An act CONCERNING SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDS OF 10 DIRECTORS, the official text

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

1 State of Arkansas                  As Engrossed: S4/1/25
2 95th General Assembly
                                          A Bill

3 Regular Session, 2025                                            SENATE BILL 484

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5 By: Senator Irvin

6 By: Representative McCollum

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8                              For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDS OF

10  DIRECTORS; TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY

11  IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS;

12  AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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15                                   Subtitle

16                       TO ESTABLISH A PROCESS WHEREBY A VACANCY

17                       IS FILLED ON A SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF

18                       DIRECTORS.

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

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22  SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 6-13-611(c), concerning the appointment of

23 an individual to fill a vacancy on a school district board of directors, is

24 amended to read as follows:

25  (c)(1) If a vacancy occurs on the school district board of directors,

26 the vacancy shall be filled by the appointment of an individual who is a

27 qualified elector of the school district and who resides in the same zone, if

28 applicable, as required by the vacant position by either:

29                       (1)(A) A majority vote of the remaining directors within

30 ninety (90) days:

31                       (A) Thirty (30) days for vacancies resulting under

32 subdivisions (a)(1)-(7) of this section; or

33                       (B) Sixty (60) days for vacancies resulting under

34 subdivision (a)(8) of this section; or

35                       (2)(B) The county quorum court of the county in which a

36 majority of the residents are represented by the school district board of

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    As Engrossed: S4/1/25                                                    SB484

1 directors' vacated position if:

2                          (A)(i) As a result of several vacancies on the

3 school district board of directors, only a minority of board members remains;

4 or

5                          (B)(ii) The school district board of directors fails

6 to fill the vacancy within the time permitted under subdivision (c)(1)(A) or

7 subdivision (c)(1)(B) of this section.

8              (2)(A) At least thirty (30) days before an appointment is made

9 by a school district board of directors or a county quorum court, the school

10 district shall publish a notice of the vacancy on the school district board

11 of directors, the date of the meeting when the appointment shall be made to

12 fill the vacancy, and the requirements for being considered to fill the

13 vacancy, including without limitation the process for consideration to fill

14 the vacancy required under subdivision (c)(3) of this section:

15                         (i) In a local newspaper covering the school

16 district zone or area;

17                         (ii)(a) On the homepage of the school district's

18 official website.

19                         (b) The school district shall include blank

20 copies of any required forms with the notice required under subdivision

21 (c)(2)(A)(ii)(a) of this section; and

22                         (iii) Utilizing existing communication systems,

23 including without limitation text messages, phone messages, and email, that

24 the school district ordinarily employs to contact parents and legal guardians

25 of students enrolled in the school district.

26                    (B) A school district shall promptly give notice of the

27 existence of a vacancy and shall submit evidence of the publication of a

28 vacancy required under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this section to the county

29 clerk of the county in which the school district is administratively

30 domiciled.

31             (3) A qualified elector who resides in the school district or

32 school district zone affected by a school district board of directors'

33 vacancy who wishes to be considered to fill the vacancy shall submit a

34 petition to the school district or county quorum court no later than ten (10)

35 days before the date of the meeting specified in the notice of the vacancy

36 published under subdivision (c)(2)(A) of this section that:

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    As Engrossed: S4/1/25                                                    SB484

1            (A) Is signed by at least twenty (20) qualified electors

2 from the vacant school district or school district zone position; and

3            (B) States his or her intention to be considered for the

4 appointment to fill the vacancy.

5            (4)(A) The school district board of directors or quorum court

6 shall:

7                          (i) Acknowledge in writing the receipt of a petition

8 under subdivision (c)(3) of this section; and

9                          (ii) Promptly inform a candidate if his or her

10 petition has been found to be insufficient or invalid:

11                               (a) That his or her petition has been found to

12 be insufficient or invalid; and

13                               (b) What the candidate is required to do to

14 cure the petition before the deadline.

15           (B) A school district board of directors or county quorum

16 court may fill a vacancy only with a candidate who has submitted a timely,

17 valid, and sufficient petition under this section.

18           (5)(A) An elector who submits a sufficient and valid petition

19 under this section shall be given at least five (5) minutes to present his or

20 her candidacy in a public meeting of the remaining members of the school

21 district board of directors or the county quorum court before either the

22 school district board of directors or county quorum court votes to fill the

23 vacancy.

24           (B) A school district board of directors or a county

25 quorum court may request reasonable information from a candidate to fill a

26 vacancy under this section, including without limitation a request for

27 written answers to questions before a public meeting is held.

28           (C)(i) A school district board of directors may vote to

29 decline to fill the vacancy.

30                         (ii) If a school district board of directors votes

31 to decline to fill a vacancy under subdivision (c)(5)(C)(i) of this section,

32 the appointment shall pass immediately to the quorum court of the county in

33 which a majority of the residents of the vacant position reside.

34           (6) All matters regarding the filling of a vacancy on a school

35 district board of directors shall be discussed and acted upon by a school

36 district board of directors or a county quorum court in an open public

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    As Engrossed: S4/1/25                                                   SB484

1 meeting and not in an executive session.

2   (7) If, after substantially complying with subdivisions (c)(1)�

3 (6) of this section, a school district board of directors or a quorum court

4 has not received a valid and sufficient petition under this section, the

5 school district board of directors or county quorum court may use an

6 alternative process to fill the vacancy.

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8                          /s/Irvin

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