HB 1341 Summary

• Creates the Government Financial Disclosure and Accountability Act of 2019 to increase transparency in state budgeting and expenditure procedures for constitutional officers and agencies.

• Requires budget requests from the legislative branch, judicial branch, elective constitutional offices, Arkansas Department of Transportation, Office of the Arkansas Lottery, and Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission to be submitted directly to the Legislative Council without Governor recommendation, including detailed listings of unappropriated funds and their sources.

• Establishes that beginning fiscal year 2021, cash funds of constitutional officers (Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Treasurer of State, Auditor of State, Commissioner of State Lands, Supreme Court, and their staffs) and certain agencies must be budgeted and expenditures approved through separate General Assembly appropriation bills.

• Requires constitutional officers and agencies to submit budgetary information requested by the Legislative Council and follow budgetary procedures established by the Council for cash fund appropriations, without being charged service charges.

• Clarifies that the General Assembly's appropriation authority does not extend to approving expenditures of the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission or Arkansas Department of Transportation, which remain subject only to review and appropriation by the General Assembly.