Committee urges American Legion Auxiliary to reconsider exclusions after hundreds of Arkansas girls denied Arkansas Girls State

The House Management Committee passed House Resolution 10 52 urging the American Legion Auxiliary, which oversees Arkansas Girls State, to work with legislators and local schools after legislators reported that hundreds of qualified high‑school girls were barred from participation because counselors missed an application deadline.

Representative Stephen Walker introduced the resolution, saying the measure was about “fundamental fairness” and defending students who he said were being punished for “an inadvertent administrative oversight by their schools.” Brianne Davis, state senator, told members that lawmakers first heard of the problem as roughly "40‑ish" cases but that "today it's actually at least a 150 girls across the state that are being denied" access to Girls State.

Multiple legislators described efforts to contact the American Legion Auxiliary and to offer help. Representative Keith Brooks said the Auxiliary set a March 27 deadline and "they communicated ... that there would not be exceptions," a change from prior years when deadlines were sometimes extended; he and others said Boys State continued to accept late applicants. Walker and Brooks said legislative volunteers had offered to help with space, staffing and funding if those were barriers.

Legislators recounted repeated attempts by parents, counselors and superintendents to reach the Auxiliary and said they received little or no response. Representative RJ Hawk said counselors, parents and superintendents "will not return emails. They will not return phone calls. They will not have any communication with us." Several members stressed that Girls State is a “one‑time” opportunity for juniors and urged the Auxiliary to show flexibility.

Committee members debated fairness concerns and the message sent to girls when one program’s deadlines are enforced more strictly than another’s. Senator Jim Dodson, who has worked at Girls State, said the program is “an incredible opportunity” that teaches civic skills and that the legislature should make a strong statement.

After discussion, the committee adopted HR 1052 by voice vote. The resolution asks the Auxiliary to communicate with legislators and to consider arrangements that would allow the affected students to attend; the transcript records no direct response from the American Legion Auxiliary during the meeting.