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HB 1815

Appropriation; Town of Marion for constructing and making improvements at and near a certain intersection.

2025 Regular Session

Arkansas grants exclusive juvenile-court jurisdiction on federal property, including military bases, when concurrent jurisdiction exists, enabling MOUs and GA-approved transfers.

Died In Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 1815

Summary — HB 1815 (2025) — State jurisdiction over federal lands; juvenile justice

Status (as provided)
- Introduced: January 10, 2025
- Version: Engrossed (3/31/2025) — Arkansas 95th General Assembly text
- Provided status: Died in Committee
- Note: The supplied materials include conflicting procedural entries (some showing passage/enactment as Act 687 and others showing “Died In Committee” and an unrelated Illinois text). Verify final status with the official legislative record.

Purpose and intent
- Authorize and preserve Arkansas’s ability to investigate and adjudicate juvenile delinquency matters that occur on federal property (especially military installations) when the United States and the State establish concurrent jurisdiction.
- Respond to Department of Defense direction and federal interest in permitting state juvenile jurisdiction on military bases to ensure access to juvenile justice for service members’ families.

Key substantive provisions
1. Juvenile-court jurisdiction (Ark. Code § 9-27-306)
- Adds a subsection establishing that when concurrent jurisdiction is in place under § 22-7-102, the circuit court (or juvenile division) has exclusive jurisdiction over juveniles alleged to have committed crimes under state law on military installations.

  1. Limited cession and agreements (Ark. Code § 22-7-101)

    • Clarifies that cession of jurisdiction to the United States for federal grounds does not preclude the state’s juvenile justice jurisdiction for cases the U.S. refers under concurrent jurisdiction arrangements.
    • States that newly acquired federal lands expanding an installation receive the same legislative jurisdiction status as the existing installation.
    • Authorizes state, county, or municipal authorities to enter reciprocal agreements (e.g., MOUs) with federal agencies to coordinate services and juridical responsibilities; requires filing such agreements with the county clerk and providing copies compiled by the Attorney General.

  2. Transfer of jurisdiction procedure (Ark. Code § 22-7-102(b))

    • Requires the Governor to transmit notices of jurisdiction transfer with comments to the next session of the General Assembly or, if the General Assembly is not in session, to the Legislative Council.
    • Provides that a proposed transfer is ineffective unless the General Assembly adopts an act approving it prior to the expiration of the legislative session to which the notice was transmitted.

Who would be affected
- Juveniles and families on federal property (especially military bases) in Arkansas.
- State and local juvenile courts, prosecutors, and law enforcement agencies.
- Federal agencies (Department of Defense) and installation commanders negotiating concurrent jurisdiction.
- County clerks (filing requirement) and the Arkansas Attorney General (compilation duty).
- Local governments entering reciprocal agreements with federal agencies.

Potential impacts
- Expands the ability of state juvenile justice system to handle offenses by juveniles on federal installations when concurrent jurisdiction is agreed.
- Creates a formal mechanism (filing and AG compilation) for reciprocal agreements to improve coordination.
- Adds a legislative check (General Assembly/Legislative Council approval) before jurisdiction transfers take effect.

Procedural note / recommendation
- The record provided contains inconsistent procedural histories (Arkansas engrossed bill versus other entries showing different outcomes and an Illinois bill text). Confirm HB 1815’s final disposition and any enacted language using the official Arkansas legislative website or state statutes before relying on it.

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

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