HB1494
To Create The Arkansas Guidance Out Of The Darkness Act; And To Require State Agencies To Publish Federal Guidance Documents Online.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill, titled the "Arkansas Guidance Out of the Darkness Act" or "Ark-GOOD Act," mandates that state agencies in Arkansas publish federal guidance documents they receive online. The legislative intent behind this act is to enhance transparency and accountability in government. It defines "federal guidance document" as a statement from a federal agency that sets policy or interprets federal statutes or regulations, excluding rules promulgated under 5 U.S.C. § 553. State agencies are required to create a webpage on a publicly accessible website for each relevant federal guidance document. These webpages must include the full text of the document, the date of receipt, and a summary of its potential impact. The bill specifies that publication must occur within thirty days of receipt. However, it includes exemptions for documents classified as confidential, those exempted from public disclosure by federal statute, personally identifiable information, sensitive security information, and internal state agency communications. The Auditor of State will annually review agency compliance and report to the Legislative Council.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
['The primary beneficiaries of this bill are the citizens of Arkansas, who will have increased access to information regarding federal guidance documents that may influence state policies and agency decision-making. This enhanced transparency allows the public to better understand the underpinnings of state regulations and administrative actions. State agencies themselves may benefit indirectly through improved internal awareness of federal directives. Additionally, watchdog groups, researchers, and journalists seeking to scrutinize government operations will find a centralized and accessible source of information that was previously potentially dispersed or unavailable.']
Who Might Suffer?
['State agencies in Arkansas are the primary entities that will be negatively impacted by this bill, as they will incur the administrative burden and cost of implementing the new publication requirements. This includes the time and resources needed to identify, review, summarize, and upload federal guidance documents to their websites. Agencies will also need to develop and maintain the necessary online infrastructure for these publications. Furthermore, state agencies may face challenges in interpreting what constitutes a "federal guidance document" requiring publication and in managing exemptions, potentially leading to confusion or legal challenges. The Auditor of State will also be impacted due to the added responsibility of annually reviewing and reporting on agency compliance.']