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HB 1739

DENTURIST LICENSE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Murri Briel

House Bill 1739 ensures Arkansas' electronic legal materials are authenticated, preserved, and publicly accessible, enhancing transparency for legal professionals and citizens.

Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee
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Bill Summary · HB 1739

Summary of House Bill 1739: Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act

Purpose and Intent

House Bill 1739, now known as Act 814, aims to adopt the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act in the state of Arkansas. The primary goal of this legislation is to establish a framework for the publication, authentication, preservation, and public access of legal materials in electronic form, ensuring their integrity and reliability.

Key Provisions

The bill introduces a new chapter (Chapter 44) to the Arkansas Code, which includes the following significant provisions:

  1. Definitions:

    • Electronic: Relating to technology with electrical, digital, or similar capabilities.
    • Legal Material: Includes the Arkansas Constitution, the Arkansas Code, the Code of Arkansas Rules, and state agency rules with legal effect, but excludes materials published by the Arkansas judiciary.
    • Official Publisher: Entities responsible for publishing legal materials, including the Arkansas Code Revision Commission and the Bureau of Legislative Research.

  2. Applicability:

    • The act applies to all legal materials published electronically after its effective date.

  3. Designation and Authentication:

    • Official publishers must designate electronic legal materials as official and authenticate them to ensure they are unaltered from the original.

  4. Preservation and Security:

    • Official publishers are required to provide for the preservation and security of electronic legal materials, ensuring their integrity and usability.

  5. Public Access:

    • Legal materials must be made reasonably accessible to the public on a permanent basis.

  6. Uniformity:

    • The act promotes uniformity in the application of laws related to electronic legal materials among states that adopt similar legislation.

  7. Relation to Existing Laws:

    • The act modifies certain provisions of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act but does not authorize electronic delivery of specific notices.

Impact

This legislation will primarily affect:
- Legal Professionals: Lawyers, judges, and legal researchers will benefit from a standardized approach to accessing and verifying legal materials.
- State Agencies: Agencies responsible for publishing legal materials will need to comply with the new requirements for authentication and preservation.
- Public Access: Citizens will have improved access to legal materials, enhancing transparency and accountability in government.

Procedural Timeline

  • Introduced: March 11, 2025
  • Passed: April 14, 2025
  • Enrolled and Transmitted to Governor: April 15, 2025
  • Effective Date: January 1, 2026

This act represents a significant step towards modernizing the management of legal materials in Arkansas, aligning with national standards and improving the accessibility of legal information for all stakeholders.

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

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