HB1607

House Bill 1607 seeks to establish a new Office of Outdoor Recreation within the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. This new office is tasked with coordinating the development of organizational frameworks for outdoor recreation programs and policies. A primary function of the office is the administration of the FUN Parks Grants Program, which was previously overseen by the department as a whole. The bill authorizes the appointment of a Director to lead the office, who will oversee grant application procedures, selection criteria, and accountability measures. Additionally, the Director is required to submit an annual report to the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission regarding the office's activities. This legislation effectively centralizes the management of existing outdoor recreation grant programs under a specialized entity.