Arkansas 2025 Regular Session

Arkansas House Bill HB1661 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
2		-	Act 371 of the Regular Session
3	2		CEB067 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
4	3		State of Arkansas 1
5	4		95th General Assembly A Bill 2
6	5		Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1661 3
7	6		4
8	7		By: Representative Dalby 5
9	8		By: Senator A. Clark 6
10	9		7
11	10		For An Act To Be Entitled 8
12	11		AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING STATE DISTRICT 9
13	12		COURTS; TO ELIMINATE THE OBLIGATION OF CITIES AND 10
14	13		COUNTIES TO PAY THE SALARIES OF STATE DISTRICT COURT 11
15	14		JUDGES; TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING DISTRICT COURT 12
16	15		CLERKS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
17	16		14
18	17		15
19	18		Subtitle 16
20	19		TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING STATE 17
21	20		DISTRICT COURTS; TO ELIMINATE THE 18
22	21		OBLIGATION OF CITIES AND COUNTIES TO PAY 19
23	22		THE SALARIES OF STATE DISTRICT COURT 20
24	23		JUDGES; AND TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING 21
25	24		DISTRICT COURT CLERKS. 22
26	25		23
27	26		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
28	27		25
29	28		SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings and intent. 26
30	29		(a) The General Assembly finds that: 27
31	30		(1) Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 80 vested the judicial 28
32	31		power of the State of Arkansas in the judicial department; 29
33	32		(2) Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 94 vested the power to 30
34	33		determine the salaries of state officers, including district court judges, 31
35	34		with the independent citizens commission and the salaries are paid from the 32
36	35		Constitutional Officers Fund, Arkansas Code § 19 -5-205; 33
37	36		(3) Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 94 and Arkansas Code § 19 -34
38	37		5-205 further established that district court judges are state -elected 35
39	38		officials under the Arkansas Constitution that render state judicial 36 HB1661
40	39
41	40		2 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
42	41		services; 1
43	42		(4) Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 94, Arkansas Code § 16 -17-2
44	43		1104, Acts 2007, No. 663, Acts 2009, No. 345, and Acts 2011, No. 1219 further 3
45	44		directed that the state district court judges have their salaries set by the 4
46	45		independent citizens commission to be paid out of the Constitutional Officers 5
47	46		Fund, Arkansas Code § 19 -5-205; 6
48	47		(5) In Cotham v. Coffman, 111 Ark. 108 (1914), the Supreme Court 7
49	48		established that state funds should be used for state purposes; 8
50	49		(6) In Honorable v. Hyde, 2024 Ark. 114, the Supreme Court 9
51	50		established that state funds should be used for state purposes; and 10
52	51		(7) Over the past quarter of a century the state has 11
53	52		transitioned from hundreds of part -time local municipal court, city court, 12
54	53		and district court judges to, commencing January 1, 2025, seventy (70) full -13
55	54		time state district court judges resulting from a consolidation of these 14
56	55		courts into a unified state system of district courts. 15
57	56		(b) The General Assembly intends this act to: 16
58	57		(1) Eliminate the obligation of cities and counties to pay for 17
59	58		the salaries of state district court judges in Arkansas; and 18
60	59		(2) Provide for the efficient administration of justice. 19
61	60		20
62	61		SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-209(5)(F)(iii), concerning the 21
63	62		collection of installment payments, is repealed. 22
64	63		(iii) A municipal or county governing body that 23
65	64		adopted municipal or county legislation before July 1, 2012, to provide an 24
66	65		alternative method of installment payment allocation as then authorized by 25
67	66		state law shall remain in effect until repealed; and 26
68	67		27
69	68		SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-307 is amended to read as follows: 28
70	69		(a) There is hereby created in each county a fund in the office of the 29
71	70		county treasurer to be known as the “county administration of justice fund”. 30
72	71		(b) The county administration of justice fund shall be used to defray 31
73	72		a part of the expenses of the administration of justice in the county. From 32
74	73		the county administration of justice fund, the county shall continue to 33
75	74		finance the following county agencies and programs and district court costs 34
76	75		which are currently funded, in whole or in part, by filing fees and court 35
77	76		costs, at a funding level equal to not less than the greater of the amount 36 HB1661
78	77
79	78		3 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
80	79		which was collected by the county from filing fees and court costs for the 1
81	80		agency or program in the calendar year ending December 31, 1994, or the 2
82	81		amount appropriated by ordinance enacted prior to December 31, 1994, or on 3
83	82		February 13, 1995, or on February 14, 1995, or by resolution dated February 4
84	83		9, 1995, to the agency or program for the calendar year ending December 31, 5
85	84		1995: 6
86	85		(1) The prosecuting attorney fund , including all grant funds 7
87	86		awarded and appropriated for the calendar year ending December 31, 1995 ; 8
88	87		(2) The prosecuting attorney's victim -witness program fund; 9
89	88		(3) The public defender/indigent defense fund and public 10
90	89		defender investigator fund , including all grant funds awarded and 11
91	90		appropriated for the calendar year ending December 31, 1995 ; 12
92	91		(4) The county law library book fund; 13
93	92		(5) The county jail fund; and 14
94	93		(6) The intoxication detection equipment fund ; 15
95	94		(7) Operating costs of the district court; 16
96	95		(8) Cost-sharing agreements related to the operation of the 17
97	96		district court; and 18
98	97		(9) Any other necessary costs associated with the administration 19
99	98		of justice in the county . 20
100	99		(c)(1)(A)(i) The For funds collected in circuit court matters, the 21
101	100		county administration of justice fund of each county may retain an amount 22
102	101		equal to the amount which was collected by the county from court costs and 23
103	102		filing fees for county administration of justice expense in the calendar year 24
