House panel advances bill requiring military access to Arkansas schools for recruitment

The House Education Committee on an unspecified date voted to advance House Bill 16‑89, a proposal to require public K‑12 schools and institutions of higher education to provide access to the Arkansas National Guard and other branches of the military for recruiting purposes.

Representative Matthew Shepherd (R‑District 9), the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure builds on prior legislation and seeks to ensure military recruiters have routine access to schools. "You can see in the bill that it provides access to the National Guard and the other branches of the military, and makes certain that we are very clear…