The bill amends various sections of the Arkansas Code to modernize the publication requirements for public notices related to local government actions, including elections, ordinances, and financial statements. A significant change is the introduction of the option to publish these notices on websites that meet specific criteria under Arkansas law, in addition to traditional newspaper publications. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for municipalities without a local newspaper, allowing them to utilize digital platforms to ensure compliance with legal requirements. Key insertions include provisions for publishing notices on compliant websites, enhancing accessibility and transparency for the public.

Additionally, the bill clarifies the language and procedures surrounding notice publication, replacing outdated terms and streamlining processes. It establishes that notices must be published a certain number of days before events, such as public meetings or elections, and specifies that if no local newspaper is available, notices can be published in a state newspaper with general circulation. The bill also includes a temporary provision requiring counties or municipalities that opt for website publication to continue publishing in a newspaper for one year, ensuring that the public remains informed through traditional means during the transition to digital platforms. The effective date of the bill is set for August 1, 2028, with certain sections becoming effective earlier on January 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Old version HB1616 Original - 3-13-2023 05:36 PM: 2-38-405, 25-1-126, 3-3-312(c), 3-9-206(b), 5-5-101(e), 5-5-304(d), 5-62-106(a), 5-65-117(b), 5-73-130(m), 7-5-101(e), 7-5-202(a), 7-5-202(b), 7-5-207(c), 7-5-509(a), 7-5-515(c), 7-5-516, 7-5-611(b), 7-7-305(b), 7-11-103(b), 7-11-104(b), 7-11-202(b), 7-11-203(b), 8-5-606(b), 8-5-607(b), 8-6-414(b), 8-6-414(c), 8-7-1104(d), 14-14-104, 14-14-405(b), 14-14-406, 14-14-609(b), 14-14-905(b), 14-14-905(d), 14-14-917(c), 14-16-105(e), 14-16-106(b), 14-16-110(b), 14-16-302(a), 14-18-106(b), 14-19-107(a), 14-21-102(b), 14-22-101(2), 14-37-112(b), 14-38-115(g), 14-40-303(c), 14-40-1202(a), 14-40-1902(a), 14-41-305(a), 14-42-206(d), 14-42-304(c), 14-47-106(b), 14-47-107(a), 14-47-140(i), 14-48-104(c), 14-48-105(b), 14-48-109(a), 14-54-903(g), 14-54-1101(b), 14-55-206(a), 14-56-416(b), 14-56-422(1), 14-57-605(b), 14-57-606(c), 14-58-303(b), 14-58-1001(b), 14-59-116, 14-72-205(c), 14-72-302(c), 14-72-304(b), 14-72-306(a), 14-72-503(b), 14-72-606(b), 14-72-606(c), 14-72-608, 14-88-207(b), 14-88-503(a), 14-89-403(2), 14-90-402, 14-90-602(b), 14-90-803, 14-90-801, 14-90-903, 14-91-1002(b), 14-92-206(a), 14-93-108(a), 14-93-133(b), 14-94-106(c), 14-94-108(a), 14-117-420(b), 14-120-112(b), 14-121-202(a), 14-121-207(1), 14-121-403(b), 14-121-404(b), 14-121-412(b), 14-121-502(b), 14-121-1003(a), 14-121-1009(b), 14-121-1010(b), 14-122-103, 14-139-106(a), 14-140-209(3), 14-142-208(b), 14-163-212, 14-164-309(d), 14-164-328(b), 14-168-305(b), 14-168-306(e), 14-168-307(b), 14-169-104(b), 14-169-319(a), 14-169-1107(b), 14-186-410(a), 