104	103		ending December 31, 1994, or the amount appropriated from court costs and 25
105	104		filing fees by ordinance enacted prior to December 31, 1994, or on February 26
106	105		13, 1995, or on February 14, 1995, or by resolution dated February 9, 1995, 27
107	106		for county administration of justice expense from court costs and filing fees 28
108	107		for the calendar year ending December 31, 1995, plus, for calendar years 1995 29
109	108		— 2001, an additional amount based upon the average percentage increase in 30
110	109		the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers or its successor, as 31
111	110		published by the United States Department of Labor for the two (2) years 32
112	111		immediately preceding. 33
113	112		(ii) For funds collected in district court matters, 34
114	113		the county administration of justice fund may retain an amount equal to but 35
115	114		no more than fifty percent (50%) of uniform court costs and filing fees that 36 HB1661
116	115
117	116		4 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
118	117		are collected. 1
119	118		(B)(i) The amount retained during calendar years 2002, 2
120	119		2003, 2004, and 2005 shall be the amount retained during calendar year 2001. 3
121	120		(ii) Except as provided in subdivision 4
122	121		(c)(1)(B)(iii) of this section, for calendar years beginning 2014 and each 5
123	122		calendar year thereafter, an additional amount shall be added to the amount 6
124	123		to be retained based upon the lesser of the average percentage increase in 7
125	124		the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers or its successor, as 8
126	125		published by the United States Department of Labor, for the two (2) years 9
127	126		immediately preceding or the percentage rate of increase in collections of 10
128	127		the State Administration of Justice Fund for the two (2) years immediately 11
129	128		preceding. 12
130	129		(iii) The provisions of subdivision (c)(1)(B)(ii) of 13
131	130		this section shall not be effective if the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State 14
132	131		determines that the additional amount retained under subdivision 15
133	132		(c)(1)(B)(ii) of this section has exceeded one million dollars ($1,000,000) 16
134	133		in a calendar year and any additional amount to be retained must be 17
135	134		authorized by the General Assembly. 18
136	135		(C) All local ordinances of the counties and cities 19
137	136		authorized and adopted under § 24 -8-318 shall remain in full force and 20
138	137		effect. 21
139	138		(2) For the calendar year beginning January 1, 1998, the base 22
140	139		amount to be retained shall be: 23
141	140		(A) Increased by any increase in the Consumer Price Index 24
142	141		for All Urban Consumers as provided for in subdivision (c)(1) of this 25
143	142		section; and 26
144	143		(B) Decreased by eighty -five percent (85%) of the total 27
145	144		dollar amount which was certified by the county as having been collected 28
146	145		during calendar year 1994 and for the purpose of funding the office and 29
147	146		operation of the public defender and public defender investigator. 30
148	147		(d) Nothing in this section shall prevent the county from funding any 31
149	148		additional costs for the administration of justice from these or other county 32
150	149		funds. 33
151	150		(e) The county shall remit on or before the fifteenth day of each 34
152	151		month all sums received in circuit court matters in excess of the amounts 35
153	152		necessary to fund the expenses enumerated in subsections (b) and (c) of this 36 HB1661
154	153
155	154		5 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
156	155		section during the previous month from the uniform filing fees provided for 1
157	156		in §§ 21-6-403 and 9-15-202, and the uniform court costs provided for in § 2
158	157		16-10-305 to the Administration of Justice Funds Section for deposit into the 3
159	158		State Administration of Justice Fund. 4
160	159		(f) The county shall remit on or before the fifteenth day of each 5
161	160		month fifty percent (50%) of the moneys collected in district court matters 6
162	161		during the previous month from the uniform filing fees provided for in §16 -7
163	162		17-705 and the uniform court costs provided for in § 16 -10-305 to the 8
164	163		Administration of Justice Funds Section for deposit into the State 9
165	164		Administration of Justice Fund. 10
166	165		11
167	166		SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-308 is amended to read as follows: 12
168	167		16-10-308. City administration of justice fund. 13
169	168		(a)(1) There is hereby created in each town or city which operates a 14
170	169		district court a fund in the office of the city treasurer to be known as the 15
171	170		“city administration of justice fund”. 16
172	171		(2)(A) A town or city operating a city court that becomes a 17
173	172		department of district court shall continue to maintain the city 18
174	173		administration of justice fund as originally established by this section. 19
175	174		(B) The city administration of justice fund of any town or 20
176	175		city shall cease to exist on and after the effective date of the ordinance 21
177	176		that abolishes the department of district court for that town or city 22
178	177		pursuant to state law. 23
179	178		(b) The city administration of justice fund shall be used to defray a 24
180	179		part of the expense of the administration of justice in the town or city. 25
181	180		From the city administration of justice fund, the town or city shall continue 26
182	181		to finance the following town or city agencies and programs and district 27
183	182		court costs which are currently funded, in whole or in part, by filing fees 28
184	183		and court costs, at a funding level equal to not less than the greater of the 29
185	184		amount which was collected by the town or city from court costs and filing 30
186	185		fees for the agency or program in the calendar year ending December 31, 1994, 31
187	186		or the amount appropriated by ordinance enacted prior to December 31, 1994, 32
188	187		to the agency or program for the calendar year ending December 31, 1995 : 33
189	188		(1) The municipal court judge and clerk retirement fund for 34
190	189		disbursement as otherwise provided by law; 35
191	190		(2) The police and fire pension fund; 36 HB1661
192	191
193	192		6 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
