SB166

Senate Bill 166 amends Arkansas Code § 19-11-233(b)(2) to clarify the definition of a 'critical emergency' for the purpose of state procurement law. Currently, critical emergencies are defined as situations where human life or health is imminently endangered. The bill expands this definition to explicitly include a 'state of disaster emergency' as declared under existing Arkansas law (§ 12-75-107). This change allows state agencies to utilize expedited emergency procurement procedures during periods of declared disasters, potentially bypassing standard bidding or competitive procurement processes. The bill is intended to streamline the government's ability to respond to large-scale disasters.