We prefer our March Madness on the basketball court, not at the State Capitol in Little Rock. The legislative session continues to be brutal, and we're grateful for the tough Democrats putting up a good fight against a Republican supermajority hellbent on crafting some of the worst legislation in the history of democracy.

But politics is like March Madness -- upsets happen, the underdog sometimes prevails, and some teams go from being blown out in defeat one year to winning a championship the next. We need to keep working hard, and with some luck, Democrats will win and we can pass policies that work for ALL Arkansans. Until then, root on the Hogs against Kansas today, and keep working hard in the gym and in the streets.

In Other News... April meeting is on a Thursday, Dems defend against assault from Sanders and GOP legislature, an exciting documentary premiere on Monday.

Ignoring pleas from teachers, students, parents, and lawmakers of both parties, Governor Sarah Sanders signed the LEARNS Act. Sanders can claim she wants to “protect” and “educate” children in Arkansas, but we know the truth: LEARNS threatens to dismantle and defund our public schools through a voucher system that has not worked anywhere ever.

The Democratic Party of Arkansas and Democratic leaders released statements expressing their concerns and opposition to Governor Sanders signing the LEARNS Act into law. The new law establishes a voucher system that allows private schools to receive public tax dollars while discriminating against students with disabilities or of different faiths. Our lawmakers argued that this will dismantle and defund public schools, exacerbate teacher shortages, and create a tiered system that gives some students better advantages than others. Our lawmakers also raised concerns about the constitutionality of the law and plan to challenge it in court.

Dems Kept Pressing, Trying to Hold the Line to Protect Our Neighbors
Bad bills continued to pop up in the legislature, as GOP legislators decided their priorities are to "defeat the woke agenda."

• SB270 - Arkansas Adult Bathroom Bill criminalizing trans adult use of public restrooms 
• HB1156 - public school bathroom bill requiring sex designation at birth to dictate facilities used 
• HB1468 - “Given Name Act”, learn more here
• SB199 - bill makes it harder for trans Arkansans to get the health care they need
• SB81 - bill allowing prosecution of librarians / book banning
• SB71 - bill to end state-sponsored affirmative action programs
• HB1174 - bill that punishes those who may council a pregnant woman considering an abortion
• SB396 - bill to regulate social media companies by requiring age verification from users on social media sites - a lawsuit waiting to happen! 

Arkansans are invited to participate in the implementation of the LEARNS Act. Participants will contribute to the development of rules and policies in volunteer work groups organized by the following topics:

• School Safety
• Early Learning
• Parental Empowerment
• Teaching and Learning
• Educator Workforce
• Career Readiness

Mark your calendars for the next DPBC Monthly Membership Meeting on Thursday, April 13th at the Arvest Conference Center on Legion Ln in Bentonville, AR. Doors will open at 6:00 pm, and the meeting will start promptly at 6:30 pm. Please join in-person or by Zoom.

THURSDAY, April 13, 2023
Arvest Conference Center, Legion Ln, Bentonville, AR 72712
6:00 pm doors open, 6:30 pm meeting begins.

This month's meeting will be featuring some very informative guest speakers, including Christine Erwin-Jimenez discussing the May Ballot Review, NWACC Ballot Item, Eric Reece from the Human Rights Campaign giving an LGBTQ Legislation Update, and a Quorum Court Update. This meeting is not to be missed, so make sure you attend!

April Happy Hour:
And, don't forget to join us for April Happy Hour two days prior to the meeting, on Tuesday, April 11th. We are still finalizing the location, so keep an eye out for more details.

Save the Date:

• Mon, May 8, 6:30 pm: DPBC Monthly Meeting at Arvest Community Room or on zoom
• Tues, May 9: DPBC Monthly Happy Hour, TBD
• Mon, June 12, 6:30 pm: DPBC Monthly Meeting at Arvest Community Room or on zoom
• Tues, June 13: DPBC Monthly Happy Hour, TBD

You are invited to the Arkansas Democrats State Committee meeting in NW Arkansas!  Join us on April 15th in nearby Fort Smith, where we'll be discussing our plan for the 2024 election and approving the 2024 National Delegate Selection Plan. (State Committee members can attend via Zoom, but all voting must be done in person or via proxy.) Register to attend at arkdems.us/SCMApr23.

DPA State Committee Meeting
Saturday, April 15
Central Presbyterian Church
2901 Rogers Ave., Fort Smith, AR 72901

Meeting Begins at 2pm // Registration begins at 1pm

After the meeting, join us and the Sebastian County Democrats at Prohibition in Fort Smith for an after-party. Donations of non-perishable food items and toiletries for Hope Campus are appreciated. See you there!

Arkansas' Dems Seek Feedback on Delegate Selection Plan
The Democratic Party of Arkansas has opened a 30-day public comment period for their Delegate Selection Plan for the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Their goal is to have the most diverse delegation ever and their Affirmative Action Committee will ensure that happens. Anyone can comment on the plan via mail, email, or telephone.  See the draft of the Arkansas Delegate Selection Plan here, and submit your comments to delegateselection@arkdems.org.

President Biden and congressional Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act is reducing health care costs for millions of seniors, but House Republicans want to repeal it. Meanwhile, in the 2024 Republican race, candidates are competing to win over the MAGA base by taking extreme positions, including siding with Putin over Ukraine and democracy.