SB407

Senate Bill 407 proposes the total repeal of the Arkansas Catfish Processor Fair Practices Act of 1987. This existing law established state-level regulations for catfish processors, including registration requirements, bonding mandates, payment schedules, and weighing standards. It also provided the Department of Agriculture with enforcement authority, including the power to assess civil penalties and initiate receivership proceedings in cases of insolvency or unfair practices. The bill seeks to eliminate these specific statutory protections and regulatory oversight mechanisms for the state's catfish industry. By repealing Title 2, Chapter 6 of the Arkansas Code, the bill removes the legal framework designed to ensure prompt payment to producers and fair handling of catfish transactions. Consequently, the Department of Agriculture would no longer have the specific authority granted under this chapter to monitor or regulate these business practices.