Legislation merging several state agencies goes to governor

The Arkansas Senate and House of Representatives on Thursday sent Gov. Asa Hutchinson legislation consolidating four state agencies into three others, a measure that he has estimated would save the state about $10 million over a five-year period.

In a 32-0 vote, the Senate approved House Bill 1001 by Rep. David Branscum, R-Marshall. The House approved the Senate version of the bill, SB1, 85-0. The bills would become law on July 1 after the governor signs them.

The 107-page bills would merge the Arkansas Science and Technology Authority and Department of Rural Services into the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and turn them into divisions of the commission.

The Arkansas Building Authority would be consolidated with the Department of Finance and Administration, and the Land Survey Division that's now in the Arkansas Agriculture Department would merge with the Arkansas Geographic Information Office.

The Building Authority and the Land Survey Division would become divisions of their recipient agencies.

Hutchinson has said Science and Technology Authority Director Tim Atkinson's position would be eliminated under this plan and Atkinson would fill a vacant research and technology post at the state Department of Higher Education. Atkinson's salary at the authority is $107,552 a year.

Atkinson said Thursday that he'll start work Monday at the Department of Higher Education.

Atkinson said he has been at the Science and Technology Authority for nearly two years and he previously worked in higher education, so "it should make for a very smooth transition, and the move gives the governor and his team a chance to establish their approach to tech-based economic development."

Thirty-five positions at the four agencies are being evaluated for elimination under the reorganization, and attrition will be the "primary vehicle for reductions," according to the finance department.

Sixteen of the positions are vacant and 18 positions are filled, including the rural services director and land survey division's state surveyor posts, the finance department said. The positions' salary and benefit costs are $1.29 million in fiscal 2015 and would be $2.18 million in fiscal 2016.

Information for this article was contributed by Brian Fanney of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Metro on 05/29/2015

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