Bills: HB1522 , HB1917 , HB3937 , HR600

Keywords: Federal Retirement Fairness Act, FERS, federal retirement, creditable service, temporary employees, temporary federal service, Postal Service, USPS, Office of Personnel Management, OPM, retirement buyback, annuity, pension, civil service retirement, federal workforce, government employees, Members of Congress, retirement benefits, Great Lakes, fishery management

Bills: HB1670 , HR493 , HR492 , HR491 , HB5140 , HB4922 , HR713 , HR721 , HB2721 , HR707

Keywords: fertility, health benefits, family planning, assisted reproductive technology, employees, fertility treatment, ART, in vitro fertilization, IVF, infertility, family building, reproductive health, oocyte preservation, sperm preservation, embryo preservation, artificial insemination, gamete donation, embryo genetic testing, federal employee health benefits, FEHB

Transcript Highlights:

• Scott, there was a massive data breach at OPM a decade ago.
• Cooper, thank you for joining us as we consider your nomination to director of OPM.
• That absolutely includes OPM and it's significant because prior to the Smith amendments enacted OPM administered
• Are you going to put a stop to that in OPM and get OPM focused back again on its core mission?
• And I certainly think OPM can play a role there. I hope you do.

Committee: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Keywords: nominations, Scott Cooper, Eric Ulan, federal workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Office of Management and Budget, accountability, collective bargaining

Summary: The committee convened to discuss the nominations of Scott Cooper for Director of the Office of Personnel Management and Eric Ulan for Deputy Director at the Office of Management and Budget. This meeting highlighted the critical roles both positions play in managing the federal workforce, which comprises over two million civilian employees. Concerns were raised regarding the current administration's approach to federal employment, citing issues like mass firings and the undermining of collective bargaining rights. Members expressed the need for better accountability and transparency within the federal system, emphasizing the importance of attracting talented public servants.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no increase in the total number of authorized positions, and OPM has recommended the two new
• The agency and OPM wish to carry these changes through into FY27.
• The agency and OPM wish to carry these changes through into FY27.
• Item G is a request for continuation of an OPM differential for classifications at Disability Determination
• OPM has requested approval of salary increases to the persons listed in the attached letter and spreadsheet

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Transcript Highlights:

• And so, you know, the employee there at OPM felt that that was an accurate request for a bank account
• So somebody who was somewhat knowledgeable about how we operate sent an email into OPM.
• OPM didn't check, I guess, and someone got $2,000 from us. Correct. Are there procedures?
• I know you're not with OPM, but—and I don't know, maybe we need to ask OPM this—but to make sure that

Committee: All LEGISLATIVE JOINT AUDITING-STATE AGENCIES

Summary: The committee met to consider audit reports and first adopted the minutes, then deferred the Health Department special report at the request of Representative Mary Bentley. Staff presented two reports with findings and six reports without findings, with the latter recommended to be filed. The first report discussed was the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism FY25 audit, which had two findings: an apparent unauthorized payroll direct deposit of nearly $2,400 involving impersonation of an employee, and a bank account that was temporarily uninsured and uncollateralized by about $105,000. Agency officials said the collateral issue has been corrected, and members questioned the adequacy of monthly checks, the lack of recovery or prosecution in the payroll incident, and whether stronger safeguards are needed. On motion, the committee deferred this report to a later meeting so the agency could return with additional answers. The committee then heard the Treasurer of State FY25 report, which found that liabilities were understated by nearly $335 million because year-end obligations tied to Act 1017 and county aid distributions were not properly recorded. Treasurer’s office staff said the issue was a timing/bookkeeping matter rather than a delay in transferring funds, and that the office concurred with the audit adjustment. After questions, the committee voted to accept the Treasurer of State report. The chair announced the next meeting would be September 10, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• There's no increase in the total number of authorized positions, and OPM has recommended the two new
• The agency and OPM wish to carry these changes through into FY27.
• Item G is a request for continuation of an OPM differential for classifications at Disability Determination
• OPM has requested approval of salary increases to the persons listed in the attached letter and spreadsheet