14-187-106(c), 14-188-104(b), 14-199-302(b), 14-199-404, 14-201-304, 14-203-115(b), 14-205-104, 14-206-103(a), 14-206-105(b), 14-217-105(d), 14-218-104, 14-218-105(a), 14-218-106(a), 14-218-111, 25-1-501, 14-218-115(a), 14-218-117, 14-218-123(b), 14-234-406(b), 14-234-506(a), 14-235-223(d), 14-237-113, 14-284-104(a), 14-284-204(a), 14-284-204(c), 14-298-120(d), 14-298-121(d), 14-301-110(b), 14-301-203(b), 14-301-204(a), 14-301-302(c), 14-301-402, 14-317-104(b), 14-318-104(b), 14-322-104(a), 14-322-105(a), 14-322-106(c), 14-386-116(a), 14-386-301(a), 14-386-402, 14-386-405(a), 14-387-204(b), 14-387-303(3), 14-387-401(b), 17-50-406(1), 18-15-303(a), 18-15-408(a), 18-15-1004(c), 18-28-403(a), 18-60-902(a), 19-9-607(b), 20-13-303(b), 20-13-304(a), 22-6-303(a), 23-110-402(c), 23-113-201(a), 26-26-1301(b), 26-26-1307(a), 26-27-203(6), 26-27-318(f), 26-36-206(e), 26-37-102(a), 26-74-204(g), 26-74-309(b), 26-74-404(b), 26-74-605(b), 26-75-204(g), 26-75-209(1), 26-75-304(g), 26-75-309(1), 26-75-404(d), 26-75-503(e), 26-77-104, 26-78-111(e), 26-81-106(a), 26-82-105(1), 27-66-505(b)
Old version HB1616 V2 - 3-28-2023 01:00 PM: 2-38-405, 25-1-126, 03-28-2023, 3-3-312(c), 3-9-206(b), 5-5-101(e), 5-5-304(d), 5-62-106(a), 5-65-117(b), 5-73-130(m), 7-5-101(e), 7-5-202(a), 7-5-202(b), 7-5-207(c), 7-5-509(a), 7-5-515(c), 7-5-516, 7-5-611(b), 7-7-305(b), 7-11-103(b), 7-11-104(b), 7-11-202(b), 7-11-203(b), 8-5-606(b), 8-5-607(b), 8-6-414(b), 8-6-414(c), 8-7-1104(d), 14-14-104, 14-14-405(b), 14-14-406, 14-14-609(b), 14-14-905(b), 14-14-905(d), 14-14-917(c), 14-16-105(e), 14-16-106(b), 14-16-110(b), 14-16-302(a), 14-18-106(b), 14-19-107(a), 14-21-102(b), 14-22-101(2), 14-37-112(b), 14-38-115(g), 14-40-303(c), 14-40-1202(a), 14-40-1902(a), 14-41-305(a), 14-42-206(d), 14-42-304(c), 14-47-106(b), 14-47-107(a), 14-47-140(i), 14-48-104(c), 14-48-105(b), 14-48-109(a), 14-54-903(g), 14-54-1101(b), 14-55-206(a), 14-56-416(b), 14-56-422(1), 14-57-605(b), 14-57-606(c), 14-58-303(b), 14-58-1001(b), 14-59-116, 14-72-205(c), 14-72-302(c), 14-72-304(b), 14-72-306(a), 14-72-503(b), 14-72-606(b), 14-72-606(c), 14-72-608, 14-88-207(b), 14-88-503(a), 14-89-403(2), 14-90-402, 14-90-602(b), 14-90-803, 14-90-801, 14-90-903, 14-91-1002(b), 14-92-206(a), 14-93-108(a), 14-93-133(b), 14-94-106(c), 14-94-108(a), 14-117-420(b), 14-120-112(b), 14-121-202(a), 14-121-207(1), 14-121-403(b), 14-121-404(b), 14-121-412(b), 14-121-502(b), 14-121-1003(a), 14-121-1009(b), 14-121-1010(b), 14-122-103, 14-139-106(a), 14-140-209(3), 14-142-208(b), 14-163-212, 14-164-309(d), 14-164-328(b), 14-168-305(b), 14-168-306(e), 14-168-307(b), 14-169-104(b), 14-169-319(a), 14-169-1107(b), 14-186-410(a), 14-187-106(c), 14-188-104(b), 14-199-302(b), 14-199-404, 14-201-304, 14-203-115(b), 14-205-104, 14-206-103(a), 14-206-105(b), 14-217-105(d), 14-218-104, 14-218-105(a), 14-218-106(a), 14-218-111, 14-218-115(a), 14-218-117, 14-218-123(b), 14-234-406(b), 14-234-506(a), 14-235-223(d), 14-237-113, 14-284-104(a), 14-284-204(a), 14-284-204(c), 14-298-120(d), 14-298-121(d), 14-301-110(b), 14-301-203(b), 14-301-204(a), 14-301-302(c), 14-301-402, 14-317-104(b), 14-318-104(b), 14-322-104(a), 