Sarah Huckabee Sanders delivered the 2025 State of the State address at the state’s capital tackling many topics such as the Fordyce Mad Butcher shooting, education, and new legislation.
Sanders spoke about the mass shooting at the Mad Butcher that took place in Fordyce where four people were killed and nine others were injured. She called it one of the most challenging days as the Governor of the Natural State.
Sanders quoted Sheriff Mike Knadel's words about the incident “This will not define us and it will not divide us.” Sanders presented Knadel with the inaugural Arkansas Medal of Freedom, a new honor she introduced during her speech.
“ I have the opportunity to meet so many incredible Arkansans when I'm traveling around the state. I believe that they deserve more recognition than a simple mention in a speech or the newspaper,” Sanders said before presenting Knadel with the medal.
Sanders in the speech also said that the state faced many challenges like the tornadoes that took place over Memorial Day weekend in 2024, struggling schools, crime, hunger, and poverty.
“ I have always believed that we are not defined by the problems that we face. We are defined by the way that we face our problems. We will face those with our heads bowed and our eyes to the future,” Sanders said.
Education Reform
Sanders also spoke about education within the state and Education Freedom Accounts.
“ Before the LEARNS Act, most families had to scrape and save just to afford the school's modest tuition. LEARNS flipped that equation on its head,” Sanders said.
Sanders said for some Arkansans education is a lifeboat. She announced her plan to improve the state’s higher education system by expanding Arkansas Access.
“ Higher education can be that difference between a life in poverty and a life of great success. And it should be available to every single person in our state, no matter what their background is. And today, let us commit to make that happen,” Sanders said.
The state plans to make it so that those interested in college can submit one application and pay one fee for any state-supported college or university in Arkansas.
She also announced Arkansas will make it so any professor can be terminated from their job, whether tenured or not, “that wastes time indoctrinating our students”
“ Arkansas students go to our colleges and universities to be educated. Not to be bombarded with anti-American, historically illiterate, woke nonsense,” Sanders said.
She also said that lawmakers will tackle the cost of higher education by funding college credits while students are still in high school and expanding scholarships to associate degrees and non-degree credentials.
New Initiatives
Another act she wants to pass is called the “Good Neighbor Act” which would give liability protection to restaurants that donate food to a food pantry.
Sanders also spoke about how suicide rates in teens across America have tripled and depression has increased by 150%. She said the culprit is unrestricted access to cell phones and social media.
Sanders added Congress and federal courts have failed to protect minors against this. She said Arkansas is taking major strides in combating the issue with its phone-free school pilot program. This legislative session she said Arkansas will ban cellphones in schools from bell to bell.
She added that the state will also update the Social Media Safety Act.
Federal Allyship
She also spoke about Donald Trump being elected. She said Arkansas now will have a partner and an ally in the White House.
“ President Trump and his administration will have no greater friend than right here in Arkansas,” Sanders said.