The House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee on Wednesday gave its approval to four bills arising from the 2019 flood of the Arkansas River.
House Bill 1248 allows levee districts to merge more easily. HB1249 sets forth how a levee board can be dissolved by its members. HB1250 changes how assessments can be made in certain levee or drainage improvement districts. HB1251 deals with reporting requirements for collection of assessments.
All four bills by Rep. Mary Bentley go to the full House.
The bills were suggested by a task force established by Gov. Asa Hutchinson in the wake of flooding along parts of the Arkansas River in 2019, when some levees were topped and others were threatened by high water. The state found that many levee districts in the state lacked money or community support for adequate maintenance.