The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities Arkansas advocates for policy and system changes that improve the quality of life for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
We encourage the participation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families in the design of community service systems that enable them to live their best lives.
The Council also works to keep policymakers informed about disability issues and the potential impact of proposed legislative and policy changes on the lives of Arkansans with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If you need more information, please contact GCDD Arkansas Executive Director, Jonathan Taylor, at 501-682-2912 or email to [email protected].
Your State Legislature – the Arkansas General Assembly
The Arkansas General Assembly is the legislative branch of the Arkansas government. The General Assembly includes the Arkansas State Senate and the Arkansas House of Representatives. There are 100 representatives and 35 senators. The General Assembly convenes its Regular Session on the second Monday of every other year (January). A session lasts for 60 days unless the legislature votes to extend it. The General Assembly convenes its Fiscal Session on the second Monday in February of every even-numbered year. The governor of Arkansas can issue a “call” for a special session during the interims between regular sessions.
Article V of the Arkansas Constitution establishes when the General Assembly is to convene. Section 5 of Article V establishes the beginning date for regular sessions, but this date has been changed by law (as Section 5 allows).
Section 17 of Article V limits the length of sessions to sixty days, unless extended by a two-thirds vote of each legislative house.
Potential Legislation (New Bills In The Legislature)
When your state legislature is in session, they may be drafting and introducing bills that have the potential to have direct impact in your daily lives. ALL Policy is Disability Policy – that is why Arkansans with disabilities, their families, and communities should be engaged and informed in this process.
You can search for bills directly on the Arkansas State Legislature website here.
State Council Governing Legislation
FEDERAL
The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (the DD Act)
Public Law 106–402, 106th Congress, Oct. 30, 2000 [S. 1809]
Under the DD Act:
State Councils on Developmental Disabilities (Councils) are federally funded, self-governing organizations charged with identifying the most pressing needs of people with developmental disabilities in their state or territory. Councils are committed to advancing public policy and systems change that help these individuals gain more control over their lives.
The 56 Councils across the United States and its territories work to address identified needs by conducting advocacy, systems change, and capacity building efforts that promote self-determination, integration, and inclusion. Key activities include conducting outreach, providing training and technical assistance, removing barriers, developing coalitions, encouraging citizen participation, and keeping policymakers informed about disability issues.
STATE
State of Arkansas, Executive Department Proclamation, Executive Order 15-19
July 30, 2015
Advocacy is Action
Contact Your Elected Officials
Your input does matter. Be polite and to the point. Some lawmakers prefer certain methods of communication, so ask yours which they prefer. Find out more by visiting our Civic Engagement resource page.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders
(501) 682-2345
Visit the Governor’s Website
Arkansas Senate
In session: (501) 682-2902
Out of session: (501) 682-6107
Find your senator
Arkansas House
In session: (501) 682-6211
Out of session: (501) 682-7771
Find your representative
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Intellectual Disability (ID) is a lifelong condition where significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior emerge during the developmental period (birth to 22 years of age).
Developmental Disabilities (DD), first defined in 1975 federal legislation now known as “The DD Act,”, are a group of lifelong conditions that emerge during the developmental period (birth to 22 years of age) and result in some level of functional limitation in learning, language, communication, cognition, behavior, socialization, or mobility. The most common DD conditions are intellectual disability, down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, fetal alcohol syndrome, and fragile X syndrome.
The acronym “IDD” is used to describe a group that includes either people with both ID and another DD or a group that includes people with ID or another DD. The supports that people with IDD need to meet their goals vary in intensity from intermittent to pervasive.