HB1459
Concerning Recurring Reports Submitted To The General Assembly.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill proposes to amend Arkansas law concerning recurring reports submitted to the General Assembly. It defines a "recurring report" as any report filed more than once, either required by statute or requested by the General Assembly, its committees, subcommittees, or officers. The bill mandates that state agencies will only file these recurring reports a maximum of three times. Following the third submission, agencies are prohibited from filing further reports unless explicitly requested by the receiving entity or individual. The agency must also notify the recipient that reporting will cease unless a request is made. This cessation of automatic reporting can be reversed if the General Assembly or its components direct the agency to resume filing. The act is intended to be applied prospectively, meaning the three-submission limit begins on or after the bill's effective date. However, an exception allows for immediate cessation of reporting if a report has already been received more than three times before the effective date, at the discretion of the recipient.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries of this bill would be state agencies. By limiting the mandatory filing of recurring reports to three submissions, agencies would experience a reduction in administrative burden and the associated costs of preparing and submitting these reports. This would allow agencies to allocate resources to other operational needs. Additionally, members of the General Assembly, its committees, subcommittees, and officers could benefit from potentially less frequent, but still targeted, receipt of information, allowing them to manage the volume of incoming data more effectively.
Who Might Suffer?
The primary entities that could be negatively impacted by this bill are the General Assembly, its committees, subcommittees, and officers, as well as the public if they rely on the consistent flow of information from state agencies. If a recurring report provides critical oversight or essential data for legislative decision-making, limiting its submission to three instances without a specific request could lead to a lack of timely or complete information. This could hinder the General Assembly's ability to monitor agency performance, track trends, or respond to evolving issues. Furthermore, if the public relies on these reports for transparency or to understand state operations, the cessation of regular reporting could reduce accessibility to information.