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 1973
4
5 By: Representative B. McKenzie
6
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT A GOVERNMENTAL BODY SHALL NOT
10 USE STATE OR LOCAL FUNDS TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT
11 WITH A LOBBYIST FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOBBYING ON BEHALF
12 OF THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY.
13
14
15 Subtitle
16 TO PROVIDE THAT A GOVERNMENTAL BODY
17 SHALL NOT USE STATE OR LOCAL FUNDS TO
18 ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH A LOBBYIST
19 FOR THE PURPOSE OF LOBBYING ON BEHALF OF
20 THE GOVERNMENTAL BODY.
21
22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
23
24 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 21, Chapter 8, Subchapter 6, is amended
25 to add an additional section to read as follows:
26 21-8-608. Use of state or local funds to contract with lobbyist
27 prohibited.
28 (a) A governmental body shall not use state or local funds to enter
29 into a contract with a lobbyist for the purpose of lobbying on behalf of the
30 governmental body.
31 (b) The prohibition under subsection (a) of this section includes
32 without limitation the use of state or local funds by a governmental body to
33 pay membership dues to an organization that engages in lobbying on behalf of
34 the governmental body or similar governmental bodies, including without
35 limitation employing one (1) or more persons registered as a lobbyist to
36 lobby on behalf of the governmental body or similar governmental bodies, if
*MBM221* 04/02/2025 9:29:47 AM MBM221
HB1973
1 state or local funds are used to pay the membership dues.
2 (c) This section does not prohibit a governmental body from employing
3 one (1) or more individuals to engage in lobbying on behalf of the
4 governmental body, including without limitation one (1) or more individuals
5 registered as lobbyists.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
2 04/02/2025 9:29:47 AM MBM221Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.