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HB 1966

Commercial use of public places; civil penalty.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Anne Ferrell Tata

Allows an incorporated town or second-class city and affected families to petition to reestablish a local public elementary or satellite school within the town/city boundaries afte

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Bill Summary · HB 1966

Summary — HB 1966

Status: Died in Committee (per provided metadata).
Introduced: January 22, 2025.
Primary sponsor(s): Rep. Barnett (also materials list Rep. Tony M. McCombie — see “Notes & conflicts” below).
Subject: Local and Private Legislation / Elementary education

Note: The materials provided contain multiple, inconsistent documents (Arkansas statutory language regarding local elementary schools, an unrelated Illinois $2 appropriations text, and conflicting legislative action dates). This summary focuses on the principal bill text included here (an Arkansas statutory amendment to Arkansas Code Title 6), and calls out discrepancies at the end. Verify the official legislative record for final status and text.

Purpose / Intent

To authorize an incorporated town or a city of the second class, together with parents/guardians of affected students, to seek re-establishment of a local public elementary school or a satellite elementary school within their municipality when that town/city lost a school due to consolidation within the prior 20 years.

Key provisions

  • Adds Arkansas Code section 6-13-1419 establishing a process for reinstating a local public elementary or satellite school after certain consolidations.
  • Eligible petitioners: an incorporated town or city of the second class plus parents/legal guardians/persons in loco parentis of students in an affected district.
  • Eligibility conditions:
    • The affected district experienced a consolidation within the last 20 years (from the effective date of the section).
    • The affected district’s boundaries include the incorporated town or city of the second class.
    • The affected district previously included a public school configured as an elementary school that is within those boundaries.
    • The incorporated town or city of the second class has the means to provide adequate school facilities.
  • Process:
    • Petitioners file a written appeal to the receiving (consolidating) district’s board of directors requesting establishment of a local public elementary or satellite school on or associated with the affected district’s existing campus but located within the town/city boundaries.
    • If the receiving district board approves, the receiving district and the town/city jointly file an appeal to the State Board of Education for establishment of the school/satellite campus.
  • Governance and contributions:
    • A local public elementary school established under this section becomes part of the receiving district.
    • The receiving district and the town/city may enter into written agreements for in‑kind contributions from the town/city to the district for establishment and maintenance of the local/satellite school.

Who would be affected

  • Incorporated towns and cities of the second class that previously lost elementary schools through consolidation within the past 20 years.
  • Parents, guardians, and students residing in those municipalities.
  • Receiving (consolidated) school districts and their boards.
  • State Board of Education (responsible for final approval).

Timeline / procedural aspects

  • The statutory eligibility window is limited to consolidations occurring within 20 years prior to the section’s effective date.
  • Two-step appeals process: (1) local appeal to receiving district board; (2) if approved, joint appeal to State Board of Education.
  • Local in‑kind support arrangements are permitted but the new elementary/satellite school remains legally part of the receiving district.

Fiscal impact

  • A Fiscal Impact Statement prepared by the Arkansas Department of Education (included in the materials) indicates “No fiscal impact.” (Local costs or in-kind contributions could vary depending on local agreements and facility needs.)

Notes & conflicts / recommended verification

  • The packet includes an unrelated Illinois bill text (an appropriation of $2 to the Department of Insurance) and legislative action entries that conflict (e.g., entries showing passage, enrollment, Act 914 alongside “Died In Committee”). Sponsors listed include both Barnett and Illinois Rep. Tony M. McCombie, indicating likely mixing of separate bills/documents.
  • Because of these discrepancies, consult the official legislature website or clerk’s office for the authoritative bill text, status, and any enacted language before relying on this summary for legal or administrative decisions.

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

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