The bill seeks to repeal the Arkansas Catfish Processor Fair Practices Act of 1987, which will eliminate all associated provisions and regulations, including definitions of the act's purpose, the roles of catfish processors, and penalties for unlawful practices. This repeal will remove the entire chapter from Arkansas law, effectively ending the legal framework that governed fair practices in catfish processing. The intent behind this repeal is to alleviate perceived regulatory burdens on the catfish farming industry, allowing for greater flexibility and reduced oversight for processors.

In addition to the repeal, the bill proposes amendments to existing receivership laws for Class A registrants under the now-repealed act. Key amendments include the removal of provisions that invalidated actions due to notification failures and the deletion of sections related to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture's responsibilities in receivership cases. The bill clarifies that the Secretary can designate an employee to represent them in court and outlines the sale process for processed catfish, including the requirement for a qualified merchandiser. Furthermore, it repeals a section on civil penalties for catfish processors and amends the Livestock and Poultry Special Revenue Fund to incorporate new revenue sources while removing references to previous statutes, aiming to streamline the receivership process and ensure fair distribution of proceeds from processed catfish sales.

Statutes affected:
SB 407: 19-6-301(34), 19-6-480(a)
Act 577: 19-6-301(34), 19-6-480(a)