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee reviewed several personnel and appropriation requests. Item C was a two-for-two position swap with no net increase in authorized positions and was approved. Item D, for South Arkansas College, added three net positions through a mix of growth and swap pool positions, including food service, public safety, housing, and compliance support roles, and was approved. Item E moved positions and $3 million in salary and match appropriation within Workforce Services to consolidate shared services, with no net change in positions, and was approved. The committee then considered a group of continuation items for FY27, covering previously approved growth and surrender pool positions, various differentials, hard-to-fill and on-call pay, a labor market adjustment for crime lab medical examiners, and continuation of grant-funded classifications tied to ARPA and IIJA grants across several agencies. These items were reviewed together and approved. Reports on the agenda required no action and were simply reviewed. On the supplemental agenda, the committee suspended the rules and approved OPM’s request for salary increases for 92 employees whose merit raises would place them over their grade maximums. Senator Dotson asked about several public safety medical examiner positions listed on the salary schedule, and staff indicated they were likely crime lab medical examiner roles. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Because this is a two-for-two swap, there's no increase in the total number of authorized positions, and OPM
• The agency and OPM wish to carry these changes through into FY27.
• Item G is a request for continuation of an OPM differential for classifications at Disability Determination
• OPM has requested approval of salary increases to the persons listed in the attached letter and spreadsheet

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee reviewed several personnel and appropriation items, including Item C, which involved a two-for-two position swap with no net increase in authorized positions and was approved after motion. Item D for South Arkansas College added three net positions through a mix of growth and swap pool requests, including food service, public safety, housing support, and compliance-related roles; it was also approved. Item E moved positions and $3 million in salary and match appropriation within Workforce Services to consolidate shared services, with no net change in positions, and was approved. The committee then took up Items F through O as continuation requests for previously approved or reviewed positions and differentials to carry into FY27. These included growth and surrender pool positions at several agencies, various pay differentials such as second-language, on-call, hard-to-fill, certification, and labor market adjustments, as well as continuation of grant-funded classifications tied to ARPA and IIJA grants and other federal grants. After no questions, the committee approved the continuations in a single motion. Under the supplemental agenda, the committee suspended the rules and approved Item A-1, which authorized salary increases above grade maximums for 92 employees due to merit increases. A senator asked about several public safety classifications listed as Med 14, 16, 14, and 15, and staff indicated they were likely crime lab medical examiner positions. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of them is the PowerPoint presentation for this meeting, as well as the presentation that the OPM
• And there's been some really good engagement with that online, and we're able to receive from OPM at
• Yeah, and you'll definitely hear a little bit more about that when OPM does their update as well.
• Now we'll go ahead and give the floor to Stephanie Rousseau at OPM. I think you're online. I am.
• But OPM did apply for a discretionary grant that is Title II money to bring us into compliance.

Summary: The Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC) met for administrative updates, approved the April meeting minutes, and discussed a proposed shift from monthly full committee meetings to a quarterly schedule beginning later this year. Members generally supported the change, saying it would reduce strain on agency and committee resources and allow more time for work groups to complete implementation tasks. Several members also asked for more flexible agendas and a clearer way to add issues between meetings, with staff suggesting a standardized form for submitting topics in advance. Work group updates covered cross-agency data sharing, diversion, education, incarceration, and community expertise. The data-sharing group reported continued work on the Equity Dashboard 2.0, a statewide expulsions analysis, municipal-level data collaboration with UConn’s IMRP, and a cross-system analysis of crossover youth. The diversion group described work on POST curriculum revisions for juvenile law, a youth-focused law enforcement interaction training, a community-police relationship toolkit, expansion of youth diversion teams, and pre-arrest diversion policy. The education group is reviewing implementation of the law creating educational oversight in juvenile facilities, along with a free public transportation pilot for high school students and truancy cleanup legislation. The incarceration group is tracking conditions of confinement, DOC restraint and chemical agent reports, the DOJ settlement monitoring process, the reentry success plan, and gender-responsive programming. The community expertise group emphasized elevating lived experience, youth voice, prevention, and conditions of confinement, with members urging the committee to focus on stability, infrastructure, and meaningful use of lived-experience perspectives. A major presentation from OPM outlined Connecticut’s effort to re-enter the federal Title II juvenile justice formula grant program. OPM explained the program’s core compliance requirements, including deinstitutionalization of status offenders, adult jail and lockup removal, sight-and-sound separation, and addressing racial and ethnic disparities. Staff said Connecticut is currently not fully compliant because of issues including youth being held in adult facilities and the state’s six-hour detention rule, and that Title II funding is on hold while OPM works toward compliance. OPM is developing a monitoring manual, identifying facilities to be monitored, and forming a state advisory group (SAG) to support the application and compliance process. Members questioned why a separate SAG is needed, whether JJPOC or the community expertise group could serve that role, and how lived-experience members would be selected; OPM said federal rules require the SAG to include youth or parents with lived experience and that the group cannot be composed of state or government employees in the key leadership roles. The committee agreed to circulate the federal parameters and ask members to suggest candidates for the SAG and to help move compliance work forward over the summer.

