The 90th session of the Arkansas General Assembly is upon us. The legislature convened this week to swear in new members, hold the first round of committee hearings, and file a few pieces of legislation. Lawmakers are on recess right now, but will reconvene on Tuesday following the Martin Luther King Day holiday.

We’ll be sending you weekly updates to keep you abreast of what’s going on at the State Capitol and fill you in on what’s being done to improve the lives of children in this great state. There’s not a lot to report so far, but stay with us. As the session continues you’ll not only receive these updates but important action alerts that will tell you when important legislation is pending and what you can do to make sure your voice is heard. So without further ado, let’s get to it:

Health: Without a doubt, one of the biggest issues this session will be whether lawmakers decide to continue funding for the Private Option. Since open enrollment started in October of 2013, over 223,000 Arkansas adults have been approved for coverage, most finding affordable coverage for the first time ever. What’s more, over 32,000 children have signed up for ARKids First after their caregivers signed up for coverage. It’s been a hugely successful program, cutting the rate of uninsured adults in half. Lawmakers have a very important decision to make. The big question is: if the Private Option is approved once more, what changes will be made and will those changes harm access to affordable care for Arkansans? Gov. Asa Hutchinson will give his thoughts on the future of the Private Option in a speech on Jan. 22.

Education: It’s been a long time since pre-K received any kind of funding increase in Arkansas. To see exactly how long, click here. Pre-K is a vital tool for making sure our students get a strong start to their educational careers. Advocates have been asking for, at the very minimum, a cost-of-living increase for the Arkansas Better Chance program. We simply cannot sustain our current program without adequate funding. To see more about our education work and what we hope to see in 2015, click here.

Juvenile Justice: AACF is still hoping to see funding for the Positive Youth Development Act that was passed in 2011. The program would provide important after-school programs that keep kids safe, help working families, and inspire kids to learn. Legislation to begin these programs was passed, but funding has never been alotted.

We’ll keep you up to date on these and other issues as the session speeds up. In the meantime, subscribe to our e-newsletters by clicking the link below, and continue to check outwww.aradvocates.org for news updates as they happen.