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: S4/8/25
2 95th General Assembly
A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 520
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5 By: Senator D. Sullivan
6 By: Representative A. Brown
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8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO PROHIBIT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
10 OFFICES, OFFICERS, POLICIES, OR PRACTICES IN LOCAL
11 GOVERNMENT; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
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13
14 Subtitle
15 TO PROHIBIT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND
16 INCLUSION OFFICES, OFFICERS, POLICIES,
17 OR PRACTICES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
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19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
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21 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1, is amended
22 to add an additional section to read as follows:
23 14-1-111. Diversity, equity, and inclusion offices, officers,
24 policies, or practices prohibited ---- Definitions.
25 (a) As used in this section:
26 (1) "Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative" means:
27 (A) An office, division, department, or administrative
28 provider of a unit of local government with the purpose of:
29 (i) Influencing administrative, hiring, or
30 employment practices at the local government;
31 (ii) Promoting:
32 (a) Preferences based upon race, color, sex,
33 ethnicity, or national origin;
34 (b) Differential treatment on the basis of
35 race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin; or
36 (c) Political or social activism to consider
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1 race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin as factors in decision-
2 making, except when required by federal or state law; or
3 (iii) Any promotion described in subdivision
4 (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section that conflicts with state and federal
5 antidiscrimination laws; or
6 (B) Any program, policy, practice, or applicant statement,
7 described under this section that promotes an activity described in
8 subdivision (a)(1)(A)(ii) of this section; and
9 (2) "Local government" means:
10 (A) A county;
11 (B) A city of the first class;
12 (C) A city of the second class; or
13 (D) An incorporated town.
14 (b) An officer, agent, administrator, employee, or contractor of local
15 government shall not compel another officer, agent, administrator, employee,
16 or contractor of the local government to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere
17 to ideas or beliefs that:
18 (1) An individual should be adversely or advantageously treated
19 on the basis of his or her race, ethnicity, sex, color, or national origin;
20 and
21 (2) An individual, by virtue of his or her race, ethnicity, sex,
22 color, or national origin, bear collective guilt or is inherently responsible
23 for actions committed by other members of the same race, ethnicity, sex,
24 color, or national origin.
25 (c)(1) Except as otherwise provided under subdivision (c)(2) of this
26 section, an officer, agent, administrator, employee, or contractor of local
27 government shall not adversely or advantageously treat an individual
28 differently on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, color, or national origin
29 except to the extent otherwise required by federal law.
30 (2) An officer, agent, administrator, employee, or contractor of
31 local government may treat an individual differently on the basis of sex if
32 the treatment is necessary to serve an important local government objective
33 and the treatment is substantially related to the achievement of the
34 objective, including without limitation the use of female guards in a female
35 facility.
36 (d)(1) An officer, agent, administrator, employee, or contractor of
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1 local government, when acting in the course of his or her official duties,
2 shall not organize, participate in, or carry out any act or communication
3 that would violate subsection (b) of this section.
4 (2) The prohibition under subdivision (d)(1) of this section
5 does not prevent an employee of local government from:
6 (A) Discussing the ideas and history of the concepts
7 described in subsection (b) of this section for legitimate educational,
8 andragogical, or pedagogical purposes consistent with this section; and
9 (B) Using methods of communication not in violation of
10 this section.
11 (e)(1) A citizen of Arkansas that believes a violation or potential
12 violation of this section by a local government has occurred shall notify the
13 local government of the violation.
14 (2) Upon notification under subdivision (e)(1) of this section,
15 the local government shall resolve the violation within thirty (30) days of
16 receipt of the notice.
17 (3)(A) If the local government does not cease the conduct in
18 violation of this section within thirty (30) days of receipt of the notice, a
19 citizen of Arkansas may bring a civil action in circuit court to:
20 (i) Enjoin a violation of this section; and
21 (ii) Recover reasonable court costs and attorney's
22 fees.
23 (B) If the court finds that a violation has occurred in an
24 action brought under subdivision (e)(3)(A) of this section, the court shall
25 award:
26 (i) Injunctive relief; and
27 (ii) Court costs and attorney's fees.
28 (f) A local government shall not:
29 (1) Establish or implement a diversity, equity, and inclusion
30 initiative; or
31 (2) Require a current or prospective officer, agent,
32 administrator, employee, or contractor of local government to submit a
33 statement or diversity statement describing his or her views on matters
34 related to race, ethnicity, sex, color, or national origin to be considered
35 for the purposes of hiring, evaluating, admitting, or promoting the officer,
36 agent, administrator, employee, or contractor of local government.
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1 (g) This section does not prevent compliance with any state or federal
2 civil rights laws or any agreement related to the receipt of state or federal
3 funding.
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5 /s/D. Sullivan
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4 04-08-2025 14:31:36 SSS202Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.