The bill amends Arkansas law to establish residency requirements for firefighters in municipal fire departments and fire protection districts. It defines a "firefighter" as a full-time, paid member of a fire department whose primary duty is fighting fires, excluding the chief or head of the department. Municipalities and fire protection districts may enact residency requirements through ordinance or resolution, but only if they employ full-time paid firefighters, volunteer firefighters, or part-time paid firefighters who receive an appearance fee. Importantly, any residency requirement adopted will not affect the employment status of current firefighters at the time of enactment.

Additionally, the bill allows municipal fire departments and fire protection districts to give hiring preference to applicants who are residents of the state or adjacent counties. The legislation also clarifies that existing policies regarding the use of department-owned vehicles and response times for firefighters remain unaffected by the new residency requirements. Overall, the bill aims to provide local fire departments with the flexibility to establish residency criteria while protecting the employment status of current firefighters.