Transcript Highlights:

• OPM has recommended the requested pool position because this is a one-for-one swap.
• OPM has recommended the requested position.
• OPM has recommended the request for differentials and estimates the cost to be about $74,000.
• OPM has recommended the use of the position because the position is already authorized; approving the

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee met with a quorum and considered several personnel and position requests. Item B from Parks, Heritage and Tourism was a one-for-one swap of an administrative coordinator for a Parks and Tourism Program Supervisor Expert to support statewide guest service training; it was reviewed and approved. Item C from the Department of Correction requested a new administrative law judge at the Post-Prison Transfer Board due to increased workload from federal parole revocation changes; it was approved. Item D from Black River Technical College requested a higher education central growth pool position for an associate vice president to serve as a temporary transition role during a CFO retirement. College officials testified that the position would be used only during the training/on-ramp period and could be left vacant otherwise; after questions from members, the request was reviewed and approved. Item E from Parks, Heritage and Tourism sought certification differentials of up to 10% for employees holding required Class A and B CDL licenses; the committee reviewed and approved the request. Item F from the Department of Labor and Licensing asked to use a previously frozen administrative coordinator position in the OSHA division because of increased inspection-related workload; the committee approved the request. Items G and H were continuation requests for higher education positions previously reviewed by the committee, and the committee voted to review them together and approved that review. Items I through N were reports requiring no committee action. Members were told that one packet item had a typo and a corrected version was provided. No further questions or business were raised, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item E on page 25 is a request from OPM for the reinstatement of a labor market rate at the crime lab
• OPM has recommended the requested rate, and the action requires approval in lieu of review by the committee
• Item E on page 25 is a request from OPM for the reinstatement of a labor market rate at the crime lab
• OPM has recommended the requested rate, and the action requires approval in lieu of review by the committee

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Transcript Highlights:

• This request does not increase the total number of positions at the division, and OPM has recommended
• OPM has recommended the requested title. Personnel is tasked with reviewing the requested title.
• OPM has recommended the requested title, which is an extra help.

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The Personnel Committee met to consider several agency personnel requests. It approved the Arkansas State Police request to surrender three corporal positions and replace them with three lieutenant positions for the I-40 corridor, and approved Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for three project program administrator pool positions to support the new College of Veterinary Medicine. The committee also approved the Department of Commerce Economic Development Commission’s request for an extra help position tied to Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act work, described as a fiscal/budgeting and auditing role. One item was pulled from consideration. The committee then reviewed a report item involving a reduction in force at the Department of Veterans Affairs that eliminated six positions. Veterans Affairs officials explained that the action was part of a broader restructuring, not simply a layoff, intended to realign the agency with its current mission, expand services for veterans earlier in their transition from service, and create a veteran employment specialist role to connect veterans with Arkansas employers. They said the restructuring was designed to fit within budget limits and would save money while expanding services. Members asked detailed questions about the impact on veterans, county veteran service officers, severance pay, and retirement implications. Veterans Affairs officials said county veteran service officers are still in place and that the agency is working to improve training, supervision, and consistency across counties, including a report-card style evaluation for county judges. Staff also explained that severance is based on years of service and is not recouped if an employee later takes another state job, though immediate transfers do not receive severance. After discussion, no further action was taken and the committee adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• This request does not increase the total number of positions at the division, and OPM has recommended
• OPM has recommended the requested title. Personnel is tasked with reviewing the requested title.
• OPM has recommended the requested title, which is an extra help.

