Little Rock, Arkansas – Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a memo outlining the necessary procedures in light of a possible government shutdown.
On Friday morning, cabinet secretaries under Gov. Sanders were informed via memo in anticipation of a possible federal shutdown. The memo outlined the imminent midnight deadline and the expectations set for state agencies.
“Although we remain optimistic about finding a resolution, it is essential for the state to be ready to maintain services crucial for safeguarding public health, safety, and welfare, while also pausing government services dependent on federal funding,” the memo stated.
Governor Sanders stated that cabinet secretaries, in collaboration with the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) and the Department of Transformation and Shared Services (TSS), will take charge of identifying the programs that need to be suspended and the employees who will face furloughs based on the criteria she outlined comprehensively.
Here are the criteria for making decisions regarding programs and employees:
1. In cases where a program or employee is recognized by the federal government as essential for safeguarding public health, safety, or welfare, and there is official documentation ensuring funding throughout the shutdown, both the program and federally funded positions may proceed without interruption due to the shutdown.
2. An agency may proceed to fund a program or position if it possesses adequate federal funding and authorization from existing or past federal grants, provided that the funding continues to be available.
3. In all other instances, programs and jobs that rely entirely or partially on federal funding will be halted, starting Saturday, December 21, for the duration of the shutdown. The federal government will only permit exceptions if there is a risk to public health, safety, and welfare.
“My administration is committed to ensuring that the essential operations of government continue without interruption,” Gov. Sanders stated.
Cabinet secretaries have been directed to reach out to the DFA – Budget and Accounting offices and TSS – Office of Personnel Management for further details.
