Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-101 Definitions.
As used in this subchapter:
(1) “Commission” means the Arkansas Minority Health Commission; and
(2) “Minority” means black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and American Indians.
Arkansas Minority Health Commission
Ark. Code Ann. tit. 20, ch. 2
in effectArk. Code Ann. § 20-2-102 Creation — Members.
(a) There is established the Arkansas Minority Health Commission to consist of twelve (12) members to be appointed as follows:
(1) Six (6) members of the general public to be appointed by the Governor, with each of the four (4) congressional districts represented;
(2) Three (3) members to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; and
(3) Three (3) members to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
(b) All persons appointed to the commission shall be persons who have actively participated in health issues for minorities or have special knowledge or experience with minority health issues.
(c) The members shall serve staggered two-year terms.
(d)(1) The commission shall meet at least quarterly and at such other times as necessary to carry out its duties under this chapter.
(2) The commission shall elect one (1) of its members as chair and may provide by appropriate adoption of bylaws and rules for the time, place, and manner of calling its meetings.
(e) Any state agency, state-supported hospital, or state medical school shall submit to the commission any information the commission requests that relates to health issues for minorities except for names, addresses, telephone numbers, or any other identifying information.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-103 Powers and duties generally.
(a) The Arkansas Minority Health Commission shall:
(1) Establish the commission as the comprehensive commission in this state for:
(A) Gathering and analyzing information regarding disparities in health and health care and access to health and healthcare services in this state;
(B) Statewide educational programming regarding disparities in health and health care and equal access to health and healthcare services; and
(C) Coordinating events regarding disparities in health and health care and access to health and healthcare services;
(2)(A) Actively seek out and develop partnerships and collaboration with other appropriate organizations to advance the understanding of and access to programs to remediate disparities in health and health care and access to health and healthcare services in this state.
(B) The following health and healthcare-related state entities and divisions of state entities shall collaborate with the commission to achieve healthcare equity in the State of Arkansas:
(i) The Department of Health;
(ii) The Department of Human Services;
(iii) The Division of Environmental Quality;
(iv) The Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; and
(v) The Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.
(C) Partnerships developed by the commission shall connect all experts, agencies, and organizations concerned with minority health issues and minority health events;
(3) Address and make specific recommendations relating to public policy issues involving disparities in health and health care and equity to health and healthcare services for minorities to appropriate agencies, the General Assembly, and the Governor;
(4) Promote public awareness and public education encouraging Arkansans to live healthy lifestyles through awareness of various health and healthcare issues with an emphasis on factors that disproportionately affect the minority population in this state;
(5) Make recommendations to the relevant agencies, to the Secretary of the Department of Health, and to the General Assembly for improving the delivery of and access to health services for minorities;
(6) Gather and analyze information and make recommendations as to whether adequate services are available to ensure that future minority health needs will be met;
(7)(A) Develop, implement, maintain, and disseminate a comprehensive survey of racial and ethnic minority disparities in health and health care.
(B) The commission shall repeat the study every five (5) years to include without limitation disparities arising from geographic location and economic conditions; and
(8) Publish evidence-based data, define state goals and objectives, and develop pilot projects for decreasing disparities under subdivision (a)(7)(A) of this section.
(b) The commission shall report two (2) times each year to the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-104 Reimbursement for expenses.
(a) Members of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission shall serve without pay, but those members not employed by the State of Arkansas may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq.
(b) The commission may authorize expense reimbursement for its members performing official duties of the commission by a majority vote of its total membership cast at its first regularly scheduled meeting of each calendar year.
(c) Any expense reimbursement shall not exceed the rate established for state employees in the state travel rules.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-105 Cash fund.
(a) There is created a cash fund entitled “Minority Health Commission Cash Fund” to be used for expenses of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission as appropriated by the General Assembly.
(b) The commission may receive grants and donations made to the commission or amounts received as reimbursement for producing or reproducing literature or reports, which shall be deposited into the State Treasury as cash funds and may be used for reimbursements for expenses of providing seminars or educational activities.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-106 Report on health disparities.
On or before October 1 each year, the Arkansas Minority Health Commission shall report to the Secretary of the Department of Health, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chair of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor, and the Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor without limitation:
(1) Summarizing the previous year's work under § 20-2-103(a)(5) and (6);
(2) Describing reductions in disparities in health and health care in this state; and
(3) Outlining plans for continuing and expanding in the coming year the program to reduce disparities in health and health care in this state.
Ark. Code Ann. § 20-2-107 [Transferred.]
Source: Public.Resource.Org / UniCourt, Official Code of Arkansas Annotated, Release 78 (2020) (unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar)URL: https://unicourt.github.io/cic-code-ar/transforms/ar/ocar/r78/gov.ar.code.title.20.htmlFetched: 11/8/2026