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Transcript Highlights:

• Item E on page 25 is a request from OPM for the reinstatement of a labor market rate at the crime lab
• Item E on page 25 is a request from OPM for the reinstatement of a labor market rate at the crime lab
• OPM has recommended the requested rate, and the action requires approval in lieu of review by the committee

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee met and took several budget-related items out of order. It first approved a revised Auditor’s Office letter and amendment that reduced requested salary and match increases to 10 percent for operations and UCP, and then approved a revised Lieutenant Governor’s Office request that kept positions at line-item maximums while revising regular salary and match appropriations to a total increase of $99,876. Both items passed without objection. The committee then considered a member amendment from Senator Rice to Senate Bill 30 affecting the Governor’s Office. The amendment would eliminate one Governor senior advisor position, reducing authorized positions from 59 to 58 and cutting regular salaries and matching funds by a total of $264,895. Senator Rice argued the change was warranted because of concerns about former Corrections Secretary Joe Profury’s conduct, transparency, and refusal to appear before Joint Performance Review. Members debated the relevance of the amendment to current duties, whether the governor could still hire the individual in another role, and whether a Board of Corrections member could speak. After discussion, the committee rejected the amendment on a roll call vote. Under regular business, the committee approved an OPM request to reinstate a labor market rate at the crime lab so it can recruit two medical examiners, with pay up to $300,000 for those positions. Members also approved Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for 11 positions tied to the new veterinary medicine school, including clinic, lab, communications, mental health, and administrative roles. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• How does this change in date relate to R6, which also adjusted the exemptions and dates for OPMs?
• </c> exemptions and dates for OPMs? exemptions and dates for OPMs?
• The Senate position extends some of the OPM arrangements that were signed before 2023.
• the underlying amendment language, the R6 lines 7.23 through 7.27, which is the Senate language for OPMs
• </c> which is the Senate language for OPMs. which is the Senate language for OPMs.

Summary: The committee discussed a higher education attainment-goals bill and several related amendments. Members first reached agreement on funding changes: one amendment redirected money for fraud-prevention software for MnSCU and $5,000 for trees in Bemidji, and another moved $570,000 for workforce development-related funding. Members noted the use of general fund dollars to cover a FIG shortfall and expressed support for addressing fraud prevention while also saying MnSCU should be made whole in the next biennium. Both amendments were adopted. The main policy debate centered on an amendment updating the statewide attainment goal and related P-20 partnership language. Senator Um Ruebain proposed returning the attainment goal from 75 percent to 70 percent, and members discussed whether the bill’s expanded reporting and coordination duties would create costs for the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF). Nonpartisan staff and Commissioner Olsen said the Office of Higher Education and the P-20 partnership expected no costs, while DCYF’s fiscal note assumed reporting and staffing costs. After discussion, DCYF indicated it would absorb the costs, but some members still objected to expanding the partnership and creating additional bureaucracy. Members also debated whether early childhood and K-12 subgoals should be included as part of the attainment-goals framework. Supporters said aligning early childhood, K-12, and higher education goals is necessary to improve postsecondary attainment, while opponents argued the committee should focus on existing higher education goals and basic K-12 achievement. The committee ultimately adopted the Senate language on the attainment-goals section as amended, including the change back to 70 percent and revisions directed by staff to ensure the correct references were updated. The A12 amendment on pregnant and parenting students was also adopted earlier in the meeting.

Transcript Highlights:

• really good HR partner, Beth Ann Watts, who works very hard, very closely with our fiscal manager and OPM
• almost every day to reevaluate where we're... ...and OPM almost every day to reevaluate where we are
• So our former, and she's going to another position in OPM, Delaney did some historical look back on how

Summary: The Finance Advisory Committee approved the minutes of its April 2 meeting and then took up three budget transfers. The first, FAC 2026-6 for the Office of the State Treasurer, moved $75,000 from personal services to other expenses to pay for consultant help applying for federal energy credits under the Inflation Reduction Act’s direct pay provisions. Treasurer’s office staff said the agency had one open position and several others pending posting, and members discussed how the transfer related to vacant positions and the committee’s budget display. The second item, FAC 2026-7 for the Office of the State Controller, transferred $700,000 from personal services to other expenses to cover higher Core-CT software maintenance and licensing costs. Comptroller staff said the office had 21 open positions, most in Core-CT, and explained that the system, implemented in 2003, receives regular quarterly and monthly updates from Oracle. Members also discussed how the system serves payroll, HR, purchasing, accounting, and related functions for many state agencies, including UConn and the Board of Regents. The final item, FAC 2026-8 for the Department of Veterans Affairs, transferred $700,000 from personal services, the veterans opportunity pilot, and headstones accounts to other expenses for year-end operational needs. Commissioner Ron Welch said most vacancies were in the skilled nursing facility, food service, and physical plant, with staffing challenges especially for nurses and aides. He also explained that the veterans opportunity pilot never fully launched, that the Institutional General Welfare Fund has been depleted and the agency now relies more on general fund support, and that the department faces rising food, utility, and pharmaceutical costs, including a federal VA reimbursement change that will leave the state responsible for medication costs by 2027. All three transfers were approved, and the meeting adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• OPM has recommended the requested swap. Are there any questions on this item? All right.
• OPM has recommended the requested swap. Are there any questions on this item? All right.
• Kay Barnhill, OPM.

