The Joint Budget Committee agreed to move forward with an appropriation bill to hire three positions for the new lottery commission.

The appropriation bill would be for $300,000.

The Joint Budget Committee was told yesterday the bill has yet to be filed. The hiring of these three positions is to be overseen by the lottery committee once selected.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette has laid off at least five workers from the newroom of its Little Rock office, says managing editor David Bailey.

“Five positions were cut in my department,” said Bailey. “There were cuts in other departments.”

ArkansasBusiness.com reports that two others have been laid off in the newsroom of the paper’s Northwest Arkansas office.

“It was definitely the economy,” Bailey said of the layoffs. “But we believe we can rebound.”

The Senate today approved a resolution setting aside time on Wednesday for Bill Clinton to speak to the Legislature.

The former president and Arkansas governor will address a joint session of the House and Senate at 10 a.m. in the House chambers. He was invited by Senate leader Bob Johnson and House Speaker Robbie Wills.

No word on what Clinton will talk about or how long he plans to roam the state Capitol — his stomping ground as governor for 12 years before winning the presidency in 1992.