Representative Andy Davis (District 31) and Senator Bart Hester (District 1) are filing the first in a series of bills addressing the transformation of Arkansas’s government.

In an effort to allow agencies and the public to review and comment on every proposal, the legislators announced they will be pre-filing 16 separate pieces of legislation.  The filings began on Friday, December 21 with HB1070, which addresses general provisions.  HB1072 for the Department of Health and the HB1071 for the Department of Veterans Affairs were also filed on Friday.

The bills will mirror Governor Asa Hutchinson’s proposal to reduce the number of cabinet-level agencies by nearly 65 percent, from 42 to 15 without sacrificing any services. 

“From education to public health, our agencies and commissions impact day to day life for millions of Arkansans.  That is why we want to be transparent about this process,” said Rep. Davis.  “Although we will be pre-filing the proposals in separate pieces of legislation, our intention is to ultimately file and run one cohesive transformation bill this session.  This first step gives Arkansans an opportunity to review and comment on each proposal thoroughly before any vote is taken.”

“I’m delighted to have this legislative support for my transformation initiative,” said Governor Asa Hutchinson. “As we move closer to the 2019 session, my office, in conjunction with members of the legislature, will roll out all 16 pieces of transformation legislation. Their support is key, and I appreciate their willingness to work with me on this historic effort.”

The legislation can be found at www.arkleg.state.ar.us.