What Would You Ask Your Legislator? An Open Conversation

State Representatives Les Warren and Bruce Cozart sat down with Garland County residents and community leaders for an open conversation about the policies impacting Arkansas families. Through a shared commitment to collaboration, various agencies and leaders addressed pressing issues—from housing and child care to health care and education access.

Housing barriers continue to weigh heavily on Arkansas families in crisis, particularly those facing poverty, domestic violence, or sudden instability. While some relief measures are in place for homeowners, renters—who often make up the most vulnerable populations—frequently fall through the cracks. The conversation opened with a discussion about House Bill 1534, which aimed to increase the Homestead Tax Credit from $500 to $600 to offer property tax relief for Arkansans. While the bill passed in the House, it stalled in the Senate. Representative Warren explained, “We have a surplus in the real estate tax fund, and we want to return that to taxpayers. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see this increase come back in the future.”

Both legislators emphasized a major focus of the past legislative session: maternal health.

“Arkansas has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates,” said Cozart. “We took strong action and put significant funding behind improving outcomes for mothers and babies.” They described longer maternity leave and health care support as not only moral imperatives, but investments in workforce stability and child development.

A large portion of the discussion centered on health care access and affordability. Representative Warren shared his concern about the viability of rural hospitals.

“Thirty of the 47 rural hospitals in Arkansas are in danger of closing in the next six to seven years,” he warned. “Hospitals are losing money on Medicaid births—hundreds of dollars per delivery. No business can survive with a negative bottom line.”

He emphasized the need for both state and federal collaboration to raise Arkansas’ Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement rates, which are currently among the lowest in the nation.

Both legislators took pride in recent progress against pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and unfair pricing in the pharmaceutical industry.

“We had a bill where the same cancer drug cost $90 at one pharmacy but $9,600 through a PBM-linked plan,” said Warren. “We fought back. This session was one of our most successful in taking on PBMs.”

The conversation also touched on the strain of child care and insurance costs on families and educators alike. Representative Cozart noted that school employee insurance rates continue to climb despite ongoing efforts to rein in costs.

“We’ve got to find a sustainable solution for our teachers, our public employees, and our families.”

On the education front, both legislators spoke about supporting free breakfast and lunch for students. Garland County schools, they noted proudly, already ensure no child goes hungry, often stepping in with local funding when necessary.

“Our schools understand that a hungry child can’t learn,” said Warren.

One of the strengths of this open discussion was the opportunity to hear directly from community members. Legislators listened to real-life stories—like that of a grandmother raising her great-grandchildren who had to choose between arthritis medication and groceries due to benefit cutoffs. The anecdote highlighted how income thresholds for SNAP and Medicaid can hurt families living just above the poverty line.

Cozart acknowledged the issue, citing recent legislation aimed at making pharmacy access easier and expressing hope for better flexibility moving forward.

“We’re working on removing unnecessary barriers and pricing games,” he said.

As the meeting drew to a close, what lingered wasn’t frustration over policy or the weight of complex systems—it was a sense of hope. Despite the challenges families face across Arkansas, from housing insecurity to benefit cliffs, the conversation ended on a note of unity and local innovation.

“We don’t have all the money in the world, but we got some of the best people,” Warren praised. He went on to recognize the community-driven efforts already making a difference.

"What Hot Springs has done with the Resource Center and 100 Families is a model the rest of the state can learn from—bringing schools, nonprofits, and churches together to help families."

It was a reminder that while legislative change is essential, the solutions often begin at the local level—with everyday people choosing to collaborate, care, and build something better together.