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HB 1855

Appropriation; Access Training, Inc., to provide financial assistance for students that it trains.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Bo Brown

Arkansas HB 1855 lets the Dept. of Agriculture recommend fire-district boundary changes; overlapping districts split 50/50, with petitions, notices, and county-court review.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 1855

Summary — HB 1855 (materials provided contain mixed / conflicting text)

Note up front: the materials you supplied appear to combine content from more than one distinct HB 1855 (an Arkansas bill revising fire‑protection district boundary authority and an Illinois bill amending the Freedom of Information Act), and the top metadata includes a third, unrelated title about an appropriation for Access Training, Inc. The procedural history in your file is internally inconsistent (entries showing both “Died in Committee” and later readings, passage, and enrollment). Because of those conflicts, the summary below focuses on the substantive text included for the Arkansas HB 1855 (95th General Assembly) that amends Arkansas Code § 14‑284‑125. Verify the correct bill/version and jurisdiction with the official legislative source for final use.

Main purpose / intent

To revise which state agency may recommend or adjust boundaries of fire protection districts and to clarify procedures and definitions governing boundary adjustments for overlapping, abutting, or contiguous fire protection districts in Arkansas.

Key provisions and changes

  • Replaces or redirects authority language from the State Forestry Commission to the Department of Agriculture:
    • The Department of Agriculture may make recommendations to county court to adjust fire protection district boundaries (overlapping, abutting unserved areas, or contiguous districts).
  • Overlapping districts:
    • If requested by either overlapping district, the commission/department shall adjust boundaries so each receives approximately 50% of the area that was within both districts.
  • Requests and recommendations:
    • Districts may request in writing a boundary‑adjustment recommendation from the Department of Agriculture.
    • Contiguous districts may request adjustments only if there is either (a) agreement among affected districts or (b) good cause shown for altering boundaries.
    • The Department of Agriculture must notify the requesting district when it will make a recommendation.
  • Post‑recommendation process (if Dept. makes a recommendation):
    • The requesting district must file a petition with the county court within 30 days and attach the Department’s recommendation.
    • The district must provide public notice of the county court hearing by one publication at least one week in advance.
    • The county court may accept the recommendation (and enter an order with a legal description and map), reject it and maintain existing boundaries, or reject and set boundaries it finds just and proper.
    • If boundaries are altered, a new fire protection district map must be created under § 12‑10‑329.
  • Definitions:
    • “District” is defined broadly to include nonprofit fire corporations/associations, volunteer and rural fire departments, suburban fire improvement districts, county subordinate service districts that provide fire protection, and other entities that provide fire protection services.
  • Supplemental clause:
    • This section is supplemental to other law governing district establishment (e.g., § 14‑20‑108).

Who is affected

  • Department of Agriculture (assumes/clarifies recommendation role)
  • County courts (hear and order boundary changes)
  • Fire protection districts of various forms (overlapping, contiguous, abutting unserved areas)
  • Volunteer/nonprofit fire organizations, suburban improvement districts, and county‑created subordinate service districts
  • Residents and property owners within changed district boundaries (service responsibility, potential assessments/taxes)

Procedural / timeline aspects

  • Department recommendation → district has 30 days to file petition with county court
  • Public notice: at least one publication at least one week before county court hearing
  • County court must issue order including legal description and map if it alters boundaries

Potential impacts / considerations

  • Centralizes or clarifies the administrative role of the Department of Agriculture in boundary recommendations (shift from Forestry Commission language).
  • Provides an expedited, prescriptive process for resolving overlapping coverage (50/50 split) which could reduce disputes but may produce contested outcomes in some local circumstances.
  • May change service responsibilities, tax/fee assessments, and mutual‑aid arrangements where boundaries are altered.
  • Administrative workload for Dept. of Agriculture and county courts to process recommendations and hearings.

Recommendation: confirm the intended jurisdiction and final enrolled language on the official state legislative website (Arkansas Code / 95th General Assembly) because the file you provided mixes content from multiple bills and shows inconsistent legislative actions.

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

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