Why It Matters: While legislation pertaining to sportsmen and women is primarily limited to the state fish and wildlife agency’s budget during Arkansas’ biannual fiscal session, 2026 has still been a great opportunity to promote support for sportsmen and women across the Natural State.
Highlights:
- Unlike many state legislatures that convene every year, even years in the Arkansas State Legislature are limited to a 30-day fiscal session designed to create and codify the state budget.
- The Arkansas State Legislature convened the 2026 fiscal session earlier this month and is on pace to pass several critical funding measures, including the budget for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.
- While other legislative matters are not germane to this session, the fiscal session remains a great time to connect with members of the Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) to set the stage for future opportunities.
Earlier this month, the Arkansas State Legislature convened for the 2026 legislative session, an abbreviated fiscal session that takes place every even year. For thirty days, the House and Senate finalize a labor-intensive process that sets the stage for Arkansas’ state budget. Most importantly for sportsmen and women, this includes the budget for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC).
While funded through a combination of the American System of Conservation Funding and a large portion of Arkansas’ conservation sales tax, AGFC’s budget must still be approved by the State Legislature. While there have been times when this has been easier said than done, there is little evidence to suggest any major hurdles for the agency this year as they look toward their continued success in managing the Natural State’s public trust fish and wildlife resources.
While the fiscal session does limit opportunities to advance pro-sportsmen policy, the convening of the Legislature represents a great opportunity to have conversations designed to set the stage for future efforts with the Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, of which every state legislator in Arkansas is a member. This is exactly what took place on April 8th when the Caucus, alongside several other partners, sponsored and attended an event held in Little Rock to celebrate both the first day of the legislative session and the importance of conservation around the Natural State. Special recognition for this event goes to Arkansas Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chairs Shad Pearce and Jay Richardson, NASC Executive Council President Jeff Wardlaw, Anheuser-Busch, and friend of the Caucus Miles Goggans.