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: H4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1885
4
5 By: Representative Barnett
6
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT; TO REQUIRE A LAW
10 ENFORCEMENT OFFICER INVOLVED IN A DEADLY USE OF FORCE
11 INCIDENT TO BE PLACED ON TEMPORARY LEAVE AND ATTEND
12 THERAPY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT; AND TO
17 REQUIRE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
18 INVOLVED IN A DEADLY USE OF FORCE
19 INCIDENT TO BE PLACED ON TEMPORARY LEAVE
20 AND ATTEND THERAPY.
21
22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 12, Chapter 6, Subchapter 7, is amended
25 to add an additional section to read as follows:
26 12-6-703. Deadly use of force -- Definitions.
27 (a) As used in this section:
28 (1) "Deadly use of force incident" means an incident in which a
29 law enforcement officer uses physical force that results in a person's death;
30 and
31 (2) "Law enforcement officer" mean a person vested by law with a
32 duty to maintain public order and to make arrests for offenses.
33 (b) After a deadly use of force incident, a law enforcement agency
34 shall:
35 (1) Immediately place on paid administrative leave a law
36 enforcement officer whose use of physical force resulted in the deadly use of
*CEB149* 04-01-2025 10:05:21 CEB149
As Engrossed: H4/1/25 HB1885
1 force incident;
2 (2)(A) Provide mandatory sessions of professional in-person or
3 virtual mental health counseling or therapy by a licensed counselor,
4 psychiatrist, or psychologist to the law enforcement officer:
5 (i) At no cost to the law enforcement officer; and
6 (ii) For a period of not less than ninety (90) days.
7 (B) The minimum ninety-day-period as described in subdivision
8 (b)(2)(A) of this section shall be extended for up to ninety (90) days if
9 additional mental health counseling or therapy sessions are recommended by
10 the licensed counselor, psychiatrist, or psychologist treating the law
11 enforcement officer; and
12 (3) Allow the law enforcement officer to return to normal active
13 duty only after receiving:
14 (A) Notice from the prosecuting attorney investigating the
15 deadly use of force incident that he or she does not intend to file criminal
16 charges against the law enforcement officer as a result of the deadly use of
17 force incident; and
18 (B) Documentation from the licensed counselor,
19 psychiatrist, or psychologist providing mental health counseling or therapy
20 to the law enforcement officer stating that:
21 (i) The law enforcement officer has attended
22 sessions of mental health counseling or therapy during the period of paid
23 administrative leave; and
24 (ii) He or she recommends that the law enforcement
25 officer return to normal active duty.
26 (c) A law enforcement agency is relieved of any requirement under this
27 section if the law enforcement officer whose use of physical force resulted
28 in a deadly use of force incident is charged with a criminal offense as a
29 result of the deadly use of force incident.
30
31 /s/Barnett
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2 04-01-2025 10:05:21 CEB149Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.