LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Time is ticking for lawmakers to agree to avoid another government shutdown. While the shutdown is happening in Washington, Arkansas officials are preparing for whatever impact it will have on Arkansans.
They're still trying to find answers to a lot of questions.
"We just don't know the bottom line," said spokesperson Scott Hardin with the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. "Many details will be determined out of D.C. as it develops over the next few days."
It's uncertain, but Hardin said state employees are preparing for a shutdown.
"We have a budget office, and we're reaching out to each department," Hardin said. "We're saying, 'OK, you have X number of federal programs within your department. Do you have funding for those? If not, let us know.'"
Hardin said they're working with the governor's office to figure out how to fund specific programs.
"Are they critical? Are they to the health and safety of Arkansans?" Hardin said. "Is this something that we need to find a way to really override and find a way to fund it? Because if not, it will affect the health and safety of Arkansans."
Those are the key questions they're asking.
"Worst case scenario," Hardin said. "If we do end up in the shutdown, which programs are going to be fully funded or partially funded beginning Monday morning."
Regarding the number of Arkansans receiving money from the government, Hardin said roughly 14,000 people in the state are employed and funded either fully or partially.
"As of Thursday, if it does happen, at least, as of now, it looks like less than 100 would be affected on Monday," Hardin said. "I think it's an hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute thing as we review every last detail of this and prepare because that's really [all] we can do."
Hardin anticipates that about 50 state employees, receiving a portion or all of their salary through federal funding, would be furloughed Monday if a shutdown occurs. He said this includes employees within the Arkansas Department of Health, Agriculture Department and Community Corrections Department.
If the government does shut down this weekend, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said cabinet secretaries will be responsible for determining which programs must be suspended and which employees will be furloughed.
According to Sanders, cabinet secretaries will be responsible for determining which programs must be suspended and which employees will be furloughed based on the following criteria:
- If the federal government has identified a program or employee as necessary to protect public health, safety, or welfare, and the federal government has provided documentation guaranteeing funding during the shutdown, the program and federally funded employment may continue uninterrupted.
- If an agency has sufficient federal funding and authorization from current or previous federal grants to fund a program or position, it may do so as long as funding remains available.
- Programs and employment that are wholly or partially dependent on federal funding will be suspended... effective Oct. 1, for the duration of the shutdown. The federal government will not allow us to make any exceptions unless public health, safety, and welfare are compromised, as determined by the cabinet secretary in consultation with the Department of Finance and Administration and the Department of Transformation and Shared Services.