SB557

Senate Bill 557 amends the Arkansas Environmental Quality Act of 1973 to modify the composition and appointment process of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission. The bill retains the fifteen-member structure of the commission but changes the criteria and nomination requirements for certain appointments. Specifically, it removes requirements for nominations from specific external organizations, such as the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, the Agricultural Council of Arkansas, and the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. Instead, it mandates that specific appointed members must have personal experience in agriculture or an interest in habitat and wildlife management. It also updates the process for appointing members from the state at large and maintains the existing division of appointment authority between the Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. The act is designed to be implemented as current terms expire or as vacancies arise, ensuring it does not shorten the terms of existing members.