194	193		(3) The intoxication detection equipment fund; 1
195	194		(4) All municipal-level programs and agencies funded in whole or 2
196	195		in part by court costs and filing fees assessed and collected by the district 3
197	196		court, notwithstanding the repeal by this act of laws authorizing the 4
198	197		collection of court costs and filing fees; and 5
199	198		(5) All county-level programs and agencies funded in whole or in 6
200	199		part by court costs and filing fees assessed and collected by the district 7
201	200		court, notwithstanding the repeal by this act of laws authorizing the 8
202	201		collection of court costs and filing fees and the disbursement of all or a 9
203	202		part thereof to the county ; 10
204	203		(6) Operating costs of the district court; 11
205	204		(7) Cost-sharing agreements related to the operation of the 12
206	205		district court; and 13
207	206		(8) Any other necessary costs associated with the administration 14
208	207		of justice in the city or town . 15
209	208		(c)(1)(A) The city administration of justice fund of each town or city 16
210	209		may retain an amount equal to the amount which was collected by the town or 17
211	210		city from court costs and filing fees for city administration of justice 18
212	211		expense in the calendar year ending December 31, 1994, or the amount 19
213	212		appropriated from court costs and filing fees by ordinance enacted prior to 20
214	213		December 31, 1994, for city or county administration of justice expense from 21
215	214		court costs and filing fees for the calendar year ending December 31, 1995, 22
216	215		plus, for calendar years 1995 -2001, an additional amount based upon the 23
217	216		average percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban 24
218	217		Consumers or its successor, as published by the United States Department of 25
219	218		Labor for the two (2) years immediately preceding but no more than fifty 26
220	219		percent (50%) of uniform court costs and filing fees that are collected . 27
221	220		(B)(i) The amount retained during calendar years 2002, 28
222	221		2003, 2004, and 2005 shall be the amount retained during calendar year 2001. 29
223	222		(ii) Except as provided in subdivision 30
224	223		(c)(1)(B)(iii) of this section, for calendar years beginning 2014 and each 31
225	224		calendar year thereafter, an additional amount shall be added to the amount 32
226	225		to be retained based upon the lesser of the average percentage increase in 33
227	226		the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers or its successor, as 34
228	227		published by the United States Department of Labor, for the two (2) years 35
229	228		immediately preceding or the percentage rate of increase in collections of 36 HB1661
230	229
231	230		7 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
232	231		the State Administration of Justice Fund for the two (2) years immediately 1
233	232		preceding. 2
234	233		(iii) The provisions of subdivision (c)(1)(B)(ii) of 3
235	234		this section shall not be effective if the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State 4
236	235		determines that the additional amount retained under subdivision 5
237	236		(c)(1)(B)(ii) of this section has exceeded one million dollars ($1,000,000) 6
238	237		in a calendar year, and any additional amount to be retained must be 7
239	238		authorized by the General Assembly. 8
240	239		(C) All local ordinances of the counties and cities 9
241	240		authorized and adopted under § 24-8-318 shall remain in full force and 10
242	241		effect. 11
243	242		(2) For the calendar year beginning January 1, 1998, the base 12
244	243		amount to be retained shall be: 13
245	244		(A) Increased by any increase in the Consumer Price Index 14
246	245		for All Urban Consumers as provided for in subdivision (c)(1) of this 15
247	246		section; and 16
248	247		(B) Decreased by eighty -five percent (85%) of the total 17
249	248		dollar amount which was certified by the town or city as having been 18
250	249		collected during calendar year 1994 for the purpose of funding the office and 19
251	250		operation of the public defender and public defender investigator. 20
252	251		(d) Nothing in this act shall prevent the town or city from funding 21
253	252		any additional costs for the administration of justice from other town or 22
254	253		city funds. 23
255	254		(e) The town or city shall remit, on or before the fifteenth day of 24
256	255		each month, all sums received in excess of the amounts necessary to fund the 25
257	256		expenses enumerated in subsections (b) and (c) of this section fifty percent 26
258	257		(50%) of the moneys collected during the previous month from the uniform 27
259	258		filing fees provided for in §16 -17-705 and the uniform court costs provided 28
260	259		for in § 16-10-305 to the Administration of Justice Funds Section for deposit 29
261	260		into the State Administration of Justice Fund. 30
262	261		31
263	262		SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-602 is amended to read as follows: 32
264	263		16-10-602. Establishment of city and county shares. 33
265	264		(a) Pursuant to §§§ 16-10-307(c) and 16-10-308(c), each town, city, 34
266	265		and a county may retain a portion of the uniform court costs and filing fees 35
267	266		collected and deposited into the city or county administration of justice 36 HB1661
268	267
269	268		8 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
270	269		fund. 1
271	270		(b) On or before the first day of October of each year, the Department 2
272	271		of Finance and Administration shall certify in writing to each county and to 3
273	272		each town or city which operates a district court the amount of money which 4
274	273		may be retained during each month of the following calendar year by the town, 5
275	274		city, or county. 6
276	275		(c) Each town, city, or county which operates a district court, may 7
277	276		retain a portion of the uniform court costs and filing fees collected in 8
278	277		district court matters and deposited into the city administration of justice 9
279	278		fund or county administration of justice fund. 10
280	279		(d) The amount of money which may be retained from district court 11
281	280		matters shall be fifty percent (50%) of the uniform court costs and filing 12
282	281		fees collected during each month by the town, city, or county. 13
283	282		14
284	283		SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-603(b), concerning the procedure for 15
