Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1219 3
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By: Representative R. Scott Richardson 5
By: Senator C. Penzo 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; TO 9
REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND PUBLIC ENTITIES 10
THAT EMPLOY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO PROVIDE BODY -11
WORN CAMERAS; TO REQUIRE THE RECORDING OF LAW 12
ENFORCEMENT INTERACTIONS WITH THE PUBLIC; TO REQUIRE 13
RULEMAKING; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 14
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Subtitle 17
TO REQUIRE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND 18
PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT EMPLOY LAW 19
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO PROVIDE BODY -20
WORN CAMERAS; AND TO REQUIRE THE 21
RECORDING OF LAW ENFORCEMENT INTERACTION 22
WITH THE PUBLIC. 23
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 25
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 12, Chapter 6, is amended to add an 27
additional subchapter to read as follows: 28
Subchapter 9 — Body-Worn Cameras 29
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12-6-901. Legislative intent. 31
It is the intent of the General Assembly to ensure that: 32
(1) Law enforcement officers and the public are provided the 33
protection of recorded interactions between law enforcement officers and the 34
public; and 35
(2) An accurate record of interactions between law enforcement 36 HB1219
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officers and the public is available for legal and training purposes. 1
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12-6-902. Definitions. 3
As used in this subchapter: 4
(1)(A) "Law enforcement agency" means any police department, 5
county sheriff's office, or other public agency, force, or organization whose 6
primary responsibility is the enforcement of the criminal laws, traffic laws, 7
highway laws, or game and fish laws of this state. 8
(B) "Law enforcement agency" includes without limitation a 9
college or university police department; and 10
(2)(A) "Law enforcement officer" means a person that is: 11
(i) Employed by a law enforcement agency or other 12
public entity; and 13
(ii) Vested by law with a duty to maintain public 14
order and make arrests for offenses. 15
(B) "Law enforcement officer" includes without limitation 16
a court bailiff, school resource officer, wildlife enforcement officer, game 17
warden, officer of the State Capitol Police, county sheriff, and chief of 18
police. 19
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12-6-903. Body-worn cameras required. 21
(a) By December 31, 2026, a law enforcement agency or other public 22
entity that employs a law enforcement officer shall: 23
(1) Provide a body-worn camera to each law enforcement officer 24
the law enforcement agency or other public entity employs; 25
(2) Train each law enforcement officer the law enforcement 26
agency or other public entity employs in the use of a body -worn camera; and 27
(3) Enact policies and procedures governing the use of a body -28
worn camera. 29
(b) A law enforcement officer shall: 30
(1) Wear a body-worn camera while on duty; and 31
(2) Ensure the body -worn camera records all official interaction 32
between the law enforcement officer and the public while the law enforcement 33
officer is on duty. 34
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12-6-904. Rulemaking. 36 HB1219
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Any state agency, department, board, or commission that employs a law 1
enforcement officer, including without limitation constitutional agencies, 2
shall promulgate rules to implement this subchapter. 3
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SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. 5
(a) When adopting the initial rules required under this act, the state 6
agency, department, board, or commission shall file the final rules with the 7
Secretary of State for adoption under § 25 -15-204(f): 8
(1) On or before August 1, 2026; or 9
(2) If approval under § 10 -3-309 has not occurred by August 1, 10
2026, as soon as practicable after approval under § 10 -3-309. 11
(b) The state agency, department, board, or commission shall file the 12
proposed rules with the Legislative Council under § 10 -3-309(c) sufficiently 13
in advance of August 1, 2026, so that the Legislative Council may consider 14
the rules for approval before August 1, 2026. 15
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