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Committee approves bill to create state process for withdrawing National Guard officer recognition
Summary
HB 11‑27 would establish a state withdrawal process allowing the Arkansas National Guard to remove state recognition of officers within a comparable 90–120 day timeframe and ensure due‑process procedures; the committee passed the bill by voice vote.
House Bill 11‑27, sponsored to address state recognition of National Guard officers, was presented and approved by the Senate State Agencies committee after brief testimony.
The sponsor said the measure lets the state establish a withdrawal process for state recognition of officers similar to the federal process. Colonel Jeff Wood of the Arkansas National Guard told the committee the federal process to remove an officer's recognition can take one to two years, while enlisted personnel can be removed in 90–120 days; the state process would create comparable timelines for officers, allow due process with a hearing board, and (if removed) move an officer to the individual ready reserve while they retain federal recognition.
Supporters framed the bill as a fairness and administrative efficiency change that does not strip federal recognition but aligns state administrative practice with enlisted timelines. No audience testimony opposed the bill. A motion to pass was seconded and the committee approved HB 11‑27 by voice vote. The transcript records the voice vote but does not contain a roll‑call tally.