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Transcript Highlights:

• Can you walk us through where we're at on that and how many people OPM would have to hire?
• OPM is placing these folks on an instant basis, which the department's not used to because of the way
• Thank you. $388 billion for Office of Personnel Management, OPM, and utilizing a state contract to purchase
• five of them have found new jobs, and we're... ...prioritizing those employees with the support of OPM

Committee: All ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (ALC)

Summary: The meeting began with a prayer, approval of the prior minutes, and a February 2026 revenue report from Carlos Silva of the Bureau of Legislative Research. He reported gross revenues of $5.36 billion and net collections of $4.5 billion, both above the prior year, and said the updated forecast showed a larger expected surplus than before. Members asked about declines in some tax categories, natural gas severance fees, and possible effects of inflation and international conflict; Silva generally attributed the changes to timing issues, prior tax cuts, refund activity, and price fluctuations, and said he could not speculate on future impacts. The committee then heard and adopted several subcommittee reports, including the Executive Committee, Administrative Rules, Claims Review, Game and Fish State Police, Higher Education, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Hospital/Medicaid/Developmental Disabilities, Occupational Licensing Review, State Insurance Programs Oversight, and APER filings. Most reports were approved without objection. One budget classification transfer for the Commissioner of State Lands was reviewed and failed. The review report also led to discussion of several contracts, including DHS staffing contracts and a Department of Education security contract, with some items held or separated for individual votes. A major portion of the meeting focused on DHS and state staffing contracts for the Human Development Centers, Arkansas State Hospital, and related facilities. DHS officials said the contracts were on track against seven-year projections, but members expressed concern about heavy reliance on contract labor, vacancy rates, and the need to move workers onto state payrolls. Officials said they were preparing a recruitment and retention plan and described staffing levels, vacancies, and turnover. Members also questioned contract projections and federal-state funding matches, and several urged faster action to reduce contract labor costs. The committee also discussed a Department of Commerce reduction-in-force affecting the Division of Services for the Blind and Employment and Training. Secretary Hugh McDonald said the cuts were driven by funding shortfalls, over-obligation of funds, and federal issues, and that 27 positions would be permanently eliminated while furloughed employees would be recalled. Members raised concerns about service impacts, board appointments, and the division’s fiscal management. The meeting ended after the personnel report was adopted and APER was filed as reviewed, followed by adjournment.

Transcript Highlights:

• well and Miss Barnhill put you on the spot too, but we did meet with Miss Barnhill and her team at OPM
• And so with mine, day to day is I still have to handle the admin side of the office, which is DF&A, OPM
• to day is i still have to handle the admin side excuse me the admin side of the office which is dfna opm

Committee: All JBC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee first considered the Lieutenant Governor’s Office budget and personnel request. Office representatives said they wanted to move the office to the state pay plan to better align salaries with other constitutional offices and remain competitive, noting that OPM had approved the positions and grades. Senators questioned the size of the requested increases and the office’s workload, and after discussion the motion to adopt the proposal failed on an 8-8 tie. The committee then voted to expunge that vote and returned to the regular agenda. The committee approved a series of Governor’s letters involving position transfers and appropriation adjustments across several agencies. These included changes for AETN, the Department of Health and Nursing Board/Dietetics Board, multiple DHS divisions, DFA shared services and budget management, and the Department of Public Safety shared services division. Most of these items involved moving positions and associated salary appropriations between divisions, with no major opposition and motions passing. A lengthy discussion followed on the transfer of child nutrition and related nutrition programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Agriculture. Education and DFA officials explained that the programs fit better under Agriculture because the funding and commodities are tied to USDA programs, and they clarified that both state and federal funding and all related positions would move. Senators raised concerns about the math in the letters, the split between state and federal funding, and whether all program resources were being transferred. After the explanation, the committee approved the Education side of the transfer and then approved the Agriculture companion letter. The committee also discussed the Educational Freedom Account program budget. Officials said the $309 million request matched current participation and included a $70 million reserve in case applications increase. Several senators expressed concern about the program’s growth and its effect on public education funding and adequacy, while others noted that the program’s rules and funding levels could be adjusted through the State Board and future legislative action. The committee then approved a Public Safety classification change and a member amendment changing a title at East Arkansas Community College from assistant to the president to assistant to the chancellor, with no change in positions or appropriation.

