A Pulaski County judge rejected a request Friday to allow Arkansas to enforce two laws giving the governor power to fire top prison officials, saying that a settlement agreement struck with the Board of Corrections was “in direct conflict with the Arkansas Constitution.”
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Patricia James’ decision to keep in place the ruling she issued last year blocking the laws comes after a July hearing on the state’s request to lift the injunction.
The board and Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said a settlement agreement the board voted to accept, and a later Supreme Court ruling, meant James had little say in whether or not to lift her earlier ruling…