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 1855
4
5 By: Representative Ennett
6 By: Senators K. Hammer, J. Scott
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING THE POWERS AND
10 DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE
11 ARKANSAS FORESTRY COMMISSION; TO AMEND THE LAWS
12 RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICTS; TO AMEND THE
13 AUTHORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO ADJUST
14 FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOUNDARIES HAVING
15 OVERLAPPING BOUNDARIES; TO AMEND THE AUTHORITY OF THE
16 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TO RECOMMEND CHANGES TO
17 OTHER FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT BOUNDARIES; AND FOR
18 OTHER PURPOSES.
19
20
21 Subtitle
22 TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING THE POWERS
23 AND DUTIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
24 AGRICULTURE AND THE ARKANSAS FORESTRY
25 COMMISSION; AND TO AMEND THE LAWS
26 RELATING TO FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
27 BOUNDARIES.
28
29 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
30
31 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 14-284-125 is amended to read as follows:
32 14-284-125. Boundaries of overlapping, abutting, or contiguous
33 districts ---- Definition.
34 (a)(1) The State Forestry Commission Department of Agriculture shall
35 have authority may make recommendations to the county court to adjust the
36 boundaries of fire protection districts:
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1 (A) Districts having overlapping boundaries.;
2 (B) Districts abutting an area for which there is no fire
3 protection service; or
4 (C) Contiguous districts.
5 The commission shall adjust the boundaries of overlapping fire districts upon
6 the request of either district. The commission shall adjust the boundaries so
7 that each district receives approximately fifty percent (50%) of the area
8 that is within the boundaries of both districts.
9 (2)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (a)(2)(B) of this
10 section, a district may request in writing a recommendation for an adjustment
11 from the Department of Agriculture under this section.
12 (B) A contiguous district may make a request under
13 subdivision (a)(2)(A) of this section:
14 (i) If an agreement exists among the affected
15 districts; or
16 (ii) Upon a showing of good cause for the alteration
17 of the boundaries of the districts.
18 (3) The Department of Agriculture shall notify the district that
19 requested the recommendation under subdivision (a)(2) of this section if the
20 Department of Agriculture will make a recommendation to adjust the boundaries
21 under this section.
22 (b) If the Department of Agriculture makes a recommendation under this
23 section to adjust the boundaries of a district:
24 (1) Within thirty (30) days of the recommendation, the district
25 that requested a recommendation under subdivision (a)(2) of this section
26 shall file a petition to adjust the boundary with the county court of the
27 county in which the area of adjustment exists and shall attach the
28 recommendation to the petition;
29 (2) Upon the setting of a hearing by the county court, the
30 district that requested a recommendation under subdivision (a)(2) of this
31 section shall provide public notice of the county court hearing by
32 publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the county at least one
33 (1) time, one (1) week in advance of the county court hearing; and
34 (3) The county court shall:
35 (A)(i) Consider the recommended adjustment of boundaries
36 filed under subdivision (b)(1) of this section and shall enter an order:
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1 (a) Accepting the recommended adjustment of
2 the boundaries;
3 (b) Rejecting the recommended adjustment of
4 the boundaries and maintaining the existing boundaries; or
5 (c) Rejecting the recommended adjustment of
6 the boundaries and adjusting the boundaries as determined by the county court
7 to be just and proper.
8 (ii) If the boundaries are altered under subdivision
9 (b)(3)(A)(i) of this section, the order of the county court shall contain a
10 legal description and a map depicting the adjusted boundary or boundaries;
11 and
12 (B) Create a new fire protection district map under � 12-
13 10-329 if the boundaries are altered under subdivision (b)(3)(A)(i) of this
14 section.
15 (c) This section is supplemental to other provisions of law regarding
16 the establishment of district boundaries, including without limitation � 14-
17 20-108.
18 (d)(1) As used in this section, "district" means a district that
19 provides fire protection services.
20 (2) As used in this section, "district" includes without
21 limitation a:
22 (A) Nonprofit fire protection corporation or association;
23 (B) Nonprofit corporation organized as a volunteer fire
24 department or a rural fire department;
25 (C) Fire protection district organized under � 14-284-101
26 et seq. or � 14-284-201 et seq.;
27 (D) Suburban fire improvement district organized under �
28 14-92-201 et seq.; and
29 (E) County-created subordinate service district that
30 provides fire protection services under �� 14-14-708 and 14-14-709.
31
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3 03/18/2025 8:47:53 AM SSS240Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.