An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PORT 10 AUTHORITIES, the official text

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

1 State of Arkansas                As Engrossed: H3/18/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                         A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                            HOUSE BILL 1711

4

5 By: Representative Unger

6 By: Senators F. Love, Hester

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8                                  For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING MUNICIPAL PORT

10  AUTHORITIES; TO AMEND THE POWERS OF A MUNICIPAL PORT

11  AUTHORITY; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPAL PORT AUTHORITY TO

12  ESTABLISH A POLICE FORCE; TO ESTABLISH THE POWERS AND

13  DUTIES OF A MUNICIPAL PORT AUTHORITY LAW ENFORCEMENT

14  OFFICER; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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16

17                                 Subtitle

18                       TO ALLOW A MUNICIPAL PORT AUTHORITY TO

19                       ESTABLISH A POLICE FORCE; AND TO

20                       ESTABLISH THE POWERS AND DUTIES OF A

21                       MUNICIPAL PORT AUTHORITY LAW ENFORCEMENT

22                       OFFICER.

23

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

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26  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 186, Subchapter 2, is

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

28  14-186-216. Municipal port authority police force -- Establishment --

29 Powers and duties.

30  (a)(1) A municipal port authority may:

31                       (A) Establish and organize a municipal port authority

32 police force;

33                       (B) Appoint one (1) or more persons as a municipal port

34 authority law enforcement officer to aid and supplement the law enforcement

35 agencies of this state in the protection of the persons, property, and

36 facilities of the municipal port authority; and

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    As Engrossed: H3/18/25                                                  HB1711

1                   (C) Apply for a grant applicable to law enforcement in

2 order to support the funding of a municipal port authority police force.

3              (2) A municipal port authority that establishes and organizes a

4 municipal port authority police force under subdivision (a)(1)(A) of this

5 section may fund the municipal port authority police force using:

6                   (A) Fees collected by the municipal port authority from

7 the operations of the municipal port authority authorized under this

8 subchapter; and

9                   (B) Funds received from grants.

10             (3) A municipal port authority police force established and

11 organized under subdivision (a)(1)(A) of this section shall exercise

12 concurrent jurisdiction with law enforcement of the municipality and of the

13 county in which the municipal port authority facilities are located.

14  (b)(1) A municipal port authority law enforcement officer appointed

15 under this section shall:

16                  (A) Be a certified law enforcement officer under � 12-9-

17 101 et seq; and

18                  (B) Except to the extent limited by the municipal port

19 authority:

20                          (i) Protect the property of the municipal port

21 authority;

22                          (ii) Preserve and maintain proper order and decorum

23 on the property of the municipal port authority;

24                          (iii) Prevent unlawful assemblies and disorderly

25 conduct on the property of the municipal port authority;

26                          (iv) Cooperate with law enforcement agencies and

27 officers having jurisdiction where the property and facilities of the

28 municipal port authority are located; and

29                          (v) Exclude and eject persons from and prevent

30 trespass upon the property, facilities, and waterways under the control of

31 the municipal port authority.

32             (2) A municipal port authority law enforcement officer appointed

33 under this section may:

34                  (A) Arrest a person under � 16-81-106(b) and (c), whether

35 on or off the property of the municipal port authority, for the violation of

36 a law on the property of the municipal port authority;

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    As Engrossed: H3/18/25                                                 HB1711

1              (B) Carry weapons for the reasonable purposes of carrying

2 out the duties of a municipal port authority law enforcement officer;

3              (C) Regulate the operation and parking of motor vehicles

4 on the grounds of the municipal port authority and other grounds under the

5 control of the municipal port authority;

6              (D) Regulate the operation and docking of watercraft on

7 the waterways under the control of the municipal port authority and on all

8 waterways adjoining and traversing the waterways and property of the

9 municipal port authority; and

10             (E) Patrol:

11                          (i) The industrial facilities of the municipal port

12 authority;

13                          (ii) The portion of roads adjacent to the perimeter

14 of the grounds of the municipal port authority;

15                          (iii) The portion of a shore or bank of a waterway

16 that is adjacent to the grounds of the municipal port authority; and

17                          (iv) Navigable waterways adjacent to the facilities

18 of the municipal port authority in a distance not to exceed five (5) miles

19 upriver or downriver from the facilities of the municipal port authority.

20  (c) A municipal port authority may promulgate rules providing for the

21 operation and organization of a municipal port authority police force.

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23                               /s/Unger

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