285	284		county administration of justice funds, is amended to read as follows: 16
286	285		(b) From the county administration of justice fund, the county 17
287	286		treasurer is to make, on a monthly basis, the following fund transfers or 18
288	287		disbursements: 19
289	288		(1)(A) Pursuant to § 16 -10-307(c), the Department of Finance and 20
290	289		Administration will certify for each county the county's monthly share of 21
291	290		uniform court costs and filing fees to be retained by the county in circuit 22
292	291		court matters. 23
293	292		(B)(i) Each year the quorum court shall establish the 24
294	293		amount of uniform filing fees and court costs to be appropriated to each of 25
295	294		the county programs or agencies enumerated in § 16 -10-307(b) from the 26
296	295		county's share of uniform court costs and filing fees .; 27
297	296		(ii) Each program or agency shall receive, as a 28
298	297		minimum, the amount established by § 16 -10-307(b); and 29
299	298		(2) The excess of the monthly receipts of uniform filing fees 30
300	299		and court costs into the fund from subdivisions (a)(2)(A) and (B) of this 31
301	300		section, less the county's certified monthly share and the county treasurer's 32
302	301		commission, if any, as authorized by § 21 -6-302, shall be remitted to the 33
303	302		Department of Finance and Administration, pursuant to § 16 -10-307(e); and 34
304	303		(3) Fifty percent (50%) of the monthly receipts of uniform 35
305	304		filing fees and court costs into the fund from subdivisions (a)(2)(C) and (D) 36 HB1661
306	305
307	306		9 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
308	307		of this section, shall be remitted to the department pursuant to § 16 -10-1
309	308		307(e). 2
310	309		3
311	310		SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 16 -10-604(b)—(d), concerning the procedure 4
312	311		for city administration of justice funds, is amended to read as follows: 5
313	312		(b) From the city administration of justice fund, the following fund 6
314	313		transfers or disbursements shall be made on a monthly basis: 7
315	314		(1)(A) Pursuant to § 16-10-308(c), the Department of Finance and 8
316	315		Administration will certify for each town or city the town's or city's 9
317	316		monthly share of uniform court costs and filing fees to be retained by the 10
318	317		town or city Each town's or city's share shall be an amount equal to fifty 11
319	318		percent (50%) of the uniform court costs and filing fees collected during 12
320	319		each month by the town or city . 13
321	320		(B)(i) Each year the town or city council shall establish 14
322	321		the amount of uniform filing fees and court costs to be appropriated to each 15
323	322		of the town or city programs or agencies enumerated in § 16 -10-308(b) from 16
324	323		the town's or city's share of uniform court costs and filing fees. 17
325	324		(ii) Each program or agency shall receive, as a 18
326	325		minimum, the amount established by § 16 -10-308(b). 19
327	326		(C) Each program or agency shall be paid, by warrant or 20
328	327		fund transfer, a monthly installment of at least one -twelfth (1/12) of the 21
329	328		annual appropriation provided for each by the town or city council; 22
330	329		(2)(A) Pursuant to § 16 -10-308(b)(5), the town or city shall 23
331	330		remit to the county treasurer for deposit into the county administration of 24
332	331		justice fund a portion of the town's or city's share of uniform court costs 25
333	332		and filing fees. 26
334	333		(B) The amount of the remittance shall be based upon the 27
335	334		amount, if any, of uniform court costs and filing fees which had been 28
336	335		remitted by the town or city to common agreement of the town or city and the 29
337	336		county and shall be used by the county to fund county -level programs and 30
338	337		agencies during the base year defined in § 16-10-308(b).; and 31
339	338		(C) By common agreement, towns, cities, and counties may 32
340	339		establish a different fixed dollar amount or percentage of the town's or 33
341	340		city's monthly share of filing fees and court costs which shall be remitted 34
342	341		to the county treasurer; 35
343	342		(3) For the calendar year beginning January 1, 1998, the amount 36 HB1661
344	343
345	344		10 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
346	345		of the remittance shall be based upon the amount, if any, of uniform court 1
347	346		costs and filing fees which had been remitted by the town or city to fund 2
348	347		county-level programs and agencies during the base year defined in § 16 -10-3
349	348		308(b), less eighty-five percent (85%) of the total dollar amount which was 4
350	349		certified by the town or city as having been collected during calendar year 5
351	350		1994 for the purpose of funding the office and operation of the public 6
352	351		defender and public defender investigator; and 7
353	352		(4) The excess of the monthly receipts into the fund, less the 8
354	353		town's or city's certified monthly share, Fifty percent (50%) of the uniform 9
355	354		court costs and filing fees collected during each month by the town or city 10
356	355		shall be remitted to the department Administration of Justice Fund Section in 11
357	356		the Department of Finance and Administration , pursuant to under § 16-10-12
358	357		308(e). 13
359	358		(c)(1) If a district court is operated solely by a county rather than 14
360	359		a town or city and all of the uniform court costs and filing fees collected 15
361	360		by the court are remitted to the county, the town or city shall not be 16
362	361		required to create a city administration of justice fund. 17
363	362		(2) The town's or city's share of uniform court costs and filing 18
364	363		fees shall be remitted directly to the county treasurer for deposit into the 19
365	364		county administration of justice fund. 20
366	365		(d)(1)(A) For any district court which was created after January 1, 21
367	366		1994, such that the base year used to calculate the town's or city's share 22
368	367		pursuant to § 16-10-308 was not complete, the town or city share shall be 23
369	368		deemed to be fifty percent (50%) of the uniform court costs and filing fees 24
370	369		collected and remitted to the city administration of justice fund. 25
371	370		(B) District courts created pursuant to § 16 -17-901 et 26
372	371		seq. shall not be considered for purposes of this section to have been 27
