Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 370 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1644 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 COMPENSATION 9
OF A RETIRED JUDGE APPOINTED AS A SPECIAL JUDGE; TO 10
CLARIFY THAT A RETIRED JUDGE MAY SERVE AS A SPECIAL 11
JUDGE IMMEDIATELY UPON RETIREMENT; TO DECLARE AN 12
EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
CONCERNING THE COMPENSATION OF A RETIRED 17
JUDGE APPOINTED AS A SPECIAL JUDGE; TO 18
CLARIFY THAT A RETIRED JUDGE MAY SERVE 19
AS A SPECIAL JUDGE IMMEDIATELY UPON 20
RETIREMENT; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative intent. 25
The General Assembly intends: 26
(1) To clarify the ability of a retired judge to serve as a 27
special judge immediately upon retirement, as provided by Arkansas 28
Constitution, Amendment 80, § 13, and other law; and 29
(2) For this act to apply retroactively to January 1, 2025. 30
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-902, concerning the compensation of a 32
retired judge appointed as a special judge, is amended to add an additional 33
subsection to read as follows: 34
(c) A retired judge may serve as a special judge immediately upon 35
leaving office. 36 HB1644
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SECTION 3. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 2
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the number of requests for 3
special judges is currently higher than the number of retired judges 4
available to be appointed; that there is a need to clarify that a retired 5
judge may be appointed as a special judge immediately upon leaving office; 6
and that this act is immediately necessary to ensure the timely 7
administration of justice. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and 8
this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public 9
peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: 10
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 11
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 12
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 13
bill; or 14
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 15
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 16
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APPROVED: 3/20/25 19
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