Senate confirms 18 to state boards

The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday voted to confirm 18 appointments by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders to state boards and commissions.

The appointments by the Republican governor include the appointment of Doyle Webb to the Public Service Commission, David Haak to the State Highway Commission, Jamol Jones to the Parole Board and Mike Akin to the Arkansas State Police Commission.

They also include Sanders’ appointments of Gary Harpole of Jonesboro and Christy Clark of Little Rock to the board of trustees for the ASU System. Harpole replaces Christy Clark, and his term expires Jan. 14, 2030. Clark will serve the remaining term of Neil Crowson, who resigned, and her term expires Jan. 14, 2025.

The confirmed appointments also include Sanders’ appointment of Jim Rankin of Conway to the board of trustees of the University of Central Arkansas to replace Robert “Bunny” Adcock, with his term expiring Jan. 14, 2030; the reappointment of Stephanie Duffield of Russellville to the board of trustees of Arkansas Tech University to a term that expires Jan. 14. 2028; and Monty Harrington of Magnolia to the board of trustees of Southern Arkansas University to a term expiring Jan. 14, 2028.

The Senate voted to confirm Sanders’ appointments of Jerry Halsey of Jonesboro and Luke Heffley of Russellville to the Arkansas Real Estate Commission, and the reappointment of Bruce Leggitt of Greenbrier to the Arkansas Natural Resource Commission. Halsey’s and Heffley’s terms expire Dec. 31, 2025, and Leggitt’s term expires Jan. 14, 2030. Sanders subsequently announced the appointments Tuesday afternoon.