373	372		created after January 1, 1994, or to have a base year that is not complete if 28
374	373		the district court is merely a continuation of a district or city court that 29
375	374		was in existence on December 31, 2007, or December 31, 2011 . 30
376	375		(C) From the fifty-percent share described in subdivision 31
377	376		(d)(1)(A) of this section, the town or city shall disburse or transfer fifty 32
378	377		percent (50%) of the funds to the local programs or agencies pursuant to 33
379	378		subdivision (b)(1) of this section and fifty percent (50%) to the county 34
380	379		treasurer pursuant to subdivision (b)(2) of this section. 35
381	380		(2) The remaining fifty percent (50%) shall be remitted to the 36 HB1661
382	381
383	382		11 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
384	383		Department of Finance and Administration, pursuant to § 16 -10-308(e). 1
385	384		2
386	385		SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 16 -13-704 is amended to read as follows: 3
387	386		16-13-704. Installment payments — Definition. 4
388	387		(a)(1) If the court concludes that the defendant has the ability to 5
389	388		pay the fine, but that requiring the defendant to make immediate payment in 6
390	389		full would cause a severe and undue hardship for the defendant and the 7
391	390		defendant's dependents, the court may authorize payment of the fine by means 8
392	391		of installment payments in accordance with this subchapter. 9
393	392		(2)(A) When a court authorizes payment of a fine by means of 10
394	393		installment payments, it shall issue, without a separate disclosure hearing, 11
395	394		an order that the fine be paid in full by a date certain and that in default 12
396	395		of payment, the defendant must appear in court to explain the failure to pay. 13
397	396		(B) In fixing the date of payment, the court shall issue 14
398	397		an order which will complete payment of the fine as promptly as possible 15
399	398		without creating a severe and undue hardship for the defendant and the 16
400	399		defendant's dependents. 17
401	400		(3) When a person is authorized to pay a fine on an installment 18
402	401		basis, any court cost assessed under § 9 -15-202(d) or § 16-10-305(h) shall be 19
403	402		collected from the initial installment payment first. 20
404	403		(b)(1)(A) In addition to the fine and any other assessments authorized 21
405	404		by this subchapter, an installment fee of five dollars ($5.00) per month 22
406	405		shall be assessed on each person who is authorized to pay a fine on an 23
407	406		installment basis. 24
408	407		(B) This fee shall be collected in full each month in 25
409	408		which a defendant makes an installment payment. 26
410	409		(C) This fee shall accrue each month that a defendant does 27
411	410		not make an installment payment and the fine has not been paid in full. 28
412	411		(2)(A)(i) One-half (½) of the installment fee collected in 29
413	412		circuit court shall be remitted by the tenth day of each month to the 30
414	413		Administration of Justice Funds Section of the Office of Administrative 31
415	414		Services of the Department of Finance and Administration, on a form provided 32
416	415		by that office the Office of Administrative Services , for deposit into the 33
417	416		Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 34
418	417		(ii) The other half of the installment fee shall be 35
419	418		remitted by the tenth day of each month to the county treasurer to be 36 HB1661
420	419
421	420		12 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
422	421		deposited into a fund entitled the “circuit court automation fund” to be used 1
423	422		solely for circuit court -related technology. 2
424	423		(B)(i) Expenditures from the circuit court automation fund 3
425	424		shall be approved by the administrative circuit judge of each judicial 4
426	425		circuit and shall be authorized and paid under the state laws governing the 5
427	426		appropriation and payment of county expenditures. 6
428	427		(ii) Expenditures may be made for indirect expenses 7
429	428		related to implementation of new court -related technology, including overtime 8
430	429		pay, personnel or travel expenses, and technology -related supplies. 9
431	430		(iii) Funds in each county in a judicial district may 10
432	431		be pooled for expenditure pursuant to a circuit -wide technology plan approved 11
433	432		by the administrative circuit judge. 12
434	433		(3)(A) One-half (½) of the installment fee collected in district 13
435	434		court shall be remitted by the tenth day of each month to the Administration 14
436	435		of Justice Funds Section, on a form provided by that section, for deposit 15
437	436		into the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-16
438	437		712. 17
439	438		(B) The other half of the installment fee collected in 18
440	439		district court shall be remitted by the tenth day of each month to the city 19
441	440		treasurer of the city in which the district court is located to be deposited 20
442	441		into a fund entitled the “district court automation fund” to be used solely 21
443	442		for district court-related technology and court security-related 22
444	443		expenditures. 23
445	444		(C) In any district court which is funded solely by the 24
446	445		county, the other half of this fee shall be remitted by the tenth day of each 25
447	446		month to the county treasurer of the county in which the district court is 26
448	447		located to be deposited into the district court automation fund to be used 27
449	448		solely for district court -related technology and court security-related 28
450	449		expenditures. 29
451	450		(D)(i) Expenditures from the district court automation 30
452	451		fund shall be approved by a district judge and shall be authorized and paid 31
453	452		under state laws governing the appropriation and payment of county or 32
454	453		municipal expenditures by the governing body or, if applicable, governing 33
455	454		bodies, that contribute to the expenses of a district court. 34
456	455		(ii) Expenditures may be made for indirect expenses 35
457	456		related to implementation of new court -related technology, including overtime 36 HB1661
458	457
459	458		13 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
460	459		pay, personnel or travel expenses, and technology -related supplies. 1
461	460		(iii)(a) Expenditures may be made for indirect 2
462	461		expenses related to the hiring and training of court security officers, 3
