(a)The General Assembly finds that:
(1)Rural Arkansas is losing population, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for these rural areas to compete economically in light of this population loss;
(2)Many existing federal and state programs cannot adequately address economic issues in rural areas due to programmatic restraints or other factors;
(3)Federal and state programs that can be of assistance to rural communities are often unknown or inaccessible;
(4)Per the 2020 Federal Decennial Census, approximately seventy-one percent (71%) of Arkansas counties lost population between 2010 and 2020, with an average population loss of nine percent (9%) and six (6) Arkansas counties losing over fifteen percent (15%) of their population;
(5)Municipalities, counties, and regions in decline ar
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(a) The General Assembly finds that: (1) Rural Arkansas is losing population, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for these rural areas to compete economically in light of this population loss; (2) Many existing federal and state programs cannot adequately address economic issues in rural areas due to programmatic restraints or other factors; (3) Federal and state programs that can be of assistance to rural communities are often unknown or inaccessible; (4) Per the 2020 Federal Decennial Census, approximately seventy-one percent (71%) of Arkansas counties lost population between 2010 and 2020, with an average population loss of nine percent (9%) and six (6) Arkansas counties losing over fifteen percent (15%) of their population; (5) Municipalities, counties, and regions in decline are showing signs of economic stress that, if not addressed, will result in declines in education, medical care, and elder care, the development of food deserts, and an overall decline in quality of life; (6) Rural economic development projects are often limited to isolated local efforts; (7) Many rural communities lack the staff necessary to undertake potential economic development activities even when the community is a potential fit for a business or has resources to offer; and (8) The state should proactively implement programs and policies that further the advancement of the economy of rural Arkansas and allow for the combination of efforts in imaginative ways so that all regions of the state may prosper to the largest degree possible. (b) It is the intent of this subchapter to create the Rural Economic Development Initiative to make funds available to planning and development districts to address the unique economic and workforce development needs of rural areas of the state and to amplify the efforts of existing agencies and individuals who are interested in rural economic development.