The bill amends the law regarding law enforcement training reimbursement in Arkansas, specifically extending the reimbursement period from eighteen months to twenty-four months after a law enforcement officer completes their training. It changes the terminology from "county, city, town, or state agency" to "law enforcement agency" throughout the text. The reimbursement structure is also revised, with the employing law enforcement agency required to reimburse the training costs based on the time frame of employment after training completion. For instance, if the officer is employed within twelve months, the agency must reimburse the total training costs, while if employed between twelve and twenty-four months, the reimbursement is reduced to fifty percent.

Additionally, the bill introduces new requirements for reimbursement requests, mandating that they be submitted in writing and include an itemized list of costs. It also stipulates that if a law enforcement agency fails to reimburse as required, the Treasurer of State will withhold the owed amount from the agency's funds. Furthermore, the bill clarifies definitions related to law enforcement agencies and private communities, and it establishes an effective date of January 1, 2026, for the new provisions.

Statutes affected:
SB 521: 12-9-209, 14-14-814, 12-9-602(a)
Act 748: 12-9-209, 14-14-814, 12-9-602(a)