An act TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING AGRICULTURE, the official text

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

1 State of Arkansas      As Engrossed: S3/19/25 S3/31/25 S4/9/25

2 95th General Assembly      A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                                         SENATE BILL 400

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5 By: Senator Irvin

6 By: Representatives Milligan, Cavenaugh, Steimel, Cozart, Wooldridge, Vaught

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8                            For An Act To Be Entitled

9         AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING AGRICULTURE; TO

10        AMEND THE FAIR-FUNDING PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER

11        PURPOSES.

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14                           Subtitle

15                       TO AMEND THE FAIR-FUNDING PROGRAM.

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

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19        SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 2-36-101 is amended to read as follows:

20        2-36-101. Fair-funding program Funding for livestock shows and fairs --

21 Requirements -- Districts -- Definition.

22        (a) There is created within the Department of Agriculture a fair-

23 funding program that shall be used to provide fair-funding assistance to

24 junior livestock shows, county fairs, district fairs, and the Arkansas State

25 Fair and Livestock Show.

26        (b) The department shall utilize a historical average of total fair

27 funding provided by the State of Arkansas to previous fair-funding recipients

28 in determining an equitable distribution of available funding appropriated by

29 the General Assembly.

30        (c)(1)(A)(1) A recipient of fair funding under the fair-funding

31 program financial assistance provided by the Department of Agriculture under

32 subsection (a) subsection (b) of this section shall:

33                        (i) Maintain records of expenditures; and

34                        (ii) Submit an annual financial report to the

35 department and to Arkansas Legislative Audit by the end of each calendar

36 year.

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1                    (B) A recipient of fair funding is subject to a decrease

2 in future funding if the recipient of fair funding does not:

3                           (i) Submit an annual financial report as required

4 under subdivision (c)(1)(A)(ii) of this section; or

5                           (ii) Provide provide proof of yearly continuing

6 education requirements under guidance adopted by the department.

7          (2) A recipient of fair funding under the fair-funding program

8 established financial assistance under subsection (a) subsection (b) of this

9 section is subject to audit by Arkansas Legislative Audit.

10         (b)(1) The department is authorized to provide financial assistance to

11 livestock shows and fairs.

12         (2) Financial assistance provided by the department under

13 subdivision (b)(1) of this section shall be in accordance with the

14 department's annual appropriation approved by the General Assembly.

15         (3) Future fiscal year funding from the state shall not be

16 distributed to a livestock show or fair until all requirements of this

17 section are met.

18         (c)(1) A recipient of financial assistance under subsection (b) of

19 this section shall:

20                   (A) Submit the following items each fiscal year to the

21 department and Arkansas Legislative Audit:

22                          (i) An annual financial report for the previous

23 state fiscal year that includes without limitation an accounting of state

24 funding utilization;

25                          (ii) An annual operating plan for the upcoming year;

26 and

27                          (iii) A certificate of good standing from the

28 Secretary of State; and

29                   (B) Be subject to an audit at any time by Arkansas

30 Legislative Audit.

31         (2) A county fair that utilizes county facilities or county

32 funds for a livestock show or fair shall submit the information in

33 subdivisions (c)(1)(A)(i)-(iii) of this section to the county quorum court

34 for review before submitting to the department and to Arkansas Legislative

35 Audit.

36         (d) A recipient of financial assistance under this section shall not

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1 utilize funding provided by the state to pay association fees, dues, or other

2 association-related expenses.

3   (e) A county extension agent shall serve as an ex officio member of a

4 county fair board.

5   (f) An exhibitor may participate in one (1) district fair of his or

6 her choice.

7   (g) The following counties shall be members of the districts as

8 follows:

9              (1) Cleburne County, Fulton County, Izard County, Sharp County,

10 Stone County, and Van Buren County shall be in the North Central District;

11             (2) Mississippi County, Craighead County, Greene County, Clay

12 County, Crittenden County, St. Francis County, Cross County, Poinsett County,

13 Jackson County, Lawrence County, Randolph County, Lee County, Independence

14 County, Monroe County, Phillips County, Woodruff County, and White County

15 shall be in the Northeast District;

16             (3) Baxter County, Boone County, Carroll County, Madison County,

17 Marion County, Newton County, and Searcy County shall be in the Northwest

18 District;

19             (4) Arkansas County, Ashley County, Bradley County, Calhoun

20 County, Chicot County, Cleveland County, Dallas County, Drew County, Grant

21 County, Faulkner County, Lincoln County, Lonoke County, Ouachita County, and

22 Prairie County shall be in the South Arkansas District;

23             (5) Clark County, Columbia County, Garland County, Hempstead

24 County, Hot Spring County, Howard County, Lafayette County, Little River

25 County, Miller County, Montgomery County, Nevada County, Pike County, Saline

26 County, Sevier County, and Union County shall be in the Southwest Arkansas

27 District;

28             (6) Benton County, Conway County, Crawford County, Franklin

29 County, Johnson County, Logan County, Perry County, Polk County, Pope County,

30 Scott County, Sebastian County, Washington County, and Yell County shall be

31 in the Arkansas-Oklahoma District as provided under � 2-36-307; and

32             (7) Lee County, Monroe County, and Phillips County shall be in

33 the Tri-County Fair.

34  (h)(1) For purposes of financial assistance under this section, the

35 Four States Fair hosted in Texarkana, Arkansas, shall be treated the same as

36 a district fair under this section.

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1   (2) Residency restrictions on exhibitors shall not apply to this

2 subsection (h).

3   (i) As used in this section, "fair" means an event that includes

4 without limitation livestock shows, consumer and family science,

5 entertainment, and educational activities and programs.

6

7                  /s/Irvin

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