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 adjacent unincorporated areas, and removes several other related provisions that defined and regulated municipal territorial jurisdiction. This includes the repeal of sections that governed the annexation of territory and the exercise of planning jurisdiction beyond corporate limits, effectively limiting municipal authority in these areas.

Additionally, the bill amends Arkansas Code 14-28-207(a) to clarify that fire protection districts established after January 1, 2021, cannot include areas within the territorial jurisdiction of a municipality that has adopted an ordinance for fire protection services, unless a majority of the municipality's governing body waives this restriction. The bill also repeals various definitions and provisions related to municipal jurisdiction in other sections of the law, thereby streamlining the legal framework governing municipal authority and its limitations.

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)