Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 456 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S3/13/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1597 3
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By: Representative Dalby 5
By: Senator A. Clark 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION 9
OF THE OATH OF OFFICE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 10
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Subtitle 13
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE 14
ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE. 15
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 17
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 14-42-106(b), concerning oaths required for 19
elected or appointed municipal officers, is amended to read as follows: 20
(b)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (b)(2) of this section, the 21
officers shall take their oaths before: 22
(A) The Secretary of State or his or her official 23
designee; 24
(B) A justice or judge ; of the: 25
(i) Supreme Court; 26
(ii) Court of Appeals; 27
(iii) Circuit court, including any former circuit or 28
chancery judge who served for at least four (4) years ; or 29
(iv) District court, including any former municipal 30
or district judge who served for at least four (4) years ; 31
(C) A judge of the county court; 32
(D) A federal justice or judge of the: 33
(i) United States Supreme Court; 34
(ii) United States Court of Appeals; or 35
(iii) United States District Court; 36 As Engrossed: S3/13/25 HB1597
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(E) A clerk of the: 1
(i) County court; 2
(ii) Circuit court; or 3
(iii) City of the first class; 4
(E)(F) A recorder of: 5
(i) A city of the second class; or 6
(ii) An incorporated town; or 7
(F)(G) A justice of the peace. 8
(2) The council members also may take their oaths before the 9
mayor of the municipality. 10
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 21 -2-105(a), concerning who may administer 12
an oath of office, is amended to read as follows: 13
(a)(1) The Governor shall take the oath of office before: 14
(A) A justice or judge of the: 15
(i) Supreme Court; 16
(ii) Court of Appeals; 17
(iii) Circuit court; or 18
(iv) District court; 19
(B) A federal justice or judge of the: 20
(i) United States Supreme Court; 21
(ii) United States Court of Appeals; or 22
(iii) United States District Court; 23
(C) The county clerk; or 24
(C)(D) The clerk of the circuit court. 25
(2) The justices of the Supreme Court, judges of the Court of 26
Appeals, judges of the circuit courts, judges of the district court, 27
Secretary of State, Treasurer of State, and Auditor of State shall take their 28
oaths before: 29
(A) The Governor; 30
(B) A justice or judge of the: 31
(i) Supreme Court; 32
(ii) Court of Appeals; 33
(iii) Circuit court , including any former circuit or 34
chancery judge who served for at least four (4) years ; or 35
(iv) District court , including any former municipal 36 As Engrossed: S3/13/25 HB1597
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or district judge who served for at least four (4) years ; 1
(C) A federal justice or judge of the: 2
(i) United States Supreme Court; 3
(ii) United States Court of Appeals; or 4
(iii) United States District Court; 5
(D) The clerk of the county court; or 6
(D)(E) The clerk of the circuit court. 7
(3) All other officers, both civil and military, shall take 8
their oaths before: 9
(A) The Secretary of State or his or her official 10
designee; 11
(B) A justice or judge of the: 12
(i) Supreme Court; 13
(ii) Court of Appeals; 14
(iii) Circuit court , including any former circuit or 15
chancery judge who served for at least four (4) years ; 16
(iv) District court , including any former municipal 17
or district judge who served for at least four (4) years ; or 18
(v) County court; 19
(C) A federal justice or judge of the: 20
(i) United States Supreme Court; 21
(ii) United States Court of Appeals; or 22
(iii) United States District Court; 23
(D) The clerk of the county court; 24
(D)(E) The clerk of the circuit court; 25
(E)(F) A justice of the peace; 26
(F)(G) A clerk of a city of the first class; or 27
(G)(H) A recorder of a city of the second class or 28
incorporated town. 29
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/s/Dalby 31
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APPROVED: 4/3/25 34
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