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: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1681
4
5 By: Representatives Vaught, Milligan, Achor, F. Allen, Andrews, Barker, Barnes, Barnett, Beaty Jr.,
6 Beck, Bentley, S. Berry, Breaux, Brooks, K. Brown, M. Brown, N. Burkes, R. Burkes, Joey Carr,
7 Cavenaugh, Childress, Clowney, A. Collins, C. Cooper, Cozart, Crawford, Duffield, Eaton, Ennett,
8 Eubanks, Evans, K. Ferguson, Furman, D. Garner, Gazaway, Gonzales, Gonzales Worthen, Gramlich,
9 Hall, Hawk, Henley, Holcomb, Hollowell, Hudson, L. Johnson, Ladyman, Long, Maddox, Magie,
10 McAlindon, McClure, McCullough, M. McElroy, McGrew, McGruder, McNair, S. Meeks, J. Moore, K.
11 Moore, Nazarenko, Painter, Pearce, Puryear, J. Richardson, R. Scott Richardson, Richmond, Rose, Rye,
12 Schulz, T. Shephard, Springer, Steele, Steimel, Torres, Tosh, Underwood, Unger, Walker, Warren, D.
13 Whitaker, Wing, Wooldridge, Wooten, Duke
14 By: Senators J. Bryant, Hester, J. Boyd, Caldwell, Crowell, B. Davis, Dees, J. Dotson, J. English, Flippo,
15 S. Flowers, Gilmore, K. Hammer, B. Johnson, M. Johnson, G. Leding, F. Love, M. McKee, R. Murdock, J.
16 Petty, J. Scott, Stone, G. Stubblefield, C. Tucker, D. Wallace
17
18 For An Act To Be Entitled
19 AN ACT REGARDING THE ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES
20 COMMISSION; TO ESTABLISH THE WATER AND SEWER
21 TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE
22 WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM
23 FUND; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER
24 PURPOSES.
25
26
27 Subtitle
28 TO ESTABLISH THE WATER AND SEWER
29 TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM; AND
30 TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
31
32 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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34 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 19, Chapter 5, Subchapter 12, is
35 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
36 19-5-1288. Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program Fund.
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As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 HB1681
1 (a) There is established on the books of the Treasurer of State, the
2 Auditor of State, and the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State a miscellaneous
3 fund to be known as the "Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program
4 Fund".
5 (b) The fund shall consist of any revenues authorized by law.
6 (c) The fund shall be used by the Arkansas Natural Resources
7 Commission to award grants under the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities
8 Grant Program established in � 25-43-203.
9
10 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 25, Chapter 43, Subchapter 2, is
11 amended to add an additional section to read as follows:
12 25-43-203. Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program.
13 (a)(1) There is created within the Arkansas Natural Resources
14 Commission the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program to be
15 administered by the commission.
16 (2) The commission may hire personnel necessary to carry out the
17 duties of administering the program.
18 (b) The commission shall:
19 (1) Create an application form to be submitted by eligible water
20 and sewer treatment facilities seeking a matching grant from the program;
21 (2) Devise an application process that:
22 (A) Defines the eligibility criteria for a matching grant;
23 and
24 (B) Establishes application submission and review
25 processes;
26 (3) Define a process by which grants may be awarded;
27 (4) Execute standard legal grant agreements and other
28 documentation governing the disbursement and use of grants; and
29 (5) Provide a matching grant to eligible water and sewer
30 treatment facilities for infrastructure and improvement projects that are
31 shovel-ready.
32 (c) A recipient of a grant awarded under this section shall:
33 (1) Begin the recipient's project within one (1) year of the
34 award of the grant funds; and
35 (2) Not be eligible for another grant until the awarded grant
36 has been closed out.
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As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 HB1681
1 (d) Funding under the program shall be awarded as follows:
2 (1) Eighty percent (80%) shall be awarded for shovel-ready
3 projects in:
4 (A) Cities of the first class and cities of the second
5 class with a population over one thousand two hundred (1,200); or
6 (B) Rural water and rural wastewater systems serving a
7 population over one thousand two hundred (1,200); and
8 (2) Twenty percent (20%) shall be awarded in:
9 (A) Incorporated towns and cities of the second class with
10 a population of one thousand two hundred (1,200) or less; or
11 (B) Rural water and rural wastewater systems serving a
12 population of one thousand two hundred (1,200) or less.
13 (e) The commission shall promulgate rules to implement this section.
14 (f) The program shall expire five (5) years from the effective date of
15 this act.
16 (g) The commission shall report annually to the Legislative Council
17 or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee,
18 regarding the status of all grants awarded under the program.
19
20 SECTION 3. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the
21 General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that it is in the best interest of
22 the citizens of this state to provide water and sewer grant opportunities for
23 projects to keep Arkansas water systems safe and clean; and that this act is
24 immediately necessary because there is a dire need to protect public health
25 and safety in Arkansas by replacing water and sewer lines that are in
26 disrepair and by providing new access to clean water systems to other
27 citizens. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act being
28 immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and
29 safety shall become effective on:
30 (1) The date of its approval by the Governor;
31 (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor,
32 the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the
33 bill; or
34 (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is
35 overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.
36
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