Transcript Highlights:

• I see Sue from OPM is here with us. Ah, very good. Hey, Sue, OPM?
• We are going to continue all the work we're doing under OPM. Okay.
• Okay, so on our OHS data transparency website, which will soon be an OPM transparency website, we have

Summary: The Complex Care Committee meeting focused first on a new Diabetes Caucus launched at the Capitol. Rep. Johnson described the caucus as a forum to educate people about type 1 and type 2 diabetes, genetic risk, early testing, pregnancy-related diabetes, and ways Medicaid policy might improve prevention and lower long-term costs. Members agreed the caucus could intersect with care management, and Carolyn Grandell of CHNCT offered to share information about current diabetes-related care management services at a future meeting. The committee then heard a detailed presentation from Alex Rigger of the Office of Health Strategy, who is moving to the Office of Policy and Management. He reviewed Connecticut health care benchmark data, including total health care expenditures, medical spending, and market-by-market trends. He said 2023 to 2024 per-capita spending grew more than 8.5% statewide and 14% in Medicaid, with long-term care accounting for about 46% of Medicaid spending and retail pharmacy also identified as a major cost driver. Members asked about enrollment changes, dual-eligible populations, Medicare Savings Program members, 340B drug pricing, and value-based payment models. Rigger explained that his office tracks alternate payment models and quality benchmarks, but does not separately capture 340B data. Discussion then shifted to Medicare Advantage, dual eligibles, and hospital discharge planning. Members said they want better data on how many Medicaid members are in Medicare Advantage plans and whether those plans shift costs back to Medicaid or affect access to care, especially for complex-care patients. Staff noted DSS does have some Medicare Advantage indicators and that CMS is developing encounter-data rules for states. Kathy Holt and others raised concerns about denials, nursing home stays, and the need to compare Medicaid spending for dual eligibles in Medicare Advantage versus traditional Medicare. The meeting ended with plans for follow-up data sharing, including Alex Rigger’s slides, the diabetes caucus materials, and a future discussion with DSS and other agencies; no formal votes were taken.

Transcript Highlights:

• This request does not increase the total number of positions at the division, and OPM has recommended
• OPM has recommended the requested title, which is an extra help position, and according to the agency

Committee: All ALC-PERSONNEL

Summary: The committee first reviewed several personnel actions. It approved the Arkansas State Police request to swap three corporal positions for three lieutenant positions to supervise increased trooper staffing along the I-40 corridor, with no net increase in positions and an estimated cost of $89,000 from general revenue. It also approved Arkansas State University-Jonesboro’s request for three project/program administrator pool positions to support the new College of Veterinary Medicine, and approved the Department of Commerce Economic Development Commission’s request for an extra help position tied to Infrastructure Investment Jobs Act work. One item was pulled from consideration. The committee then received a report on a reduction in force at the Department of Veterans Affairs that eliminated six positions. Senator Petty asked for reassurance that veterans’ services would not be harmed, and VA Secretary Colonel Rob Ader explained that the action was part of a broader restructuring rather than a simple cut, intended to realign the agency, free resources, and expand services such as a new continuum-of-care program, veteran employment support, and stronger coordination with employers as veterans transition out of service. He said the agency also expected to save money. Members also questioned VA officials about the impact on county and district veteran service officers and about severance and retirement implications for affected employees. VA officials said the county VSO program remains in place, with efforts underway to improve training, supervision, and consistency across counties, including reporting to county judges. They also explained that severance is based on years of service, is not recouped if an employee later takes another state job, and that retirement eligibility and early-retirement penalties would still apply under existing rules. The committee took no further action after the reports and adjourned.