in government, politics and public policy from d.c. and across the country. history professor angus johnson discusses student protests and current protest on college campuses. wisconsin congressman glenn grossman will be on to discuss campus protests of the israel war and the situation in gaza. c-span's washington journal, live at 7:00 eastern on c-span, c-span now or online at c-span.org. >> arkansas governor sarah huckabee sanders gave a state of the state address in little rock. to highlight policy achievements and future plans for the state. she talks about education funding, public safety investment and health care.

governor sanders was elected in 2022, the first woman to serve. this is about 30 minutes. [applause] [applause]

[applause] >> thank you. critics governor sanders are recognized. quick thinking mr. speaker. good afternoon. we got one on the front row. speaker shepherd, president hester, constitutional officers, members of the supreme court, distinguished members of the general assembly, my family, and my fellow arkansans. it is an honor to join you for my first state of the state address. it has been just over a year since i took office. as our state's 47th governor. what an incredible year it has been.

today is a little more low-key what today lacks in fanfare we make up for in substance. last remaining promises. this year i am reporting results. i did not do any of it alone. it was the partnership and the work of this a body that helped us bring about transformational change. it was not always easy. something we can all be proud of even on the hard days with people about of arkansas. one is the most difficult days since i took office was march 31 of last year. the day that tornadoes tore through central arkansas.

i was there two days after meeting with students, with families, and seeing the damage to the town's homes, businesses and high school. one of the stories i heard about was a group of high schoolers who came after the storm passed. they showed up to see their school in the damage. and unlike just about everything else the flagpole was still standing. the flags that usually hung that were gone for the search their town. they track down their flag mounted it back on that flagpole is the flagpole standing in front of that school today bent but not broken. and government it is easy. forget the bigger picture let us

never lose sight of the people let us never forget why they elected us to be here in the first place. i came into this office arkansas' first woman governor and the youngest governor in the country. but those are not the data points that matter to me. the ones that i cared about or 48 in america for watching future pay. fortieth in the nation for literacy. the highest of taxa burgeoned in the region. the highest violent crime rates. arkansas had deep entrenched problems. when i took office with the same failed policies that got us here in the first place we chartered a new course some of it a lot of

it. safer and stronger arkansas. in fact, our work is making arkansas a model for the nation. our priorities are reflected in the budget that we put before us. as hard as it may be i made a promise to the people of arkansas that we would work to slow the growth of government. and with the help of mike cabinet we have kept it. this years of budget increases spending by only 1.76%. far below the 3% year-over-year average that we have had in recent years. if you send me a budget that von critical services for arkansans while slowing the growth of

government, i will sign it. [applause] that is big because as revenues climb and cost slope we will have room to cut taxes. we have already done so by more than $300 million. i am committed to responsibly phasing out our state income tax and letting every arkansan keep more of their hard earned money. [applause] [applause] tax cuts are just some of the bipartisan legislation that we have come together to pass we enacted the protect act, universal reform, social media protections for kids and much

much more. all with support from both sides of the aisle. frankly, there are people outside of this chamber and may be a few inside who want to distract us from these commonsense reforms. i beg of you, do not let them. there is a lot of wisdom in the marble halls of the capitol. but i have learned even more from spending time with people from magnolia to mulberry which is why i have traveled more than 16000 miles in arkansas last year and hosted more than 250 events. i remember holding a town hall in heber springs i was taking questions and i was surprised when half of the crowd sound like the income from the soprano central casting. i thought to people from the northeast just have a way of

talking over everyone? or do we have our own italy on the shores? turns out the answer is yes and yes. as i'm mingles with the crowd after words i figured out the reason. these newcomers love our freedom loving state. and our great people. they are not just there. admit transplants from everywhere i have gone former kentucky wildcat in fayetteville as i speak. welcome to arkansas. [applause] we have added 21000 new arkansans last year alone. these newcomers are joined by companies from literally all over the country and all over the world. i traveled to europe and asia to

pitch businesses on arkansas. i'm here to report they like what they heard freight companies proposed more than $1 billion in new investments last year. companies like rafael, raytheon, and are turning cans in arkansas into the arsenal freedom. supplying israel's iron dome, america's marine corps and service members across the globe. 800 new jobs right here in little rock. in mississippi county is on the top steel producing county in america. [applause] isn't dealt with it northeast arkansas citizens are. walter arms is helping us defend our right with the expansion of

