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Arkansas Lawmakers Vote to Consolidate State Agencies

1 min read

LITTLE ROCK – Both chambers of the Arkansas Legislature have advanced proposals to move several smaller state agencies into larger ones.

Identical bills backed by Gov. Asa Hutchinson cleared the House 95 to 0 and the Senate 33 to 0 Wednesday.

Under the plan, the Department of Rural Services and the Science and Technology Authority would be merged into the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. Hutchinson also wants to merge the Division of Land Survey into the Geographic Information Office and the Arkansas Building Authority into the Department of Finance and Administration.

Hutchinson has said the move would save between $10 million and $12 million over the next five years by eliminating redundant positions.

Each chamber still needs to vote on the other’s version of the plan.

(Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, broadcast or distributed.)

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