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: H3/31/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1815
4
5 By: Representatives Perry, F. Allen, Beaty Jr., Bentley, S. Berry, K. Brown, Ennett, Hudson, McCollum,
6 McGrew, S. Meeks, Milligan, Painter, Ray, J. Richardson, R. Scott Richardson, Richmond, Unger, D.
7 Whitaker
8 By: Senators D. Wallace, J. Dotson, K. Hammer
9
10 For An Act To Be Entitled
11 AN ACT TO AMEND THE STATE'S JURISDICTION OVER FEDERAL
12 LANDS; TO RETAIN JUVENILE JUSTICE JURISDICTION BY THE
13 STATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO AMEND THE STATE'S JURISDICTION OVER
18 FEDERAL LANDS; AND TO RETAIN JUVENILE
19 JUSTICE JURISDICTION BY THE STATE.
20
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
22
23 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings and intent.
24 (a) The General Assembly finds that:
25 (1) The United States Senate Committee on Armed Services, Sen.
26 Rep. No. 115-262, at 192 (2018), expressed concern about the ability of the
27 United Staes Department of Defense to "protect or provide justice to the
28 children of service members when [the children] are sexually assaulted by
29 other children" in the United States Department of Defense schools or on
30 military bases;
31 (2) The United States Deputy Secretary of Defense issued a
32 memorandum directing the secretaries of the military departments to seek
33 concurrent jurisdiction with states to remove barriers preventing access to
34 juvenile justice in areas of exclusive federal jurisdiction, including
35 military bases within the United States;
36 (3) The United States Department of Defense seeks to allow state
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As Engrossed: H3/31/25 HB1815
1 legislatures to extend concurrent jurisdiction over juvenile justice matters
2 on military bases; and
3 (4) Amendment of the Arkansas Code's provisions related to the
4 state's jurisdiction over juvenile justice matters is necessary to allow for
5 investigation and adjudication over cases referred to this state by the
6 United States Government.
7 (b) The General Assembly intends this act to:
8 (1) Extend the state's jurisdiction over juvenile justice to
9 places of exclusive federal jurisdiction;
10 (2) Require the Legislative Council to approve extensions of
11 concurrent jurisdiction when the General Assembly is not in session; and
12 (3) Require reciprocal agreements between the United States
13 Department of Defense and the state, a county, or a municipal government to
14 be filed with the county clerk where the reciprocal agreement was made and to
15 be compiled by the Attorney General.
16
17 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 9-27-306, is amended to add an additional
18 subsection to read as follows:
19 (g) When concurrent jurisdiction has been established under � 22-7-
20 102, the circuit court or the juvenile division of circuit court has
21 exclusive jurisdiction over any case involving a juvenile who is alleged to
22 be delinquent as the result of an act committed within the boundaries of a
23 military installation that is a crime under state law.
24
25 SECTION 3. Arkansas Code � 22-7-101 is amended to read as follows:
26 22-7-101. Purchase of real property by United States -- Limited cession
27 of jurisdiction -- Right to tax -- Local agreements authorized.
28 (a) The State of Arkansas consents to the purchase by the United
29 States of any site or ground for the erection of any armory, arsenal, fort,
30 fortification, navy yard, customhouse, lighthouse, lock, dam, fish hatchery,
31 or other public buildings of any kind.
32 (b) The jurisdiction of this state within and over all grounds
33 purchased by the United States within the limits of this state is ceded to
34 the United States, except that: this cession of jurisdiction shall not
35 prevent execution of any process of this state, civil or criminal, upon any
36 person who may be on these grounds
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As Engrossed: H3/31/25 HB1815
1 (1) There shall be juvenile justice jurisdiction for the
2 investigation and adjudication of cases referred to this state by the United
3 States in exercising concurrent jurisdiction with the state; and
4 (2) In the event that the United States Government acquires
5 grounds expanding an existing installation, the legislative jurisdiction of
6 the newly acquired grounds shall have the same legislative jurisdiction as
7 the existing federal installation.
8 (c) This state releases and relinquishes its right to tax any site,
9 grounds, or real estate, and all improvements which may be there or erected
10 there during the time the United States remains the owner thereof.
11 (d)(1) Upon the establishment of exclusive or concurrent jurisdiction,
12 any state, county, or municipal authority may enter into a reciprocal
13 agreement, including without limitation a memorandum of understanding, with
14 any agency of the United States for the coordination and designation of
15 services and juridical responsibilities related to the respective federal
16 installation.
17 (2) A state, county, or municipal authority shall file an
18 agreement entered under subdivision (d)(1) of this section with the county
19 clerk in the county that the federal installation is located and include a
20 copy provided to and compiled by the Attorney General for each federal
21 installation.
22
23 SECTION 4. Arkansas Code � 22-7-102(b), concerning transfer of
24 jurisdiction and transmission of notice among the branches of state
25 government, is amended to read as follows:
26 (b)(1) The Governor shall transmit the notice, together with his or
27 her comments and recommendations, if any, and the comments and
28 recommendations of the Attorney General, if any, to the next session of the
29 General Assembly if in session, or the Legislative Council when the General
30 Assembly is not in session, which shall be constitutionally competent to
31 consider the notice, comments, and recommendations.
32 (2) Unless prior to the expiration of the legislative session to
33 which the notice is transmitted the General Assembly has adopted an act
34 approving the transfer of legislative jurisdiction as proposed in the notice,
35 the transfer shall not be effective.
36
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As Engrossed: H3/31/25 HB1815
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4 03-31-2025 12:16:42 LJH164Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.