LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- The three top state officials who will redraw Arkansas' legislative districts discovered a budget snag as they gathered for their organizational meeting.
Republican Secretary of State Mark Martin, who is on the panel with Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, said Wednesday he had spent money from the $200,000 redistricting budget before Board of Apportionment had its first meeting.
Beebe says the oversight isn't a problem, but the board will have to approve what's been spent.
The three agreed that they should have meetings around the state to help make the process an open one.
The panel plans to meet again on April 6, unless the staffer they want to hire isn't available, in which case they'd meet sooner.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)