§ 19-4-202 - Authority of Legislative Council. - Arkansas Statutes

19-4-202. Authority of Legislative Council.

(a) Meetings. (1) At any time he or she deems advisable, the Cochair of the Legislative Council shall have the authority to call into meeting the membership of the Legislative Council for consideration of budget matters.

(2) For preliminary budget studies, the Legislative Council shall have the authority to call before it the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, the Director of the Bureau of Legislative Research, the Legislative Auditor, and any constitutional officer or administrative head of any state agency for the purpose of making available to the Legislative Council any information it deems advisable.

(3) The Legislative Council shall have the power to visit and inspect any agency for the purpose of obtaining first-hand information as to the condition and needs of the agency and may appoint committees from its membership for the purpose of reporting upon these findings.

(b) Budget Estimates. (1) The Legislative Council shall require from the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State, not later than sixty (60) days prior to the convening of the General Assembly, the budget estimates and recommendations prepared by him or her.

(2) From time to time when called upon by the Legislative Council, the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State or his or her representative shall appear before the Legislative Council or attend meetings of the Legislative Council when required to do so for the purpose of preparing or submitting additional information on budget matters.

(c) Assisting Governor-Elect. (1) It shall be the duty and responsibility of the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State and any administrative head of any agency, when requested to do so, to lend any reasonable aid, assistance, or personnel and to supply any reports or information when required to the Governor-elect for the purpose of assisting him or her in the preparation of his or her budget recommendations to be submitted to the Legislative Council.

(2) The Legislative Council shall call upon the Governor-elect or any newly elected constitutional officer, or their designated representatives, for the purpose of submitting any final recommendations or modifications of the proposed budget requests.

(d) Recommendations. (1) The Legislative Council, acting upon the facts submitted to it and from such other studies and hearings as the Legislative Council shall deem advisable, shall proceed to modify, revise, approve, or disallow the budget requests. The Legislative Council shall make its recommendations with respect to the approved items of the budget and publish them in a report to be made available to every member of the General Assembly when it convenes in regular session.

(2) The Legislative Council shall have the authority, in recommending the proposed state budget to the General Assembly, to recommend the form of the appropriation bills to be submitted and may draw or cause to be drawn the bills conforming to these recommendations for presentation to the General Assembly.