This bill amends the laws governing state district courts in Arkansas by eliminating the requirement for cities and counties to pay the salaries of state district court judges. Instead, the salaries will be determined by an independent citizens commission and funded through the Constitutional Officers Fund. The bill also aims to streamline the judicial system by consolidating the court structure, transitioning to seventy full-time state district court judges by January 1, 2025. Additionally, it introduces new funding mechanisms, including a county and city administration of justice fund, allowing local governments to retain up to fifty percent of uniform court costs and filing fees collected from district court matters.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing provisions related to the collection and allocation of court costs and fines, replacing previous requirements for certification from the Department of Finance and Administration with a simpler structure for distributing funds. It establishes a new court technology fee of $15 for criminal and traffic cases, which will be deposited into the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund. The bill also includes provisions for the assessment of installment fees for defendants paying fines in installments and allows for the hiring of court security officers funded through these fees. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the financial processes associated with court operations and ensure a more efficient judicial system in Arkansas.

Statutes affected:
HB 1661: 19-5-205, 16-10-209(5), 16-10-307, 24-8-318, 21-6-403, 9-15-202, 16-10-305, 16-10-308, 16-17-705, 16-10-602, 16-10-307(c), 16-10-308(c), 16-10-603(b), 16-10-604(b), 16-13-704, 9-15-202(d), 16-10-305(h), 16-13-712, 16-17-121, 16-17-108, 16-17-1104, 16-17-1106, 16-17-1107, 21-6-416(b)
Act 371: 19-5-205, 16-10-209(5), 16-10-307, 24-8-318, 21-6-403, 9-15-202, 16-10-305, 16-10-308, 16-17-705, 16-10-602, 16-10-307(c), 16-10-308(c), 16-10-603(b), 16-10-604(b), 16-13-704, 9-15-202(d), 16-10-305(h), 16-13-712, 16-17-121, 16-17-108, 16-17-1104, 16-17-1106, 16-17-1107, 21-6-416(b)