Committee approves bill consolidating ABC and tobacco enforcement divisions into a single regulatory enforcement division

The committee voted to approve legislation that formally consolidates the Alcoholic Beverage Control enforcement division and the Arkansas Tobacco enforcement agents into a single Regulatory Enforcement Division within the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) agency.

Senator Scott Flippo presented House Bill 1898 and introduced ABC leadership. The agency representatives told the committee the enforcement teams have worked together since about 2020 and the change codifies an operational reality. "This would just kind of unite our enforcement agent team ... provides them an identity, and allows us to work on anything that has to do with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or the promotion of gambling," said agency staff.

Committee members asked whether the bill creates or eliminates positions or affects appropriations. ABC officials said the measure does not add positions or change the agency's general-revenue appropriation; the administrator position is currently vacant and the enforcement director present testified to existing roles. Senators also asked whether future growth in regulated areas (for example, hemp or medical marijuana changes) might create additional resource needs; agency staff said they would return with fiscal requests if needed.

Senator King and others pressed for details about funding sources and whether the consolidated division would draw on general revenue or special-revenue streams; agency staff said the agency currently uses multiple revenue streams, including federal funding for youth tobacco compliance checks and permit revenues, and that no new general-revenue appropriation is required by the consolidation.

The committee passed the bill on a voice vote after no members signed up to testify against the consolidation.