463	462		including travel expenses related to the training of court security officers. 4
464	463		(b) Expenditures do not include salary, 5
465	464		benefits, or overtime pay for court security officers. 6
466	465		(E)(i) In circuit court only, an installment fee of an 7
467	466		additional five dollars ($5.00) per month shall also be assessed on the first 8
468	467		day of each month on each person who is ordered to pay a fine on an 9
469	468		installment basis with the additional five dollars ($5.00) to be remitted to 10
470	469		the collecting official to be used to defray the cost of fine collection. 11
471	470		(ii) In district court only, an installment fee of 12
472	471		an additional five dollars ($5.00) per month shall also be assessed on the 13
473	472		first day of each month on each person who is ordered to pay a fine on an 14
474	473		installment basis with the additional five dollars ($5.00) to be remitted by 15
475	474		the tenth day of each month to the Administration of Justice Funds Section on 16
476	475		a form provided by that section for deposit into the State Administration of 17
477	476		Justice Fund. 18
478	477		(c)(1) For cases filed on or after January 1, 2026, in district court 19
479	478		only, the fee authorized in subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section shall be 20
480	479		five dollars ($5.00) and the fee authorized in subdivision (b)(3)(E)(ii) 21
481	480		of this section shall be two dollars and fifty cents ($2.50). 22
482	481		(2) The installment fees shall be assessed and collected until 23
483	482		the defendant has paid ninety dollars ($90.00) in installment fees or the 24
484	483		total assessment owed by the defendant has been paid, whichever occurs first. 25
485	484		(3) When the defendant has paid ninety dollars ($90.00) in 26
486	485		installment fees on his or her respective assessment, no more installment 27
487	486		fees shall be assessed or collected. 28
488	487		(4) If a defendant is ordered to pay a new fine, the ninety -29
489	488		dollar installment fee cap shall not carry over or prevent a new assessment 30
490	489		of a monthly installment payment fee. 31
491	490		(5) If a defendant is making an installment payment in more than 32
492	491		one (1) department of a district court, the fees authorized in this 33
493	492		subsection shall be assessed and collected by each department. 34
494	493		(d) By September 1 of each year: 35
495	494		(1) The county treasurer shall submit electronically or in 36 HB1661
496	495
497	496		14 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
498	497		writing a report disclosing the balance of the circuit court automation fund 1
499	498		to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Finance and 2
500	499		Administration, the county judge of each county in the judicial circuit, and 3
501	500		each circuit judge of the judicial circuit; 4
502	501		(2) The city treasurer of the city in which a department of a 5
503	502		district court is located shall submit electronically or in writing a report 6
504	503		disclosing the balance of the district court automation fund to the 7
505	504		Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Finance and 8
506	505		Administration, the county judge of each county in the judicial district, the 9
507	506		mayor of each city contributing to the operating expenses of the department 10
508	507		of the district court, and each district judge of the judicial district; and 11
509	508		(3) The county treasurer shall submit electronically or in 12
510	509		writing a report disclosing the balance of the district court automation fund 13
511	510		to the Administrative Office of the Courts, the Department of Finance and 14
512	511		Administration, the county judge of each county in the judicial district, the 15
513	512		mayor of each city contributing to the operating expenses of the department 16
514	513		of the district court, and each district judge of the judicial district. 17
515	514		(c)(e) Any defendant who has been authorized by the court to pay a 18
516	515		fine by installments shall be considered to have irrevocably appointed the 19
517	516		clerk of the court as his or her agent upon whom all papers affecting his or 20
518	517		her liability may be served, and the clerk shall forthwith notify the 21
519	518		defendant thereof by ordinary mail at his or her last known address. 22
520	519		(d)(f) “Ability to pay” means that the resources of the defendant, 23
521	520		including all available income and resources, are sufficient to pay the fine 24
522	521		and provide the defendant and his or her dependents with a reasonable 25
523	522		subsistence compatible with health and decency. 26
524	523		(g) Unless extended or repealed, the authority to assess and collect 27
525	524		the installment fee authorized in subdivision (b)(1)(A) of this section for 28
526	525		cases filed in district court and the installment fee authorized in 29
527	526		subdivision (b)(3)(E)(ii) of this section shall expire on December 31, 2031. 30
528	527		31
529	528		SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 16 -17-121 is amended to read as follows: 32
530	529		16-17-121. Salary increases — Factors to consider. 33
531	530		(a) In the event the General Assembly establishes a district court 34
532	531		cost fund to be used exclusively for the operation and expenses of the 35
533	532		district court, any district court judge's, clerk's, or other employee's 36 HB1661
534	533
535	534		15 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
536	535		salary authorized by § 16 -17-108 may be increased from the minimum salary 1
537	536		upward to any amount not exceeding the maximum salary authorized in § 16 -17-2
538	537		108 and may be paid from the fund as set forth hereafter. 3
539	538		(b) The city council or the county quorum court, or both, if 4
540	539		authorized, of the local governmental jurisdictions responsible for paying 5
541	540		the salaries of the district court judge, clerks, and other employees may 6
542	541		authorize salary increases for the various court personnel as authorized 7
543	542		above after considering the following factors: 8
544	543		(1) The amount and availability of funds in the district court 9
545	544		cost fund; 10
546	545		(2) The volume of caseload; 11
547	546		(3) The backlog of cases, if any, on the court docket; 12
548	547		(4) The time required in dealing with cases; and 13
