The bill aims to amend existing laws regarding the territorial jurisdiction of municipalities in Arkansas by repealing the authority for municipalities to exercise jurisdiction over unincorporated areas of a county. Specifically, it repeals Arkansas Code 14-17-208(i), which previously allowed municipalities to control subdivisions in unincorporated areas adjacent to their corporate limits, and removes related provisions that required municipalities to transmit proposed plats to county planning boards and school districts for review. Additionally, the bill repeals several other sections of the law that pertain to municipal territorial jurisdiction, including provisions related to annexation and planning authority.

Furthermore, the bill amends Arkansas Code 14-284-207(a) to clarify that the service area of a fire protection district created after January 1, 2021, cannot include areas within the territorial jurisdiction of a municipality that has adopted an ordinance to provide fire protection services, unless a majority of the municipality's governing body waives this restriction. Overall, the bill significantly reduces the planning and jurisdictional powers of municipalities over unincorporated areas, thereby shifting more authority to county planning boards and fire protection districts.

Statutes affected:
HB 1510: 14-17-208(i), 14-17-208(l), 14-38-101(b), 14-40-208, 14-56-413, 14-56-417(c), 14-56-422(5), 14-284-207(a), 17-28-305(b), 18-15-1702(6), 18-15-1703(e)
Act 314: 14-17-208(i), 14-17-208(l), 14-38-101(b), 14-40-208, 14-56-413, 14-56-417(c), 14-56-422(5), 14-284-207(a), 17-28-305(b), 18-15-1702(6), 18-15-1703(e)