The 95th General Assembly of the Arkansas Legislature wrapped on Wednesday after 94 working days at the state Capitol. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders cited progress, while some Democrats decried the session's power plays.

The big picture: During the biannual full session, Arkansas lawmakers negotiated changes to the management of state government, budgets, infrastructure, education and public safety.

State of play: Sanders signed more than 600 bills into law. Some of those bills include:

• Increasing the general revenue budget to $6.49 billion for fiscal 2026, up nearly 3% from 2025.
• Elimination of the state's grocery tax of 0.125%, which generated about $10 million annually.
• Creation of Arkansas ACCESS, a higher-education reform package to prepare high school and nontraditional students for the workforce while also setting guidelines for state-supported schools to lose funding if they engage in certain diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
• Passage of the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act, designed to improve maternal health outcomes, especially for low-income women.
• Lawmakers also approved a cellphone ban in public schools, granted parents the right to sue social media companies if harm is done to a minor, and passed legislation to provide a free breakfast to every public school student.
• Arkansas also became the first state to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies, seen as a step to protect independent operators and mitigate drug-price hikes.

Sanders signed a bill to allow for nitrogen hypoxia as a method of execution for state inmates on death row.

Reality check: In her speech marking the end of the session, Sanders notably did not mention the $750 million appropriations fight over the proposed Franklin County prison project, which failed five times to garner enough support to make it through the state Senate this session.

What's next: Bills are still on Sanders' desk to sign — including the general revenue budget for fiscal 2026.

Read what both sides are saying

Another grassroots, widespread action against the Trump administration is planned nationwide on Saturday, including a protest at the Washington County Courthouse in Fayetteville.

Why it matters: The 50501 Movement takes momentum from recent protests to encourage Americans to become each other's "social support web" as the administration's policies target marginalized communities.

• The 50501 Movement, meaning 50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement, is pushing back against what it called executive overreach from the Trump administration. Its organizing started on Reddit.
• "Our movement shows the world that the American working class will not sit idly by as plutocrats rip apart their democratic institutions and civil liberties while undermining the rule of law," the movement's website said.

Driving the news: More than 400 events are scheduled nationwide for Saturday, including rallies, protests, nature cleanups and food drives.

Zoom in: Saturday's mobilizing could include protests, organizers said, but it could also include community actions like donation drives, clothing swaps or meeting to discuss future action.

• "We need to think about the America we want to see, where we have empathy and help each other, and just become that," organizers wrote. "That's just as important as protesting."

Context: The first 50501 protests were on Feb. 5, "a decentralized rapid response to the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies," its website said.

Zoom out: Millions of people across the country protested during the Hands Off! movement on April 5. They took to streets, state capitals, federal buildings, congressional offices and city centers.

• Backlash against the Trump administration has also targeted Elon Musk's involvement in the government and his sweeping cuts across the federal bureaucracy via DOGE.

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📰 Chuck Todd, longtime host of NBC's "Meet the Press," spoke at the University of Arkansas on Wednesday as part of the School of Journalism and Strategic Media's annual J-Days events that brings in media professionals. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Mark Oesterle, who previously worked for the Springdale and Fayetteville school districts, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Wednesday for failing to follow sex offender registration requirements. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

⛈ Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders plans to appeal the federal government's denial of disaster relief funds for the storms in Northeast Arkansas on March 14. (40/29)

If you aren't occupied with egg hunting this weekend, here are a few outings for your calendar.

🇮🇳 Storytelling through Indian Dance — Take the kids to this performance that "explores the symbolic evolution of consciousness in a way that's accessible, meaningful and inspiring for all ages" hosted by the Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation. All day Saturday at the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville.

🛍 Art Fair — Shop candles, pottery and baked goods from 10am-1pm Saturday at TheatreSquared in Fayetteville.

🍽 Easter specials — Enjoy a themed afternoon tea Saturday and Sunday at Butter•Scotch Bakery & Bar in Bentonville ($60-$95), Easter brunch at The Hive in Bentonville or an Easter buffet at Ella's Table in Fayetteville.

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