Session
Legislative Panel
Legislative and regulatory action impacts our communities, our employees and the management of our workplaces. The legislative panel is designed to ensure that Arkansas HR professionals are informed of legislative, regulatory and legal action at the federal, state and local level, as well as compliance issues related to HR and the workplace.
From AI to non-competes to hiring to paid leave, hear from State Representatives about what businesses in their districts say are their most common employment concerns. Come with your own questions for the panel!
Legislators are Rep. Jimmy Gazaway, Rep. Ashley Hudson, Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Rep. Les Warren.
Key Objectives
Learn about legislative priorities for 2024 and beyond in Arkansas. Understand how policy and legislative initiatives might affect the workplace and the HR function. Find out how to stay informed and influence legislative issues that benefit the workplace.
HRCI Credits:
1.25 Business HRCI Recertification credits available.
This program has been approved for 1.25 recertification credit hours through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). Please be sure to note the program ID number on your recertification application form. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI website at www.hrci.org.
The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute's criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.
SHRM Credits:
1.25 SHRM Recertification credits available.
ELLA is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. This program is valid for 1.25 PDCs for the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit shrmcertification.org.
Roby Brock
CEO at Talk Business & Politics
Roby Brock leads Talk Business & Politics, a 25-year-old multi-media news organization reporting on business and politics in Arkansas. Under Brock's direction, content is driven through a subscription magazine, daily e-newsletters and website features, in addition to the Talk Business & Politics TV show, which airs in Little Rock, Jonesboro and Northwest Arkansas.
He is also the host of Capitol View, a Sunday morning political show that airs in Little Rock and Northwest Arkansas. Brock also moderates radio programs on NPR affiliates statewide and a daily digital newscast at TalkBusiness.net. In partnership with Hendrix College, TB&P conducts statewide polling on political and business issues throughout the year.
In 2016, TB&P acquired the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal and is expanding its coverage in this region of the state. In 2018, Northeast Arkansas Talk Business & Politics, a free monthly newsprint product, was launched.
Jimmy Gazaway
Representative at Arkansas House of Representatives
Rep. Jimmy Gazaway is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House, representing District 31 which includes Greene County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Gazaway is the House Chair for the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee. He also serves on the Judiciary Committee and the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee.
A native of Paragould, Rep. Gazaway has been an attorney in private practice there since 2006. He served as a deputy prosecuting attorney for the Second Judicial District of Arkansas and as legal counsel to several municipalities.
He is a graduate of Arkansas State University and earned his J.D. from the UA Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. He is a member of the Greene County and Arkansas Bar Associations, Paragould Regional Chamber of Commerce, Paragould Rotary Club, and is a graduate of Leadership Paragould Class XIX.
He resides in Paragould with his wife, Jessica, and daughter, Julianna.
Ashley Hudson
Representative at Arkansas House of Representatives
Rep. Ashley Hudson is serving her second term in the Arkansas House. She represents District 75 which includes a portion of Pulaski County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Hudson serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House City, County and Local Affairs Committee.
Aaron Pilkington
Representative at Arkansas House of Representatives
Rep. Aaron Pilkington is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 45 which includes portions of Johnson and Pope counties.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Pilkington serves on the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee and the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. Rep. Pilkington also serves on the Arkansas Legislative Council.
Rep. Pilkington earned his master’s in healthcare administration from UAMS. He works in administration for Sparks Health.
Les Warren
Representative at Arkansas House of Representatives
Rep. Les Warren is serving his fourth term in the Arkansas House. He represents District 84 which includes a portion of Garland County.
For the 94th General Assembly, Rep. Warren is the House Chair for the Joint Committee on Public Retirement and Social Security Programs. He also serves on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and the House Insurance and Commerce Committee.
Rep. Warren is the President of Hot Springs Title Company. He earned his master's from the University of Arkansas.
Rep. Warren has been a member of the Greater Hot Springs Chamber of Commerce for 15 years, serving as chair in 2006. He also serves as co-chair of the Greater Hot Springs Education Council, previously served as president of the Hot Springs National Park Rotary and on the school board for Lakeside School District in Hot Springs.
Rep. Warren is a father of two sons. He currently lives in Hot Springs with his wife, Pam, and attends First Baptist Church.