14-322-105(a), 14-322-106(c), 14-386-116(a), 14-386-301(a), 14-386-402, 14-386-405(a), 14-387-204(b), 14-387-303(3), 14-387-401(b), 17-50-406(1), 18-15-303(a), 18-15-408(a), 18-15-1004(c), 18-28-403(a), 18-60-902(a), 19-9-607(b), 20-13-303(b), 20-13-304(a), 22-6-303(a), 23-110-402(c), 23-113-201(a), 26-26-1301(b), 26-26-1307(a), 26-27-203(6), 26-27-318(f), 26-74-204(g), 26-74-309(b), 26-74-404(b), 26-74-605(b), 26-75-204(g), 26-75-209(1), 26-75-304(g), 26-75-309(1), 26-75-404(d), 26-75-503(e), 26-77-104, 26-78-111(e), 26-81-106(a), 26-82-105(1), 27-66-505(b)
HB 1616: 2-38-405, 25-1-126, 03-28-2023, 3-3-312(c), 3-9-206(b), 5-5-101(e), 5-5-304(d), 5-62-106(a), 5-65-117(b), 5-73-130(m), 7-5-101(e), 7-5-202(a), 7-5-202(b), 7-5-207(c), 7-5-509(a), 7-5-515(c), 7-5-516, 7-5-611(b), 7-7-305(b), 7-11-103(b), 7-11-104(b), 7-11-202(b), 7-11-203(b), 8-5-606(b), 8-5-607(b), 8-6-414(b), 8-6-414(c), 8-7-1104(d), 14-14-104, 14-14-405(b), 14-14-406, 14-14-609(b), 14-14-905(b), 14-14-905(d), 14-14-917(c), 14-16-105(e), 14-16-106(b), 14-16-110(b), 14-16-302(a), 14-18-106(b), 14-19-107(a), 14-21-102(b), 14-22-101(2), 14-37-112(b), 14-38-115(g), 14-40-303(c), 14-40-1202(a), 14-40-1902(a), 14-41-305(a), 14-42-206(d), 14-42-304(c), 14-47-106(b), 14-47-107(a), 14-47-140(i), 14-48-104(c), 14-48-105(b), 14-48-109(a), 14-54-903(g), 14-54-1101(b), 14-55-206(a), 14-56-416(b), 14-56-422(1), 14-57-605(b), 14-57-606(c), 14-58-303(b), 14-58-1001(b), 14-59-116, 14-72-205(c), 14-72-302(c), 14-72-304(b), 14-72-306(a), 14-72-503(b), 14-72-606(b), 14-72-606(c), 14-72-608, 14-88-207(b), 14-88-503(a), 14-89-403(2), 14-90-402, 14-90-602(b), 14-90-803, 14-90-801, 14-90-903, 14-91-1002(b), 14-92-206(a), 14-93-108(a), 14-93-133(b), 14-94-106(c), 14-94-108(a), 14-117-420(b), 14-120-112(b), 14-121-202(a), 14-121-207(1), 14-121-403(b), 14-121-404(b), 14-121-412(b), 14-121-502(b), 14-121-1003(a), 14-121-1009(b), 14-121-1010(b), 14-122-103, 14-139-106(a), 14-140-209(3), 14-142-208(b), 14-163-212, 14-164-309(d), 14-164-328(b), 14-168-305(b), 14-168-306(e), 14-168-307(b), 14-169-104(b), 14-169-319(a), 14-169-1107(b), 14-186-410(a), 14-187-106(c), 14-188-104(b), 14-199-302(b), 14-199-404, 14-201-304, 14-203-115(b), 14-205-104, 14-206-103(a), 14-206-105(b), 14-217-105(d), 14-218-104, 14-218-105(a), 14-218-106(a), 14-218-111, 14-218-115(a), 14-218-117, 14-218-123(b), 14-234-406(b), 14-234-506(a), 14-235-223(d), 14-237-113, 14-284-104(a), 14-284-204(a), 14-284-204(c), 14-298-120(d), 14-298-121(d), 14-301-110(b), 14-301-203(b), 14-301-204(a), 14-301-302(c), 14-301-402, 14-317-104(b), 14-318-104(b), 14-322-104(a), 14-322-105(a), 14-322-106(c), 14-386-116(a), 14-386-301(a), 14-386-402, 14-386-405(a), 14-387-204(b), 14-387-303(3), 14-387-401(b), 17-50-406(1), 18-15-303(a), 18-15-408(a), 18-15-1004(c), 18-28-403(a), 18-60-902(a), 19-9-607(b), 20-13-303(b), 20-13-304(a), 22-6-303(a), 23-110-402(c), 23-113-201(a), 26-26-1301(b), 26-26-1307(a), 26-27-203(6), 26-27-318(f), 26-74-204(g), 26-74-309(b), 26-74-404(b), 26-74-605(b), 26-75-204(g), 26-75-209(1), 26-75-304(g), 26-75-309(1), 26-75-404(d), 26-75-503(e), 26-77-104, 26-78-111(e), 26-81-106(a), 26-82-105(1), 27-66-505(b)