Sanders Signs Executive Order To Speed Permitting for Economic Development Projects

• Feb 16, 2026

Sanders Signs Executive Order To Speed Permitting for Economic Development Projects

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME - GREETINGS:

EO 26-03: ​EXECUTIVE ORDER TO MAKE ARKANSAS THE BEST STATE IN AMERICA TO DO BUSINESS THROUGH STREAMLINED, CLEAR, AND EXPEDITIOUS PERMITTING PROCESSES THAT PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES AND FOSTER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

WHEREAS: ​Under my Administration, Arkansas has taken a leading role in creating a vibrant, robust economy that creates jobs, improves the quality of life among Arkansans, and displays the advantages of conservative government in action;

WHEREAS:​ In 2023, Site Selection Magazine ranked Arkansas the number seven state in the nation for most micropolitan projects;

WHEREAS: ​In 2023, the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation ranked Arkansas the number one state for opportunity share for entrepreneurs;

WHEREAS:​ In 2023, SimplifyLLC ranked Arkansas the number three state on their list of least expensive states to start a new business;

WHEREAS:​ In 2024, Site Selection Magazine ranked Arkansas the number one state for workforce development in the south central region of the United States;

WHEREAS:​ In 2024, Atlas Van Lines ranked Arkansas the number one state for inbound movers in its annual study of movement patterns;

WHEREAS:​ In 2024, U.S. News and World Report ranked Arkansas the number one most affordable state in the United States;

WHEREAS:​ In 2025, Forbes Advisor ranked Arkansas the number three state in the nation in which to start a new business;

WHEREAS:​ In 2025, The Associated Builders and Contractors ranked Arkansas as the number two state in the nation for construction environment;

WHEREAS: ​Permitting processes should protect the natural resources, human health, andenvironment while also fostering infrastructure improvements, upgrades to existing systems, agricultural production, manufacturing, power production, support for energy independence, economic development projects, and more;

WHEREAS: ​The State of Arkansas is committed to continual improvement and innovation for the efficiency, speed, defensibility, validity, and quality of all state-issued permits, licenses, and approvals.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas, do hereby order:

(1) Each cabinet-level state agency, along with any state board or commission thereof that issues permits, licenses, certifications, or other such regulatory approvals, including but not limited to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, the Arkansas Department of Energy and Environment, Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing, and the Arkansas Department of Health, shall conduct a comprehensive review of all such processes within 120 days of this Order. The review shall identify:

(a) Unnecessary steps that can be eliminated, consolidated, or digitized;

(b) Statutory or regulatory barriers to faster processing;

(c) Opportunities to align timelines across agencies for multi-permit projects;

(d) Innovative methods to expedite permitting in coordination with permittees, licensees, and other relevant parties;

(e) Innovative use of artificial intelligence or electronification of certain processeswhich otherwise delay issuance of permits, licenses, certifications, and other regulatory approvals;

(f) Recommendations for setting clear, predictable timelines for agency decisions; and

(g) Recommendations for processes or initiatives to streamline or simplify rules, permits, licenses, certifications, and regulatory approvals, including ways to reduce the cost of regulatory compliance and encourage opportunities to modify existing permits.

(2) Within 180 days of this Order, each relevant cabinet-level agency, board, and commissionshall submit a written Improvement Plan to the Governor that includes:

(a) Specific process improvements;

(b) Any legislative changes needed to implement recommendations;

(c) Any rule changes needed to implement recommendations;

(d) A timeline for implementation; and

(e) Performance metrics such as average turnaround time.

(3) Agencies shall, to the extent practicable:

(a) Establish clear, publicly available timelines for all major permit and license types;

(b) Develop "one-stop" online application portals where feasible;

(c) Expand the use of concurrent reviews among agencies; and

(d) Provide applicants with real-time status updates and a single point of contact.

(4) Agencies shall engage with relevant stakeholders from the regulated community and industry to ensure permitting processes are informed by real-world experience and support economic growth.

(5) This Executive Order shall become effective upon its signing and shall remain in full force and effect until properly revoked or activities are completed.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed on this 13th day of February, in the year of our Lord 2026.

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