The Arkansas General Assembly will convene for the 2022 Fiscal Session on Monday, February 14.

Preparations for that session will begin in the next two weeks.

Beginning January 11, the Joint Budget Committee will hold a series of meetings designed to begin the process of outlining a budget for the next fiscal year.

Budget hearings will begin with the Department of Finance and Administration presenting its annual forecast and recommendations for a balanced budget by the Governor.

The last general revenue report released showed revenue was up 3% from the same time last year.

Over the course of the budget hearings, the committee will hear budget requests for all state boards, commissions, and agencies. The hearings will continue through January 20.

Members can begin pre-filing appropriation bills on Monday, January 10.

Fiscal Sessions began after Arkansas voters approved what would become Amendment 86 in 2008.

Amendment 86 reduced the period for which appropriation bills are valid from two fiscal years to one, requiring the General Assembly to meet in a fiscal session during even-numbered years, with deliberations limited to action on appropriation bills.

For non-appropriation legislation to be introduced, a concurrent resolution substantially describing the bill must be approved by a 2/3 vote required in both chambers. The deadline for members to file identical resolutions for non-appropriation bills is February 14.

Amendment 86 states that each fiscal session shall not exceed 30 days. The fiscal session may be extended one time, however, for no more than 15 days, by a ¾ vote of both the House and Senate.

The deadline for filing both appropriation bills and non-appropriation bills is Monday, February 28.

You can watch find the daily agendas and watch the meetings live at www.arkansashouse.org.