The Arkansas State Police would create an additional captain post within the Highway Patrol Division in exchange for eliminating a vacant corporal position under a proposal that cleared a legislative panel on Wednesday.

The new captain post would have an annual salary range of $108,992 to $161,307 under the Arkansas State Police's proposal. The annual salary range for the vacant corporal position is $81,887 to $121,193, according to Kay Barnhill, director of the state Office of Personnel Management.

The Legislative Council's approval of this proposal would result in an anticipated cost of about $42,408 funded through state general revenue, she said in a letter dated Wednesday to the Legislative Council's personnel subcommittee.

State Department of Public Safety Secretary Mike Hagar, who

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