Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 63 3
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By: Senator Hickey 5
By: Representative Wardlaw 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING REPORTS BY 9
THE SECRETARIES OF CABINET -LEVEL DEPARTMENTS ON THE 10
STATE OF THEIR DEPARTMENTS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 11
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Subtitle 14
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING REPORTS 15
BY THE SECRETARIES OF CABINET -LEVEL 16
DEPARTMENTS ON THE STATE OF THEIR 17
DEPARTMENTS. 18
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 20
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 25 -38-202(c), concerning the duties of the 22
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, is repealed. 23
(c)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 24
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 25
department. 26
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 27
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 28
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 29
report as required in this subsection. 30
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-303(h), concerning the duties of the 32
Secretary of the Department of Commerce, is repealed. 33
(h)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 34
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 35
Department of Commerce. 36 SB63
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(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 1
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 2
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 3
report as required in this subsection. 4
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SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-403(d), concerning the duties of the 6
Secretary of the Department of Corrections, is repealed. 7
(d)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 8
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 9
department. 10
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 11
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 12
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 13
report as required in this subsection. 14
15
SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-503 is amended to read as follows: 16
25-43-503. Secretary of the Department of Education. 17
(a) The executive head of the Department of Education shall be the 18
Secretary of the Department of Education. 19
(b) The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to 20
confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 21
(c) Each division of the department shall be under the direction, 22
control, and supervision of the secretary. 23
(d)(1) The secretary may delegate his or her functions, powers, and 24
duties to various divisions or employees of the department as he or she shall 25
deem desirable and necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the 26
department. 27
(2)(A) The secretary may appoint a designee to appear on behalf 28
of the secretary at a meeting of a board or commission of which the secretary 29
is a member in his or her official capacity as secretary. 30
(B) The designee of the secretary may vote on behalf of 31
the secretary. 32
(e) The secretary may, unless otherwise provided by law: 33
(1) Hire department personnel; 34
(2) Perform or assign duties assigned to the department; and 35
(3) Serve as the director, or the administrative or executive 36 SB63
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head of any state entity under the administrative control of the department 1
if the secretary also meets all statutory requirements for the position. 2
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 3
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 4
department. 5
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 6
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 7
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 8
report as required in this subsection. 9
(g)(f) The appropriation for the salary of the secretary shall be the 10
sole and exclusive authority for his or her salary. 11
(h)(g) The secretary shall: 12
(1) Devote all of his or her working time exclusively to the 13
performance of his or her duties as secretary; 14
(2) Not accept any additional salary from any other source, 15
including without limitation a state, federal, or private entity or person, 16
for the performance of his or her duties as secretary; and 17
(3) Not accept any salary, fees, or compensation from any other 18
source, including without limitation a state, federal, or private entity or 19
person, for any other employment of any kind outside the scope of his or her 20
duties as secretary, including without limitation consulting work for any 21
other public or private entity. 22
(i)(h) This section does not prohibit the secretary from accepting or 23
receiving expense reimbursements and employee benefits as provided under 24
state law. 25
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SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-603(f), concerning the duties of the 27
Secretary of the Department of Energy and Environment, is repealed. 28
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 29
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 30
department. 31
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 32
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 33
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 34
report as required in this subsection. 35
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SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-703(f), concerning the duties of the 1
Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration, is repealed. 2
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 3
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 4
department. 5
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 6
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 7
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 8
report as required in this subsection. 9
10
SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-803(f), concerning the duties of the 11
Secretary of the Department of Health, is repealed. 12
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 13
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 14
department. 15
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 16
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 17
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 18
report as required in this subsection. 19
20
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-903(f), concerning the duties of the 21
Secretary of the Department of Human Services, is repealed. 22
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 23
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 24
department. 25
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 26
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 27
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 28
report as required in this subsection. 29
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SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1003 is amended to read as follows: 31
25-43-1003. Secretary of Department of Inspector General. 32
(a) The executive head of the Department of Inspector General shall be 33
the Secretary of the Department of Inspector General. 34
(b) The secretary shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to 35
confirmation by the Senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. 36 SB63
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(c) Each division of the department shall be under the direction, 1
control, and supervision of the secretary. 2
(d) The secretary may delegate his or her functions, powers, and 3
duties to various divisions or employees of the department as he or she shall 4
deem desirable and necessary for the effective and efficient operation of the 5
department. 6
(e) The secretary may, unless otherwise provided by law: 7
(1) Hire department personnel; 8
(2) Perform or assign duties assigned to the department; and 9
(3) Serve as the director or the administrative or executive 10
head of any state entity under the administrative control of the department 11
if the secretary also meets all statutory requirements for the position. 12
(f) The secretary has the authority to direct the department as 13
necessary to conduct and supervise activities to prevent, detect, and 14
investigate fraud and abuse. 15
(g)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 16
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 17
department. 18
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 19
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 20
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 21
report as required in this subsection. 22
(h)(g) The secretary shall appear at the request of the General 23
Assembly or the Legislative Council to provide information concerning the Tax 24
Appeals Commission or the Independent Tax Appeals Commission Act, § 26 -18-25
1101 et seq. 26
27
SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1103(f), concerning the duties of 28
the Secretary of the Department of Labor and Licensing, is repealed. 29
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 30
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 31
department. 32
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 33
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 34
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 35
report as required in this subsection. 36 SB63
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1
SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1203(g), concerning the duties of 2
the Secretary of the Department of the Military, is repealed. 3
(g)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 4
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 5
department. 6
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 7
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 8
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 9
report as required in this subsection. 10
11
SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1303(f), concerning the duties of 12
the Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, is repealed. 13
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 14
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 15
department. 16
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 17
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 18
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 19
report as required in this subsection. 20
21
SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1403(f), concerning the duties of 22
the Secretary of the Department of Public Safety, is repealed. 23
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 24
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 25
department. 26
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 27
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 28
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 29
report as required in this subsection. 30
31
SECTION 14. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1503(f), concerning the duties of 32
the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and Shared Services, is 33
repealed. 34
(f)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 35
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 36 SB63
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department. 1
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 2
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 3
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 4
report as required in this subsection. 5
6
SECTION 15. Arkansas Code § 25 -43-1604(k), concerning the duties of 7
the Secretary of the Department of Veteran Affairs, is repealed. 8
(k)(1) By November 1 of each odd -numbered year, the secretary shall 9
provide an oral report to the Legislative Council on the state of the 10
department. 11
(2) The Legislative Council shall schedule an appropriate date 12
and shall give notice thereof to the secretary of the date on which the 13
secretary is to appear before the Legislative Council to make his or her 14
report as required in this subsection. 15
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