549	548		(5) The skill required in dealing with cases ; and 14
550	549		(6) The amount of time taken away from the judge's private 15
551	550		practice, if applicable . 16
552	551		17
553	552		SECTION 10. Arkansas Code Title 16, Chapter 17, Subchapter 9, is 18
554	553		repealed. 19
555	554		16-17-901. Definitions. 20
556	555		As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 21
557	556		(1) “Department” means the physical location where sessions of 22
558	557		district court are held; and 23
559	558		(2) “Division” means the subject matter division of the district 24
560	559		court. 25
561	560		26
562	561		16-17-902. Counties having one district court. 27
563	562		(a) Each of the following counties shall have one (1) district court 28
564	563		and one (1) district judge: 29
565	564		(1) Howard; 30
566	565		(2) Montgomery; 31
567	566		(3) Perry; 32
568	567		(4) Polk; 33
569	568		(5) Randolph; 34
570	569		(6) Scott; 35
571	570		(7) Sevier; and 36 HB1661
572	571
573	572		16 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
574	573		(8) Stone. 1
575	574		(b) The district court shall be located in the county seat of each 2
576	575		county listed in subsection (a) of this section. 3
577	576		(c)(1) The judge of any district court located in a county with one 4
578	577		(1) district court shall be elected countywide. 5
579	578		(2) If there is only one (1) district court in a county, it 6
580	579		shall have countywide jurisdiction. 7
581	580		8
582	581		16-17-907. Clay County District Court. 9
583	582		(a)(1) Clay County shall have one (1) district court with three (3) 10
584	583		departments: 11
585	584		(A) One (1) located in Corning; 12
586	585		(B) One (1) located in Piggott; and 13
587	586		(C) One (1) located in Rector. 14
588	587		(2) All three (3) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 15
589	588		(b) The Clay County District Court Judge shall be elected countywide. 16
590	589		(c) The Clay County District Court shall have countywide jurisdiction. 17
591	590		18
592	591		16-17-914. Lonoke County District Courts. 19
593	592		(a) Lonoke County, having two (2) judicial districts, shall have the 20
594	593		following district courts and judges: 21
595	594		(1)(A) The Northern District of Lonoke County shall have one (1) 22
596	595		district court, with three (3) departments: 23
597	596		(i) One (1) located in Cabot; 24
598	597		(ii) One (1) located in Ward; and 25
599	598		(iii) One (1) located in Austin. 26
600	599		(B) All three (3) departments are to be served by one (1) 27
601	600		district judge; and 28
602	601		(2)(A) The Southern District of Lonoke County shall have one (1) 29
603	602		district court with five (5) departments as follows: 30
604	603		(i) One (1) located in Lonoke; 31
605	604		(ii) One (1) located in England; 32
606	605		(iii) One (1) located in Carlisle; 33
607	606		(iv) One (1) located in Allport; and 34
608	607		(v) One (1) located in Humnoke. 35
609	608		(B) All five (5) departments are to be served by one (1) 36 HB1661
610	609
611	610		17 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
612	611		judge. 1
613	612		(b) The district court boundaries in Lonoke County shall be as 2
614	613		follows: 3
615	614		(1) The Northern District of Lonoke County shall consist of the 4
616	615		townships of Butler, Caroline, Cleveland, Eagle, Goodrum, Magness, Oak Grove, 5
617	616		Prairie, Totten, Ward, and York; and 6
618	617		(2) The Southern District of Lonoke County shall consist of the 7
619	618		townships of Carlisle, Crooked Creek, Dortch, Fletcher, Furlow, Gum Woods, 8
620	619		Gray, Hamilton, Indian Bayou, Isbell, Lafayette, Lonoke, Pettus, Richwoods, 9
621	620		Pulaski, Scott, Williams, and Walls. 10
622	621		(c) The judge of any district court in Lonoke County shall be elected 11
623	622		by the qualified electors of the judicial district in which the court is 12
624	623		located. 13
625	624		(d) The jurisdiction of each district court in Lonoke County shall be 14
626	625		limited to the judicial district in which the court is located. 15
627	626		16
628	627		16-17-916. Ouachita County District Courts. 17
629	628		(a) Ouachita County shall have the following district courts and 18
630	629		judges: 19
631	630		(1) Camden shall have: 20
632	631		(A) One (1) district court; and 21
633	632		(B) One (1) judge; and 22
634	633		(2)(A) East Camden shall have one (1) district court with four 23
635	634		(4) departments: 24
636	635		(i) One (1) located in Bearden; 25
637	636		(ii) One (1) located in Chidester; 26
638	637		(iii) One (1) located in East Camden; and 27
639	638		(iv) One (1) located in Stephens. 28
640	639		(B) All four (4) departments are to be served by one (1) 29
641	640		judge. 30
642	641		(b)(1) The judge of the Camden District Court shall be elected 31
643	642		countywide. 32
644	643		(2) The Camden District Court shall have countywide 33
645	644		jurisdiction. 34
646	645		(c)(1) The judge of the East Camden District Court shall be elected 35
647	646		countywide. 36 HB1661
648	647
649	648		18 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
650	649		(2) The East Camden District Court shall have countywide 1
651	650		jurisdiction. 2
652	651		3
653	652		16-17-922. Yell County District Courts. 4
654	653		(a)(1) Yell County, having two (2) judicial districts, shall have two 5
655	654		(2) district courts with one (1) department located in the Northern District. 6
656	655		(2) The two (2) judicial districts shall each have one (1) part -7
657	656		time judge serviced by the one (1) department in the Northern District. 8
658	657		(b) The judge of each district court in Yell County shall have 9
659	658		jurisdiction within each respective Northern and Southern District. 10
660	659		(c) The judge shall be elected within each respective district. 11
661	660		12
662	661		16-17-925. Sharp County District Court. 13
663	662		(a)(1) Sharp County shall have one (1) district court with two (2) 14
664	663		departments: 15
665	664		(A) One (1) located in Ash Flat; and 16
666	665		(B) One (1) located in Cherokee Village. 17
667	666		(2) Both departments are to be served by (1) judge. 18
668	667		(b) The Sharp County District Court Judge shall be elected countywide. 19
669	668		(c) The Sharp County District Court shall have countywide 20
670	669		jurisdiction. 21
671	670		22
672	671		16-17-926. Woodruff County District Court. 23
673	672		(a)(1) Woodruff County shall have one (1) district court with four (4) 24
674	673		departments: 25
675	674		(A) One (1) located in Augusta; 26
