An act TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS WATERWAYS 10 COMMISSION, the official text

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.

1 State of Arkansas              A Bill
2 95th General Assembly

3 Regular Session, 2025                                          HOUSE BILL 1289

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5 By: Representative Unger

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8                                For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS WATERWAYS

10  COMMISSION; TO CREATE AN ARKANSAS WATERWAYS

11  COMMISSION POLICE FORCE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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14                               Subtitle

15                       TO AMEND THE DUTIES OF THE ARKANSAS

16                       WATERWAYS COMMISSION; AND TO CREATE AN

17                       ARKANSAS WATERWAYS COMMISSION POLICE

18                       FORCE.

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20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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22  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 15-23-202, concerning the duties of the

23 Arkansas Waterways Commission, is amended to add an additional subsection to

24 read as follows:

25  (c) The Arkansas Waterways Commission may:

26  (1) Protect and police the property of the commission, in

27 cooperation with the law enforcement agencies and officers having

28 jurisdiction in the area where the property of the commission is located; and

29  (2) Appoint one (1) or more persons to be designated by the

30 commission as an Arkansas Waterways Commission law enforcement officer to aid

31 and supplement the law enforcement agencies of this state in the protection

32 of the persons and property of the commission subject to � 15-23-201 et seq.

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34  SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 15, Chapter 23, Subchapter 2, is

35 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:

36  15-23-206. Jurisdiction and powers.

    *ZRC032*                                                   01/28/2025 2:45:43 PM ZRC032
                                                                         HB1289

1   (a) An Arkansas Waterways Commission law enforcement officer may:

2   (1) Arrest a person, whether on or off the Arkansas Waterways

3 Commission's property, for the violation of a law on the commission's

4 property, under � 16-81-106(b) and (c); and

5   (2) Carry weapons for the reasonable purposes of carrying out

6 the duties of a law enforcement officer of the commission.

7   (b) A law enforcement officer of the commission shall be a certified

8 law enforcement officer under � 12-9-101 et seq.

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