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 A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1596
4
5 By: Representative Steimel
6 By: Senator K. Hammer
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MOVING TRAFFIC
10 VIOLATIONS IN A HIGHWAY WORK ZONE; TO CREATE MOBILE
11 WORK ZONES; TO ASSESS A FINE FOR A MOVING TRAFFIC
12 VIOLATION IN A MOBILE WORK ZONE; AND FOR OTHER
13 PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MOVING
18 TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN A HIGHWAY WORK
19 ZONE; TO CREATE MOBILE WORK ZONES; AND
20 ASSESS A FINE FOR A MOVING TRAFFIC
21 VIOLATION IN A MOBILE WORK ZONE.
22
23 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
24
25 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 27-50-408 is amended to read as follows:
26 27-50-408. Fines for moving traffic violations in a highway work zone
27 or mobile work zone -- Definitions.
28 (a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
29 (1) "Construction personnel" means employees of the Arkansas
30 Department of Transportation or the counties or the municipalities of this
31 state or any contractors of the State Highway Commission or the counties or
32 municipalities;
33 (2) "Conviction" means a formal declaration that a person is
34 guilty of a violation of law determined when a person charged with a
35 violation of law pleads guilty or nolo contendere, is found guilty, or
36 forfeits a bond in lieu of a plea or trial; and
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1 (3) "Highway work zone" means any area upon any highway, road,
2 or street of this state where construction, reconstruction, maintenance,
3 debris removal, or any other type of work is being performed or is in
4 progress by employees of the department, the counties or the municipalities
5 of this state, or any contractors of the commission or the counties or
6 municipalities; and
7 (4)(A) "Mobile work zone" means an area upon a highway, road, or
8 street of this state:
9 (i) That is marked by a sign, channelizing device,
10 barrier, or work vehicle with a high intensity light that rotates, flashes,
11 oscillates, or strobes; and
12 (ii) Where construction, reconstruction,
13 maintenance, or any other type of work is being performed for a limited
14 period of time by:
15 (a) Employees of the department;
16 (b) A county or municipality of this state; or
17 (c) A contractor of the commission or a county
18 or municipality of this state.
19 (B) "Mobile work zone" includes the area extending from
20 from the first sign, channelizing device, barrier, or work vehicle with a
21 high intensity light that rotates, flashes, oscillates, or strobes to the
22 last sign, channelizing device, barrier, or work vehicle with a high
23 intensity light that rotates, flashes, oscillates, or strobes.
24 (b)(1)(A)(i) In addition to the fine otherwise provided by law, after
25 the conviction of any person for any moving traffic violation committed while
26 the person is driving through a highway work zone or mobile work zone in this
27 state and if construction personnel were present in the highway work zone or
28 mobile work zone when the offense occurred, the trial judge shall may assess
29 an additional fine equivalent to the fine imposed by law upon that person for
30 committing a moving traffic violation in the highway work zone or mobile work
31 zone.
32 (ii) Equivalent additional court costs pursuant to �
33 16-10-305 shall not be assessed.
34 (B) Any bond posted pursuant to a charge of committing any
35 moving traffic violation while in a highway work zone or mobile work zone in
36 this state shall include the additional equivalent fine in the amount of the
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1 bond otherwise required.
2 (2)(A) All fines collected by the county or city official,
3 agency, or department designated pursuant to � 16-13-709 as primarily
4 responsible for the collection of fines assessed in the circuit courts,
5 district courts, or city courts of this state as a result of this section
6 shall be paid by the collecting official to the county treasurer or town or
7 city treasurer pursuant to law.
8 (B) All such amounts collected in circuit court shall be
9 remitted to the county treasurer.
10 (C) All amounts collected pursuant to subdivision
11 (b)(2)(A) of this section in district court shall be paid to the county or
12 city treasurer pursuant to � 16-17-707.
13 (D) All amounts collected pursuant to subdivision
14 (b)(2)(A) of this section in city court shall be paid to the treasurer of the
15 town or city in which the city court is located.
16 (E) Amounts received by the county treasurer may be used
17 for general county purposes, and amounts received by the city treasurer may
18 be used for general city purposes.
19 (c)(1) The Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the
20 additional fines and penalties shall not be assessed unless signs, either
21 permanent or temporary, were present at the time of the violation in advance
22 of the highway work zone warning the traveling public that fines are double
23 in highway work zones.
24 (2) The signs Signs for a highway work zone shall be located no
25 greater than one (1) mile nor less than one thousand five hundred feet
26 (1,500) in advance of the highway work zone.
27 (3) Furthermore, the additional fines or penalties for speeding
28 shall not be assessed unless signs, either permanent or temporary, are posted
29 in advance of the highway work zone indicating the maximum speed limit to be
30 obeyed while traveling through the highway work zone.
31 (4)(A) All signs authorized by this section shall conform with
32 the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.
33 (B) The counties and municipalities, prior to utilizing
34 any such signs, shall seek the advice of the department in order that the
35 signs shall be uniform throughout the state.
36 (C) The department is authorized to develop guidelines for
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1 the counties and municipalities to achieve uniformity.
2 (d) Additional fines and penalties under subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this
3 section shall not be assessed for a violation in a mobile work zone if signs
4 warning the traveling public that fines are doubled are not located on the
5 highway equipment establishing the mobile work zone.
6 (d)(e) Nothing contained in this section shall be construed to
7 abrogate any of the provisions of � 12-8-106 regarding the powers of the
8 Division of Arkansas State Police.
9 (e)(f) For purposes of this section, "moving traffic violation" shall
10 include, but not be limited to:
11 (1) Careless or prohibited driving;
12 (2) Driving while intoxicated;
13 (3) Underage driving under the influence;
14 (4) Refusal to submit;
15 (5) Leaving the scene of an accident;
16 (6) Driving with lights off;
17 (7) Driving on an expired, suspended, or revoked license;
18 (8) Improper use of lighting equipment;
19 (9) Failure to obey traffic control devices and signs;
20 (10) Failure to operate a vehicle in accordance with the rules
21 of the road;
22 (11) Failure to stop and render aid;
23 (12) Following too closely;
24 (13) Driving the wrong way on a one-way street;
25 (14) Hazardous driving;
26 (15) Impeding the flow of traffic;
27 (16) Improper backing;
28 (17) Improper lane change;
29 (18) Improper entrance or exit to avoid an intersection;
30 (19) Improper towing;
31 (20) Improper turning;
32 (21) Passing a stopped school bus;
33 (22) Racing on the highway;
34 (23) Reckless driving; and
35 (24) Exceeding the speed limit.
36
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