Alcohol control division chief goes

Hutchinson to switch out Langley as top drink regulator

Michael Langley is out as the head of the state agency that issues alcohol permits, the spokesman for Gov. Asa Hutchinson confirmed Thursday.

Langley has been director of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Administration Division since his appointment to the post by former Gov. Mike Beebe in January 2007. He is drawing an annual salary of $98,632.56 for the current fiscal year, which began July 1, according to an online database of state employee salaries.

The division regulates the sale of alcohol and advises the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, which decides whether to grant permits.

Langley was Beebe's campaign attorney. Before joining Beebe's gubernatorial campaign, Langley was briefly counsel to the state Democratic Party and practiced law in Fayetteville and Paragould.

The Little Rock native earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a law degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.

Asked who is in line to replace Langley, the governor's spokesman, J.R. Davis, responded, "No names as of now."

Langley drew criticism from legislators in December when they learned that a set of 22 rule changes dealing with alcohol sales and distribution before the Arkansas Legislative Council had already taken effect.

The rules tighten regulations prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors and overserving patrons, as well as reduce some of the red tape that restaurants and other establishments go through to get alcohol permits.

Langley said the agency came before the House and Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs committees in February 2014 for a review of the rules and mistook that meeting for the last step before the rules could be implemented. During that meeting, the committees reviewed 22 of 27 rules and held the other five for further clarification.

Davis said Langley's departure is for no other reason than the change in administration. Hutchinson, a Republican, was elected in November to replace Beebe, a Democrat who had served two four-year terms and was prevented by term limits from seeking a third term.

Metro on 02/06/2015

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