Review of state agency rules and regulations

Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §10-3-309, a committee of the Legislative Council exists to review all rules and regulations of state agencies for the purpose of having a method of taking remedial steps to correct abuses of rulemaking authority and/or clarifying legislative intent with respect to the rulemaking authority of administrative boards, commissions, departments, or agencies.

Today, we're reviewing revised rules of the following agencies:
Assessment Coordination Department
State Bank Department
Board of Examiners in Counseling
State Board of Dental Examiners
Department of Education
Department of Environmental Quality, Air Division
Department of Environmental Quality, Water Division
ADEQ, Surface Mining/Reclamation Division
Department of Finance and Administration, Revenue Division
Fire and Police Pension Review Board
DHHS, Services for the Blind
DHHS, Child Care and Early Childhood Development
DHHS, Children and Family Services
DHHS, County Operations
DHHS, Finance and Administration
DHHS, Medical Services
Public Service Commission

Here's the Agenda for this week's review. So far, much of the discussion has been centered around the Dept. of Ed's rules/regs governing the Arkansas Better Chance Program, specifically section 11.01, which requires all classroom teachers in the ABC program to hold a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Eduction or Child Development. All of the Dept. of Ed's new rules were considered reviewed except for 11.01, 11.02, and 11.03, which were pulled down for revision to address some controversial issues, including a grandfather clause to these rules.