Identical bills merging four state agencies into three other agencies swept through the Arkansas House of Representatives and Senate on Wednesday.
The Senate voted 33-0 to approve Senate Bill 1 by Senate Republican leader Jim Hendren, R-Sulphur Springs, and the House voted 95-0 to approve House Bill 1001 by Rep. David Branscum, R-Marshall.
The two measures have different bill numbers and separate sponsors but are otherwise identical.
With legislative leaders aiming to complete today the special session called by Gov. Asa Hutchinson to consider authorizing an $87.1 million bond issue to help Lockheed Martin win a federal defense contract and create and retain jobs in East Camden, the Senate is likely to consider HB1001 and the House is scheduled to consider SB1 today.
SB1 and HB1001 would fold the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority and Department of Rural Services into the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.
The Arkansas Building Authority would be consolidated with the Department of Finance and Administration, and the Land Survey Division would merge with the Arkansas Geographic Information Office.
The Department of Finance and Administration's projections showed the state could reap an annual $1.4 million in savings by eliminating 19 positions. It also said there were 15 more positions that could be eliminated through attrition, saving taxpayers another $1.08 million per year.
Hendren told senators that the savings could reach $10 million over the next five years.
Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said Hutchinson is pleased with the way the Arkansas Legislature is working together in an overwhelmingly bipartisan manner to pass his government-efficiency initiative as well as authorize the bond issue under Amendment 82 to the Arkansas Constitution.
Information for this article was contributed by Brian Fanney and Spencer Willems of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Metro on 05/28/2015