(a) The Governor is authorized to designate or appoint, by proclamation, a Poet Laureate of the State of Arkansas, which shall be an honorary title in recognition of outstanding accomplishments and contributions in poetry by a person who is a resident of the State of Arkansas.
(b)
(1) The person designated or appointed by the Governor as Poet Laureate of the State of Arkansas shall be a person whose name was selected from a list of names submitted to the Governor upon recommendation of a committee consisting of:
(A) Two (2) principal heads of English departments of state-supported universities or colleges who are selected by the Director of the Division of Higher Education; and
(B) Two (2) members of the Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas who are selected by the President of the Poets' Roundtable of Arkansas.
(2)
(A) The person serving as Poet Laureate of the State of Arkansas on August 1, 2017, shall serve until the person's death or resignation from the position.
(B) The term of a Poet Laureate of the State of Arkansas appointed after August 1, 2017, is four (4) years.