Legislation that would meld the state Board of Private Career Education into the Department of Higher Education sailed Thursday through the Senate.
The 34-0 Senate vote sent House Bill 1650 by Rep. Sonia Barker, R-Smackover, to Gov. Asa Hutchinson.
The bill allowing the transfer makes the board advisory to the department, Sen. Uvalde Lindsey, R-Fayetteville, told senators.
The Board of Private Career Education was formed to provide consumer protection for students who enroll in private, post-secondary career schools, according to its website.
State law gives the board responsibility for oversight of training that leads to or enhances occupational qualifications in airframe or power plant mechanics; as preparation for passing exams which may lead to employment; or in driver education, excluding those courses that motor vehicle violators take under court order.
Afterward, Lindsey said the legislation "came out of the governor's office" to help make state government more efficient.
He said the bill was not a response to a 2015 law that he sponsored to remove yoga-training programs from board regulation.
In 2015, the Legislature enacted Lindsey's legislation to bar the board from regulating yoga- and other instructor-training programs such as horseback riding, dance, music and sewing, knitting or other needlecraft. The action came after the board denied yoga-teacher training schools an exemption from state regulation.
Department of Higher Education Director Maria Markham said Thursday that she conservatively estimates that the merging of the private career board into her department will save about $250,000 a year.
"I don't think there was a feasibility study, but the [director of private career education] position alone is almost $100K in salary plus benefits," she said in an email. "Plus there is an office lease and other operating expenses. We will eliminate the two part-time positions and combine for one full-time, staff-level employee to handle administration."
Brenda Germann, director of the state Board of Private Career Education, said she plans to retire at the end of this month.
"I have been here 30 years, and it is time to go home."
The transfer of the board into the Department of Higher Education "has absolutely nothing to do" with the yoga-training flap, Germann said. "I think they'll work together just fine. It will be different."
Hutchinson spokesman J.R. Davis said Hutchinson supports the legislation because it will make state government more efficient and make sense from an alignment standpoint.
The Board of Private Career Education's members are Josh Blevins of Little Rock, Jacquelin Brownell of Pea Ridge, Mary Harris of Little Rock, Danny Knight of Sherwood, Alice Obenshain of Cabot, Staci Croom-Raley of Little Rock and Ann Thomas of Vilonia, according to its website.
A Section on 03/17/2017