Attorney General Tim Griffin pledges cooperation with Legislature, warns of Chinese technology risks

Attorney General Tim Griffin appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee and said his office will cooperate closely with legislators and staff during the session.

"We are ready to help," Griffin told the committee, adding that improved coordination on bills could reduce costly litigation later: working on statutory language "on the front end" reduces the chance of a legal challenge, he said. Griffin said he is reviewing his office's budget to identify savings and pledged changes to past spending practices.

Griffin warned lawmakers about national-security and privacy risks posed by Chinese technology, calling it a long-standing concern known to the intelligence community. "But China's not your friend, and, and we need to be concerned about a lot of these technologies," he said, citing apps such as TikTok.

On legislative audits, Griffin described coordination challenges when a legislative audit referral goes to a prosecuting attorney and the Attorney General's office does not receive a copy. He said his office has already met with local prosecutors, including Will Jones in Pulaski County, and proposed a statutory or procedural fix so the AG's office is CC'd on leg audit packets. "I think that little change will make a huge difference," Griffin said, describing it as a practical measure to improve communication and case tracking.

Griffin introduced staff who will assist the committee, including Alex Benton (assistant AG for intergovernmental affairs) and Adam Jackson (assistant AG in the criminal division). He also said his staff will meet with legislators and representatives that afternoon to discuss several bills.

Griffin invited questions and said his office would be available to assist the committee moving forward. The committee adjourned and will reconvene Monday at 10:00 a.m. for bill hearings.