State Rep M. Richmond. APRI.
Official Arkansas legislative records show Representative Marcus Richmond sponsored HB 1715 and House Amendment No. 1 in 2017. The amendment explicitly named America’s Pet Registry, Inc. Records later reviewed by AATL identify APRI as a significant Richmond household financial interest.
Legislative sponsorship, APRI references in House Amendment No. 1, APRI standards language, amendment adoption, later withdrawal of HB 1715, and later financial disclosures reviewed by AATL.
The exact APRI financial arrangement during the March 2017 legislative period and the origin of the APRI specific drafting language.
Upon receipt of material records, official responses, additional source information, or evidence that changes the present analysis.
Investigative Finding
A named company entered the amendment. The financial record came later.
The Arkansas Accountability Tip Line has documented a specific intersection between Representative Marcus Richmond’s 2017 legislative activity and America’s Pet Registry, Inc., commonly identified as APRI. Official Arkansas General Assembly records show Richmond was the lead sponsor of HB 1715 and the sponsor of House Amendment No. 1. That amendment expressly named APRI in proposed statutory language.
AATL has also reviewed later sworn Statements of Financial Interest identifying APRI in connection with significant Richmond household income, business or holding interests, and Susan Richmond’s role as President and CEO.
The established record
Start with what can be proven.
The strongest public interest inquiry begins by separating the official record from inference. Open each finding to examine what is established and what remains unresolved.
Open Official Bill History
Open Official Amendment
Review the Amendment Text
Verify Official Status History
The question is no longer whether APRI appears in the amendment.
It does. The unresolved questions are who caused or supplied that language, what financial interest existed during the legislative period, and what the full contemporaneous record shows.
APRI inside the amendment
One company. Two material appearances.
House Amendment No. 1 did more than mention breeders generally. APRI appeared by name in proposed statutory language reviewed by AATL.
APRI as a named registry
The amendment referenced nationally recognized registry services and expressly included America’s Pet Registry, Inc. among the named examples.
APRI standards inside proposed rulemaking
The amendment further provided that county sheriffs establishing rules could consider corresponding standards established by specifically named organizations, including APRI.
Legislative chronology
Follow the record in sequence.
HB 1715 filed
Official legislative records identify Richmond as lead sponsor.
House Amendment No. 1 formally listed
The official bill page identifies Richmond as the amendment sponsor.
Amendment adopted
Official history shows Amendment No. 1 was read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
Bill withdrawn by author
The official history records withdrawal by the author and a recommendation for interim study. HB 1715 did not become law.
APRI appears in household financial records reviewed by AATL
AATL’s inquiry then turned to the unresolved timing question: what exact APRI financial interest existed during the March 2017 legislative period?
Source of APRI drafting language remains unresolved
AATL sought a narrow factual clarification from the Bureau of Legislative Research. BLR declined to disclose the requested information, citing a FOIA exemption involving communications between General Assembly members and Bureau staff.
Records reviewed by AATL
The later disclosures change the significance of the question.
According to Statements of Financial Interest reviewed by AATL, APRI appears in multiple significant household financial categories.
APRI identified as a household income source exceeding $12,500.
APRI identified as a business or holding exceeding $12,500.
APRI holding identified under Susan and Marcus Richmond.
Susan Richmond identified as President and CEO of APRI.
The inquiry is now narrow
Two questions still control this investigation.
What exact APRI financial interest existed during March 2017?
Later financial disclosures are material, but the precise contemporaneous arrangement must still be established through records rather than assumption.
Who caused or supplied the APRI specific language?
AATL is examining whether the language originated in material supplied to BLR, emerged during drafting, or was requested through another legislative or stakeholder communication.
AATL asked a narrow question. BLR declined to answer it.
The Arkansas Accountability Tip Line sought a factual clarification from the Bureau of Legislative Research concerning whether the APRI specific language in House Amendment No. 1 originated in material supplied to BLR or was first introduced during BLR drafting.
According to correspondence received by AATL, BLR Director Marty Garrity declined to disclose the requested information and stated that it fell within a Freedom of Information Act exemption concerning communications between members of the General Assembly and Bureau staff.
Evidence matrix
What is established. What is not.
This briefing uses different evidence classifications because a documented fact, an AATL held record, and an unresolved question are not interchangeable.
Evidentiary limits
What this briefing does not establish.
AATL has not determined that Representative Richmond committed a criminal offense.
Commencement of an investigation is not the same as a final agency finding, adjudication, or determination of liability.
Later disclosures are material but do not automatically prove the exact APRI financial arrangement during March 2017.
This investigation remains open
Know who supplied the language? Bring the record.
AATL is seeking direct knowledge and documentation concerning HB 1715, House Amendment No. 1, ISP 2017 024, APRI’s inclusion in the amendment, stakeholder communications, drafting materials, 2017 financial arrangements, and relevant interim meeting records.
