Senate agriculture committee advances series of bills: hen limits, agency transfer, pipeline exception and board changes

The Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee on Wednesday advanced multiple bills by voice vote covering poultry limits, agency organization, a narrowly tailored energy-pipeline exception and board membership changes.

Senate Bill 338: Senator Ronald Caldwell (D-10) proposed increasing the statutory backyard-hen limit from 200 hens to 700 hens to accommodate small producers who expanded during the pandemic. Caldwell said the 700 number reflects industry input (Tyson suggested a 600–800 range). The committee voted to advance the bill following brief questions about egg-washing, labeling and animal-cruelty enforcement, which Caldwell said are unchanged under the bill.

Senate Bill 371: Caldwell explained this bill would return the Department of Rural Services to the Department of Agriculture after a prior government reorganization left it under the Department of Commerce; the governor's office signaled neutrality. The committee advanced the bill without public opposition.

Senate Bill 333 / 325: Senator Centra Day Wallace (District 19) described a narrowly written exception permitting Black Hills Energy to build a pipeline to serve a single customer (US Steel). Wallace said the language is specific to one customer, that the Public Utilities Commission was coordinated with and is neutral, and that no opposition is known. The committee passed the bill.

Senate Bill 362: Senator Bart Hester presented changes to the State Parks Commission membership rules intended to broaden the appointment pool and remove some occupation-specific requirements that are hard to fill. He said existing members would not be removed; vacancies would be filled under the new rules as terms expire. The bill passed.

House Bill 1482: Sponsored in committee by Senator Gilmore with testimony from Marty Ryle of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, this bill expands appointment options for the Delta Cultural Center Advisory Board (broadening eligibility from Phillips County to the Delta Region) to restore quorum and enable the board to function. The committee advanced the bill.

All reported measures were advanced on voice votes; the transcript records the chair announcing each motion passed but does not include roll-call tallies or recorded votes.