An act CONCERNING THE DIVISIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF 10 FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas           A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                          HOUSE BILL 1898

4

5 By: Representative Painter

6 By: Senator Crowell

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8                             For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT CONCERNING THE DIVISIONS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF

10  FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION; TO COMBINE THE EXISTING

11  REGULATORY AND ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS RELATED TO

12  TOBACCO, MEDICAL MARIJUANA, AND ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE

13  CONTROL IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND

14  ADMINISTRATION; TO CREATE THE REGULATORY DIVISION AND

15  THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION WITHIN THE

16  DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION; TO COMBINE

17  THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

18  AND THE ARKANSAS TOBACCO CONTROL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

19  INTO THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION; TO ALLOW

20  FOR PERSONNEL OF THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

21  OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION TO BE

22  DESIGNATED AS AGENTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY;

23  AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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26                            Subtitle

27                       TO CREATE THE REGULATORY DIVISION AND

28                       THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION IN

29                       THE DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND

30                       ADMINISTRATION; AND TO ALLOW PERSONNEL

31                       OF THE REGULATORY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION

32                       TO BE DESIGNATED AS AGENTS.

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34 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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36  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 25, Chapter 8, Subchapter 1, is amended

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1 to add additional sections to read as follows:

2   25-8-111. Regulatory Division of the Department of Finance and

3 Administration -- Regulatory Administrator.

4   (a) The Regulatory Division is created within the Department of

5 Finance and Administration.

6   (b) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration

7 shall appoint a Regulatory Administrator to oversee the Regulatory Division

8 of the Department of Finance and Administration.

9   (c) The administrator shall:

10  (1) Serve at the pleasure of the secretary;

11  (2) Report to the secretary; and

12  (3) Maintain oversight of:

13  (A) The Alcoholic Beverage Control Division;

14  (B) Arkansas Tobacco Control;

15  (C) The Arkansas Racing Commission; and

16  (D) The Regulatory Enforcement Division of the Department

17 of Finance and Administration.

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19  25-8-112. Regulatory Enforcement Division.

20  (a) The Regulatory Enforcement Division is created within the

21 Regulatory Division of the Department of Finance and Administration.

22  (b) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration

23 shall appoint an Enforcement Director to oversee the Regulatory Enforcement

24 Division of the Department of Finance and Administration.

25  (c) The director shall:

26  (1) Serve at the pleasure of the secretary; and

27  (2) Report to the Regulatory Administrator of the Regulatory

28 Division of the Department of Finance and Administration.

29  (d) The Regulatory Enforcement Division of the Department of Finance

30 and Administration is designated as a law enforcement agency.

31  (e) The director shall assign personnel as agents of the Regulatory

32 Enforcement Division of the Department of Finance and Administration to

33 conduct investigations related to the violation of:

34  (1) State law governing:

35  (A) Tobacco;

36  (B) Alcohol;

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1                    (C) Medical marijuana; or

2                    (D) Gambling or the promotion of gambling; and

3   (2) Rules promulgated by the:

4                    (A) Alcoholic Beverage Control Board;

5                    (B) Medical Marijuana Commission; or

6                    (C) Tobacco Control Board.

7   (f) Personnel assigned as agents of the Regulatory Enforcement

8 Division of the Department of Finance and Administration under subsection (e)

9 of this section shall:

10  (1) Present findings to the relevant board regarding the

11 investigation of a violation of rules promulgated by the entities listed in

12 subdivision (e)(2) of this section;

13  (2) Be considered full-time law enforcement officers by the

14 Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training under � 12-9-

15 101 et seq.; and

16  (3) Have statewide law enforcement authority.

17  (g) The director may refer any investigation authorized under this

18 section to a prosecuting attorney or a law enforcement agency.

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