fort smith. companies are making investments left and right and self arkansas lithium our national economy is dragging. blue states are shrinking. but arkansas is roaring ahead. that starts with education which was my top priority since taking office. i work with this body, this group to pass arkansas learns. and launch the largest transformation of arkansas education and modern history. and the largest single investment in our public schools than ever before. [applause] before this year, our teachers were some of the worst paid in the country. in many districts there is not a

single educator making more than $50000 a year. room $36000 to $50000 and gave every single teacher in the states a $2000 raise. [applause] arkansas went from 48 in the country to the top five overnight. before and this year only one third of arkansas third-graders could read at grade level. deployed one or 20 literacy coaches to public schools across the state. targeting at risk students with the attention our kids need and the attention they deserve. before this year, arkansas

families had no choice where to send her to school but learned expanded education freedom to more than 5000 students in just one year. 50% of those students have learning disabilities. we have a few efa families that are here with us today. including colonel chad bridges from the arkansas national guard 39th infantry brigade combat. i met chad some other arkansas guardsmen through my trade mission to germany last year. but we were there chad brought up the act. he mentioned his family was taking advantage of the program. so that they could send their son, carson, who has down student to compassion academy in

conway. now, nearly nine months into the school year carson could not be doing better. he has never been the type of kid who let's his differences get in the way. i'm doing what he knows he is capable of doing. that compass academy, he is surrounded by supportive staff who believes in him just as much as he does. we asked a lot of moms and dads to protect our communities and our freedoms. and to keep us safe. it is important that we recognize their service and their sacrifice and that we stand up and show them our support. carson is here with us today but carson are you up there? i would love for you to waive. [applause] 's.

[applause] let that be a reminder to this group carson is the person we are serving. carson is the person we are helping. and carson is the face we are fighting for every single day. you're one of the learns act targeted the most at risk students in our state. but education freedom should be for everyone. and soon, education freedom accounts will be too. i had the opportunity this time academy in fort smith last week to announce efa applications for next year are now open to more families. the children of first

responders, law enforcement, veterans, and any student attending a derated school. in just the first day of the application. , we had more than 1800 new sign-ups. new students looking for an opportunity. those numbers have only climbed since. sense. i'm happy to report 25% of those applicants are children of active duty military personnel and our states veterans. they deserve to know we are cheering and rooting for them. [applause] educational freedom is the least that we can do for those who put everything on beltline for our freedom. at this time next year universal

education freedom for the first time in arkansas history. [applause] send me a budget that continues to fully fund the learns act and i will sign it. [applause] education was my first priority. it was far from my only one. for too many arkansans the thought of taking your kids to the park or stopping at a gas station at night is a scary one. the reason is simple. some of our leaders think it is compassionate to coddle criminals. frankly, they need a reality check.

up into the southern border and i have seen how joe biden's compassion let's the cartels traffic millions of people and deadly drugs into our country. just last week arkansas state police seized half a pound of fentanyl and a routine traffic stop. that is enough to kill a 100,000 people. at the town that is bigger than all of the population of fort smith, arkansas. we have read far too many reports here in arkansas about what violent repeat offenders who are sentenced to decades in prison let out early and go on to commit other crimes. this is not compassion. it is cruelty. and we have had enough. yes, sir. last week, i think to 40 arkansas guardsmen before they

headed out on a mission to our southern border. they know the gravity of the security and the humanitarian crisis that we are facing. and every single one of them volunteered to go on that mission. many for their second time. last year the legislature passed and i signed death by deliberate which charges fentanyl dealers with the murder of the drug they traffic caused a fatal overdose. we came together again to pass the protect act. no more catch and release of violent repeat offenders. in arkansas we will keep the most dangerous criminals off of our streets. [applause]

we are paving the way to build a new 3000 bed prison. and in the meantime we have opened up 1000 beds and our existing capacity to take pressure off of our local jails. [applause] arkansas state police are on the front lines of that effort. it is why i allocated $3.8 million in my budget to replenish their ranks. when we think of our state troopers we often think of them chasing down criminals or launching drug bust that is certainly part of the job. but it is not all magnum pi. late one night this january trooper brandon berg was on patrol on interstate 40. he came across an older man sitting in his vehicle and out

of gas. he sat with the man as he called a family member who could not come to pick the gentleman up until the next morning. so trooper bird drove the man to the nearest hotel. when they got there he found out the elderly gentleman had no money so he paid $100 out of his own pocket for the man to have a warm room for the night. he felt like he was just doing his job. but the reality of the situation soon sunk in. it was dark and it was cold. the man had no gas. if bird had not been there, the manna likely would have frozen to death. trooper bird is with us today and i want to thank him and all of our law enforcement for their service to our state. could you stand up and be recognized?

