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Senate panel votes to codify Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation into law
Summary
The Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee voted to convert the Office of Outdoor Recreation — created by executive order in 2021 — into statute, a move sponsors said will stabilize the office and preserve its grant and partnership work.
Senator Brianne Davis, state senator for District 25, asked the State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee to approve a bill codifying the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation on the committee's consent agenda Tuesday.
The measure moves the office from its original creation by executive order into permanent state law, supporters said. "This is a noncontroversial, pretty simple bill," Davis told the committee before turning the presentation over to the office's director.
"In 2021, Governor Hutchinson created the sixteenth formal Office of Outdoor Recreation in the country here in Arkansas," Catherine Andrews, director of the Arkansas Office of Outdoor Recreation, told the committee. "In the last three and a half years that we have had this office . . . we have connected the industry. We have worked with agencies like the Department of Commerce, Arkansas Economic Development Commission, making sure that they are aware of the benefits of outdoor recreation. We've given away millions of dollars in grants, hosted two outdoor recreation summits, [and] really bolstered the outdoor recreation economy in Arkansas." Andrews said codification would let the office continue that work with greater longevity.
Committee members asked how codification would change the office's work. Senator Peyton asked, "So if you've already been able to do all that, then what is this going to do to expand those efforts?" Andrews replied that codification would "create streamlined government" and formalize the office's placement in statute rather than an executive order. Senator Sullivan asked why legislative approval was needed; Davis responded that moving the office from executive order into statute gives the Legislature "some jurisdiction over it" and formal oversight of its grant-making and reporting.
Committee members also asked about staffing and budgeting. Andrews said the office uses existing positions and resources and does not create new budget line items.
After brief discussion, the committee adopted the bill on a voice vote. "All in favor, say aye," the chair called; the committee responded and the chair announced, "Your bill passes." The committee recorded no roll-call vote in the transcript.
The codification does not change the office's current grant programs or rulemaking process, committee members were told; rules for grant programs remain administered through the Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism under current practice.
Senate action sends the bill toward further floor consideration.
