, dairies and timber producers to access a brand-new market for their product.”

Steffen’s bill also requires that to receive the tax credit, source materials for the fuel must be domestically sourced.

Wisconsin’s legislative session doesn’t end until next March and Steffen said he’s “very comfortable in saying (the bill) will have a clear path to the finish line.” Should it pass in its current state, the tax credit would go into effect in 2028.

Other states

Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska and Washington state all already have enacted laws to provide tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel.

Lawmakers in New York and Michigan have also proposed legislation to create their own tax credits. The New York bill barely moved in the most recent session, while legislation in Michigan has made it out of one committee and been referred to a second.

New York state Sen. Rachel May, a Democrat, plans to re-introduce the legislation next year. She said she wants to amend her bill to offer a larger tax credit for companies making sustainable aviation fuel specifically by mimicking photosynthesis so it doesn’t incentivize diverting feedstock like corn from being used for food, she said.

Her concern is moving the agriculture industry “away from both food production and maybe what might be the best uses of the land,” she added.

Corn ethanol, a common ingredient in automotive fuel, can be used to make sustainable aviation fuel.

Federal extension

While the extension of the federal clean fuels tax credit could be beneficial to the sustainable aviation fuel industry, the new law also lowers the amount of the tax credit for the fuel. It’s now the equivalent to what other biofuel producers qualify for, giving sustainable aviation fuel production less of a competitive advantage.

One version of the budget reconciliation bill also called for extending the tax credit by four years instead of two, but that got scaled back in the version of the bill ultimately signed into law.

The new law also took away any funding not yet obligated as part of a grant program for sustainable aviation fuel and makes fuels derived from feedstocks that come from outside the U.S., Canada or Mexico ineligible for the tax credit.

Despite any limitations, some analysts expect the law will still boost sustainable aviation fuel.

“The Trump administration has yet to outline its approach to SAF, but we expect the fuel to benefit from the administration’s focus on supporting biofuel-producing states,” analysts for Capstone DC, a firm that advises business clients on policy issues, said in a note in late June.

But changes to the federal tax credit could also make states more interested in adopting their own credit to support sustainable aviation fuel, Capstone added.

‘Not nearly as strong’

Tariffs, meanwhile, could also make U.S. feedstocks for producing the fuel more competitive, Paul Greenough, a vice president on Capstone’s energy team.

But Greenough cautioned that sentiment around sustainable aviation fuel still isn’t as rosy as it used to be.

“Momentum still exists for SAF but it’s not nearly as strong as it was under the Biden administration,” he said.

Some climate groups have also expressed concern over changing the clean fuels tax credit at the federal level. The Clean Air Task Force, ahead of the bill becoming law, said extending the credit will largely service other fuels that aren’t sustainable aviation fuel, which will in turn be costlier for the government.

“This purported attempt to incentivize ‘clean fuels’ is little more than a giveaway to the conventional biofuels industry,” the organization said in a post on its website.

The post Congress, state lawmakers move to juice aviation biofuel production appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This article presents a mostly factual overview of recent legislative actions concerning sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with a focus on the bipartisan but GOP-led budget reconciliation bill signed by former President Donald Trump. The tone is generally neutral but leans slightly toward a center-right perspective by emphasizing the Trump administration’s role in extending energy tax credits and highlighting support from Republican lawmakers. It also includes critical views from climate groups and notes Democratic legislative efforts, maintaining a balanced presentation. The framing subtly favors market-driven, industry-supported solutions aligned with conservative energy policy approaches, rather than expansive environmental regulation favored by the left.