Concerning The Evaluation, Extension, And Repeal Of Administrative Rules.
Summary
SB56 amends Arkansas law governing the periodic review of administrative rules. Under current law, agencies are grouped into six rule-review groups, with the Governor responsible for determining the groupings so that the number of agencies and subject-matter areas are roughly balanced. The bill keeps that structure in place and clarifies that if a new agency is created, the Governor must assign it to a review group.
The bill also gives the Governor express authority to revise how agencies are divided among the rule-review groups. However, it adds a limitation on those changes: any amendment made on or after the effective date of the bill cannot have the effect of delaying an agency’s rule review so that its rules are evaluated more than 12 years after the last evaluation under the statute. In practical terms, the bill is aimed at preserving the regular cycle of administrative rule review while allowing some administrative flexibility in how agencies are organized for that process.
Impact
SB56 affects Arkansas Code § 25-15-401(c), which governs the reporting, sunsetting, and extension of administrative rules. It does not create new substantive regulatory requirements, but it changes the administrative framework for how agency rules are scheduled for review and how the Governor may adjust review-group assignments. The main impact is on state agencies and the Governor’s office, with indirect effects on regulated parties that depend on timely review, extension, or repeal of agency rules.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad bipartisan support and little controversy. The bill passed the Senate 35-0 and the House 98-0 on third reading, indicating unanimous approval in both chambers. No committee transcript material was provided, and the recorded votes suggest the measure was viewed as a routine administrative update rather than a contentious policy change.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive disagreement in the available record. The only potentially notable issue is the balance between gubernatorial discretion and statutory limits: the bill allows the Governor to amend agency groupings, but it also constrains that discretion by preventing changes that would push rule review beyond the 12-year window. That structure appears designed to address any concern that reorganization could be used to delay oversight, but no specific opposition or competing viewpoints are reflected in the provided materials.