Hearings on state's budget to get going

In the midst of election season, Arkansas lawmakers this week will head to the Capitol to begin discussing the state's budget for the next fiscal year.

At hearings starting Tuesday, they will learn about the needs of programs amid uncertainty regarding how much of a tax cut Gov. Asa Hutchinson plans to seek when he unveils his proposed fiscal 2020 general revenue budget and forecast on Nov. 14.

The Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee will begin meeting at 9 a.m. Tuesday. They are scheduled to meet three days a week through at least Nov. 15.

Their main duty during these hearings is to authorize legislative staff members to draft appropriations legislation granting spending authority to state agencies in fiscal 2020, which starts July 1, 2019. The legislation will be considered during the regular legislative session that starts Jan. 14.

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