As 2024 nears, the Arkansas General Assembly is gearing up to determine the State’s fiscal priorities for the next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024. The pre-fiscal session budget hearings are set to commence on March 6, 2024, where the committee will evaluate budget requests from various state boards, commissions, and agencies. These critical hearings will extend until March 8.
The pre-filing period for appropriation bills, will start on March 11. The General Assembly’s 2024 Fiscal Session is scheduled to convene at noon on April 10. This session, following Amendment 86 passed in 2008 by Arkansas voters, marks the 8th of its kind in the state’s history.
Fiscal Sessions usually occur in February during May primary election years and in April for years with March primaries, like 2024. Under Amendment 86, these sessions are limited to 30 days but can be extended once for up to 15 days with a three-quarters majority vote in both the House and Senate.
An always intriguing aspect of the fiscal session is the rule requiring a two-thirds vote in both chambers to take up any bills beyond the budget’s scope. The deadline for these resolutions is the first day of the session, April 10. To keep the public informed, the Arkansas House of Representatives will continuously update meeting times and locations on their official website.
