Watch your (special) language: Arkansas lawmakers need to rein in strings attached to budget bills

By: Andrew DeMillo

Outlets: Arkansas Advocate

Published: April 26, 2026

Words: 774

Last Updated: 3 months ago

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Known in legislative jargon as “special language,” the strings lawmakers attach to budget bills used to be a dirty little secret of the Arkansas Legislature. They were a way to sneak major policy changes in without the public noticing.

In an era of live-streamed hearings and social media tracking moves at the Capitol in real time, that language is no longer much of a secret. It’s harder to fold these provisions into bills without …

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