HB1066
An Act For The Department Of Energy And Environment - Division Of Environmental Quality Appropriation For The 2026-2027 Fiscal Year.
Last Action (April 1, 2026): Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
House Bill 1066 is a budget appropriation act for the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment—Division of Environmental Quality for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027. It establishes the maximum number of regular employees for various divisions, totaling hundreds of full-time staff members. The bill provides specific funding allocations for personal services, operating expenses, and contractual services across multiple programs, including hazardous waste cleanup, surface coal mining, and land reclamation. It authorizes the use of both state and federal funding sources for these initiatives. Additionally, the bill permits the hiring of temporary or 'extra help' staff. The act serves as the legislative authorization necessary to maintain the division's administrative and operational functions for the specified fiscal year.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries include the employees of the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment—Division of Environmental Quality, who receive funding for salaries and benefits, and the environmental sectors subject to state oversight, such as mining and waste management companies that interact with these regulatory programs. Furthermore, the public benefits from the environmental protection, land reclamation, hazardous waste cleanup, and regulatory oversight services provided by these programs, which are designed to maintain safety and environmental compliance standards throughout the state.
Who Might Suffer?
There are no specific groups or entities directly and negatively impacted by this bill. As an appropriations act, it provides the necessary funding for the state to fulfill its existing statutory mandates and regulatory responsibilities. While some may argue that the allocation of state and federal tax dollars toward these bureaucratic operations could have been directed elsewhere, the bill itself does not impose new regulations, taxes, or burdens that would uniquely harm any specific constituency.
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