[applause] [applause] brandon story is remarkable. but it is not uncommon for the exceptional men and women of the arkansas state police. when the last calls to defend the police, remember these are the troopers they want to get rid of. remember that we do not need a less of trooper bird. we need a lot more like him. [applause]

that is why we have increased state police ranks by more than 17% in just a one year since i've taken office. and it is why i'm working to grow the force by more than 100 additional officers. send me a budget that funds our police and i will sign it. [applause] public safety and education, will be crack of those problems the low cost of living won't be the only thing bringing newcomers to arkansas. they are hardly this groups only accomplishments. i was the first governor in the country with the help of those in this room to kick a chinese state owned company off of our farmland and out of our states.

[applause] together we launched a comprehensive workforce strategy to get arkansans back in the job market. arkansas learns plays a big role in that. growing career and technical education and ending the lie if you don't go to college or somehow less demand but we're making progress on our maternal health crisis. each year 1100 women in our states never even see a doctor until they go into labor. i signed an executive order to help women access the healthcare they need because we no healthier women mean healthier babies. study after study shows too much social media exposure leaves our kids anxious and depressed. unfortunately suicide rates for young teens have tripled since

2007. depression among teenagers is up to 150%. 30% of all teenage girls are now seriously considering suicide. we were one of the first states to pass legislation protecting our kids from dangerous and addictive social media but we cannot stop there. it is time to start a conversation and make this issue one of our next big priorities. experts suggest goals like no smart phones before high school. note social media before 16. phone free schools and more outdoor play in childhood independence. big tech, just like joe says is kids rights to use their addictive products. i disagree. and arkansas will lead on this. just like we have done on

education and public safety because we have too. [applause] i fully expect that big tech will take us to big courts. but we will fight them because our children future depends on it. we banned indoctrination in our schools. we got rid of nonsense words like birthing person and men in women's sports. we focus on improving the quality of life. my husband, brian who is here with me and my three kids are spearheading the natural state initiative sugar outdoor recreation and tourism. already we are smashing tourism records left and right. our revenue in each month of 2023 has already set a new

record in 2024 is on track to break records again. we live and one at the most beautiful states in america. it is time the rest of the world finds out about it too. [applause] m.ed. all of this progress, we have had challenges too. we are just over a year passed the march 31 tornadoes that i mentioned earlier. and with us today is pastor pasr eddie miller from jacksonville. i met pastor miller the day after his church was destroyed in the storm. i've visited most of his entire structure and church was completely gone. but his faith stood strong. pastor miller and his deep into

the sanctuary where the roof had completely caved in. there was one wall still standing. not one, not two, but three wooden crosses. pastor miller, my husband bryant if you legislated. and we pray. we. for strength we. for resilience in. we pray this community though bent but not break. a year later, by the grace of god and with the sweat of his congregation pastor miller's church walls are backup. pastor miller, you can be recognized. [applause]

[applause] the rebuilding is not done yet. but when it is finished, it will be better than what stood there before. a testament to our grit into god's eternal love. the greatest privilege of this job is being with the people of arkansas who, no matter what, will never be broken. we are humble. we are gracious. we work hard. and we take care of one another. we put our trust in our families and our faith in god almighty.

may we never ever forget who we are and who we serve. and let us never be afraid to charge boldly ahead. may god bless you and may god bless the great state of arkansas. thank you so much. let's get to work. [applause] [applause] >> wednesday, the housemaids for general speeches a then at noon, legislation to combat anti-semitism on campuses and denouncing the biden administration immigration

policy. the senate returns at 10:00 a.m. to consider a district court nomination for northern illinois and later in the day on whether to begin work on an authizion bill for federal aviation administration row grams. current authorization is set to exre on may 10. on c-span3, engyecretary jennifer is testyi on president biden'