Senate Agriculture committee hears interim studies on fire-district boundaries, food access, raw milk and livestock traceability; adopts study package

The Arkansas Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee on Tuesday heard a series of interim studies that could be drafted into legislation next session and voted to adopt the group of studies for follow-up, the committee chair said. Presenters remained available after the meeting to answer members' questions.

Representative Denise Sinnott opened the substantive portion of the meeting with an interim study on fire protection districts, saying boundary changes and municipal growth have left populated "no-man's land" pockets without a clear provider. "This study ... would give the Department of Agriculture the ability to redraw the districts," Sinnott said, and she introduced a panel including Pulaski County Attorney Adam Fogelman and Arch Street Fire Department representative Chris Madison to describe operational problems. Fogelman outlined three scenarios for boundary adjustments—overlapping districts, populated areas outside both city and district lines, and municipal annexation that severs a district—and said any changes would proceed with Department of Agriculture oversight and county-court involvement. Madison said about "76…