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HB 1978

An Act to provide appropriations from the General Fund for the expenses of certain agencies of the Executive Department for the fiscal year July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and for the payment of bills incurred and remaining unpaid at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jordan Harris

Adds a second state district court judgeship for the Seventeenth District (Clay and Greene counties), funded partly by local governments starting 2027.

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Bill Summary · HB 1978

Summary — HB 1978 (95th Ark. Gen. Assembly, 2025)

Note on source material: the supplied packet included conflicting headers (a separate "suffrage" title and an unrelated Illinois HB1978 text). This summary treats the Arkansas bill text provided — an act to add a state district court judgeship in the Seventeenth District — as the subject of analysis.

Purpose

To add a second state district court judgeship to the Seventeenth Judicial District (Arkansas State District Court), which is composed of Clay and Greene counties, and to specify the court locations, election placement, and how the new judgeship’s compensation would be funded.

Key provisions

  • District composition and departments:
    • Seventeenth District = Clay County and Greene County.
    • The district has five departments (court locations): Paragould, Marmaduke, Corning, Piggott, and Rector.
  • Judgeship change:
    • Increase from one (1) to two (2) state district court judges serving the Seventeenth District.
    • Judges are elected districtwide.
  • Salary/benefit funding:
    • One judge’s salary and benefits paid as provided under Arkansas Code § 16-17-1106 (standard state-paid judge provisions).
    • For the other judge, although the state pays the salary and benefits, the statute would require local contributions to fund that pay:
    • City of Paragould: one-half of 75% = 37.5% of the salary & benefits;
    • Greene County: one-half of 75% = 37.5%;
    • Clay County: 25%.
    • Required annual remittance: local funds to be sent on or before January 15 each year to the Administration of Justice Funds Section for deposit into the Constitutional Officers Fund.
  • Implementation timing:
    • The new judgeship would become effective January 1, 2027.
    • The judgeship would be placed on the ballot for election at the 2026 nonpartisan judicial election.

Who would be affected

  • Residents and litigants in Clay and Greene counties (expanded judicial capacity; potential change in case assignment and scheduling).
  • Candidates for state district judge (additional seat to run for in 2026).
  • Local governments required to contribute to compensation: City of Paragould, Greene County, and Clay County — they would be obligated to remit the specified shares annually.
  • State judiciary and Administrative of Justice Funds Section (administration, payroll, and deposit procedures).

Procedural status (as provided)

  • Introduced: January 22, 2025 (Representative Gazaway; Sponsor Senator B. Johnson also listed).
  • Companion bills: SB 1116 and HB 137 (companions noted).
  • Final status: Died in committee (House Committee) — listed as “Died in House Committee at Sine Die adjournment” (2025-05-05). Therefore, the bill did not become law.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • If enacted, the bill would increase local access to state district court services in the Seventeenth District by adding a judgeship and cementing court presence at five locations.
  • It would create an ongoing local fiscal obligation (combined 100% share split among the city and two counties) to fund one judgeship’s compensation despite the salary being paid by the state—raising potential budgetary issues for the named local governments.
  • The January 15 annual remittance and deposit into the Constitutional Officers Fund create a defined administrative timeline for funding.

If you want, I can:
- Pull the exact Arkansas Code § 16-17-1106 language referenced for comparison;
- Draft a short fiscal note estimating local dollar amounts using sample judge salary figures; or
- Summarize companion SB 1116/HB 137 to compare differences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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