To President Pro Tempore Hester and Speaker Shepherd:
 
Pursuant to Article 6, Section 17 of the Arkansas Constitution, I write to inform you of my disapproval of Section 2, Page 4, Line 21 of House Bill 1176, “An Act for the Department of Corrections – Division of Correction Appropriation for the 2023-2024 Fiscal Year.” I have approved the remaining portions of House Bill 1176.

House Bill 1176 contains an appropriation for “Pandemic Related Expenses” in the amount of $5,000,000.

During my first days in office, I terminated several existing Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. I believe in freedom and personal responsibility – not COVID mandates or shutdowns. The COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Sincerely,
Sarah Huckabee Sanders, 
Governor of Arkansas