Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H2/18/25 H3/5/25 H4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1178
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5 By: Representative R. Scott Richardson
6 By: Senator D. Wallace
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ORDINANCE VIOLATIONS; TO AMEND
10 THE LAW CONCERNING THE CONTRACTING OF A MUNICIPAL
11 ATTORNEY; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING SUMS COLLECTED
12 BY DISTRICT COURTS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING COST
13 SHARING FOR DISTRICT COURT EXPENSES; TO ENSURE THE
14 APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION OF SUMS COLLECTED BY THE
15 DISTRICT COURT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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18 Subtitle
19 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE
20 CONTRACTING OF A MUNICIPAL ATTORNEY; TO
21 AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING SUMS COLLECTED
22 BY DISTRICT COURTS; AND TO AMEND THE LAW
23 CONCERNING COST SHARING FOR DISTRICT
24 COURT EXPENSES.
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26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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28 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative intent.
29 The General Assembly intends this act to:
30 (1) Clarify the law concerning the collection and distribution
31 of sums collected by a district court; and
32 (2) Provide a mechanism for cities and incorporated towns that
33 do not operate a district court and do not have a police department to
34 receive the appropriate distribution of sums collected by the district court
35 to ensure remediation.
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As Engrossed: H2/18/25 H3/5/25 H4/1/25 HB1178
1 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 14-42-112(a), concerning municipal
2 attorneys for cities of the second class and incorporated towns, is amended
3 to add an additional subdivision to read as follows:
4 (3) A city of the second class or an incorporated town that chooses
5 not to have an office of city attorney may contract with an attorney for
6 legal representation.
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8 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 16-17-707 is amended to read as follows:
9 16-17-707. Separate accounting records of fines, etc. -- Disbursements.
10 (a) The district court clerk shall keep three (3) separate accounting
11 records of all fines, penalties, forfeitures, fees, and costs received by him
12 or her for any of the officers of the town, city, or county, as provided in
13 this subchapter:
14 (1) The first class of accounting records shall embrace all sums
15 collected in the district court in:
16 (A) all All nontraffic cases which are misdemeanors or
17 violations of the town or city ordinances of a town or city in the district
18 where the arresting or citing officer was a law enforcement officer or code
19 enforcement officer employed by the town or city; and
20 (B) all All cases which are misdemeanors or violations
21 under state law or traffic offenses which are misdemeanors or violations
22 under state law or town or city ordinance committed within the corporate
23 limits of the town or city where the court sits, where the arresting officer
24 was a police officer or other officer of the town or city, a Division of
25 Arkansas State Police officer or other certified law enforcement officer of
26 the state, or an officer of a private or public college or university located
27 within the corporate limits of the town or city where the court sits;
28 (2) The second class of accounting records shall embrace all
29 sums collected in the district court in all nontraffic cases which are
30 misdemeanors or violations of county ordinances or are misdemeanors or
31 violations of any of the laws of the state where the arresting officer was
32 the county sheriff or a deputy sheriff or was not a police officer or other
33 officer of the a town or city where the court sits in the district, and the
34 offense was committed outside the corporate limits of the town or city where
35 the court sits, and in all other criminal or traffic proceedings not
36 specifically enumerated in this section; and
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As Engrossed: H2/18/25 H3/5/25 H4/1/25 HB1178
1 (3)(A) The third class of accounting records shall embrace all
2 sums collected in the district court in all civil and small claims cases.
3 (B) The uniform filing fee collected under � 16-17-705
4 shall be remitted to the city administration of justice fund.
5 (C) The uniform court costs collected under � 16-10-305
6 shall be remitted to the city administration of justice fund.
7 (D) All other fees and interest earned on the court
8 account shall be disbursed to the treasurers of the political subdivisions
9 which contribute to the expense of the district court in accordance with a
10 written agreement among the political subdivisions.
11 (b)(1)(A) After deducting the fees due the police department and
12 marshal's office and sheriff's office, the district court shall pay into the
13 each town or city treasury all sums collected from the first class of
14 accounting records for that town or city.
15 (B) The district court shall pay all sums collected from
16 the second class of accounting records into the county treasury.
17 (2) Any district court that is funded solely by the county shall
18 pay all sums collected from the first or second class of accounting records
19 into the county treasury and shall pay all uniform filing fees and court
20 costs collected into the county administration of justice fund.
21 (3) A town or city that has a police department and does not
22 operate a district court shall receive only the prorated sums collected as
23 provided in � 16-17-1203.
24 (4) Direct monetary settlements shall be made with state
25 entities or agencies as provided by law.
26 (c) All disbursements from all three (3) classes of accounting records
27 shall be pursuant to the provisions set forth in the Arkansas District Courts
28 Accounting Law, � 16-10-201 et seq.
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30 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 16-17-1203(a)(1), concerning the procedure
31 for cost sharing for expenses of a district court, is amended to read as
32 follows:
33 (a)(1)(A) Any town or city that has a police department but does not
34 have a district court may contribute to the operational expenses of the
35 nearest district court in the county where the town or city is located
36 pursuant to a written agreement.
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As Engrossed: H2/18/25 H3/5/25 H4/1/25 HB1178
1 (B) A written agreement is mandatory and is to be entered into
2 between the governing body of the town or city where the district court sits
3 and the governing bodies of the political subdivisions that contribute to the
4 operational expenses of the district court.
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6 /s/R. Scott Richardson
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4 04-01-2025 10:13:02 CEB046Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.