676	675		(B) One (1) located in Cotton Plant; 27
677	676		(C) One (1) located in McCrory; and 28
678	677		(D) One (1) located in Patterson. 29
679	678		(2) All four (4) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 30
680	679		(b) The Woodruff County District Court Judge shall be elected 31
681	680		countywide. 32
682	681		(c) The Woodruff County District Court shall have countywide 33
683	682		jurisdiction. 34
684	683		35
685	684		16-17-928. Lawrence County District Court. 36 HB1661
686	685
687	686		19 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
688	687		(a)(1) Lawrence County shall have one (1) district court with four (4) 1
689	688		departments: 2
690	689		(A) One (1) located in Walnut Ridge; 3
691	690		(B) One (1) located in Hoxie; 4
692	691		(C) One (1) located in Black Rock; and 5
693	692		(D) One (1) located in Portia. 6
694	693		(2) All four (4) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 7
695	694		(b) The Lawrence County District Court Judge shall be elected 8
696	695		countywide. 9
697	696		(c) The Lawrence County District Court shall have countywide 10
698	697		jurisdiction. 11
699	698		12
700	699		16-17-933. Franklin County District Courts. 13
701	700		(a) Franklin County, having two (2) judicial districts, shall have the 14
702	701		following district courts and judges: 15
703	702		(1) The Charleston District shall have: 16
704	703		(A) One (1) district court located in Charleston; and 17
705	704		(B) One (1) district judge; and 18
706	705		(2)(A) The Ozark District shall have one (1) district court with 19
707	706		two (2) departments: 20
708	707		(i) One (1) located in Ozark; and 21
709	708		(ii) One (1) located in Altus. 22
710	709		(B) Both departments are to be served by one (1) district 23
711	710		judge. 24
712	711		(b) The judge of any district court located in Franklin County shall 25
713	712		be elected by the electors of the judicial district in which the court is 26
714	713		located. 27
715	714		(c) In Franklin County, the jurisdiction of the district court shall 28
716	715		be limited to the judicial district in which the court is located. 29
717	716		30
718	717		16-17-935. Logan County District Courts. 31
719	718		(a) Logan County, having two (2) judicial districts, shall have the 32
720	719		following district courts and judges: 33
721	720		(1) The Northern District shall have: 34
722	721		(A) One (1) district court located in Paris; and 35
723	722		(B) One (1) district judge; and 36 HB1661
724	723
725	724		20 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
726	725		(2)(A) The Southern District shall have one (1) district court 1
727	726		with two (2) departments: 2
728	727		(i) One (1) located in Booneville; and 3
729	728		(ii) One (1) located in Magazine. 4
730	729		(B) Both departments are to be served by one (1) district 5
731	730		judge. 6
732	731		(b) The judge of any district court located in Logan County shall be 7
733	732		elected by the electors of the judicial district in which the court is 8
734	733		located. 9
735	734		(c) In Logan County, the jurisdiction of the district court shall be 10
736	735		limited to the judicial district in which the court is located . 11
737	736		12
738	737		16-17-938. Columbia County District Court. 13
739	738		(a)(1) Columbia County shall have one (1) district court with two (2) 14
740	739		departments: 15
741	740		(A) One (1) located in Magnolia; and 16
742	741		(B) One (1) located in Waldo. 17
743	742		(2) Both departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 18
744	743		(b) The Columbia County District Court Judge shall be elected 19
745	744		countywide. 20
746	745		(c) The Columbia County District Court shall have countywide 21
747	746		jurisdiction. 22
748	747		23
749	748		16-17-939. Conway County District Court. 24
750	749		(a)(1) Conway County shall have one (1) district court with four (4) 25
751	750		departments: 26
752	751		(A) One (1) located in Morrilton; 27
753	752		(B) One (1) located in Menifee; 28
754	753		(C) One (1) located in Oppelo; and 29
755	754		(D) One (1) located in Plumerville. 30
756	755		(2) All four (4) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 31
757	756		(b) The Conway County District Court Judge shall be elected 32
758	757		countywide. 33
759	758		(c) The Conway County District Court shall have countywide 34
760	759		jurisdiction. 35
761	760		36 HB1661
762	761
763	762		21 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
764	763		16-17-941. Cross County District Court. 1
765	764		(a)(1) Cross County shall have one (1) district court with three (3) 2
766	765		departments: 3
767	766		(A) One (1) located in Wynne; 4
768	767		(B) One (1) located in Cherry Valley; and 5
769	768		(C) One (1) located in Parkin. 6
770	769		(2) All three (3) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 7
771	770		(b) The Cross County District Court Judge shall be elected countywide. 8
772	771		(c) The Cross County District Court shall have countywide 9
773	772		jurisdiction. 10
774	773		11
775	774		16-17-944. Fulton County District Court. 12
776	775		(a)(1) Fulton County shall have one (1) district court with two (2) 13
777	776		departments: 14
778	777		(A) One (1) located in Salem; and 15
779	778		(B) One (1) located in Mammoth Spring. 16
780	779		(2) Both departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 17
781	780		(b) The Fulton County District Court Judge shall be elected 18
782	781		countywide. 19
783	782		(c) The Fulton County District Court shall have countywide 20
784	783		jurisdiction. 21
785	784		22
786	785		16-17-946. Izard County District Court. 23
787	786		(a)(1) Izard County shall have one (1) district court with two (2) 24
788	787		departments: 25
789	788		(A) One (1) located in Melbourne; and 26
790	789		(B) One (1) located in Horseshoe Bend. 27
791	790		(2) Both departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 28
792	791		(b) The Izard County District Court Judge shall be elected countywide. 29
793	792		(c) The Izard County District Court shall have countywide 30
794	793		jurisdiction. 31
795	794		32
796	795		16-17-947. Jackson County District Court. 33
797	796		(a)(1) Jackson County shall have one (1) district court with four (4) 34
798	797		departments: 35
799	798		(A) One (1) located in Newport; 36 HB1661
800	799
801	800		22 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
802	801		(B) One (1) located in Diaz; 1
803	802		(C) One (1) located in Swifton; and 2
804	803		(D) One (1) located in Tuckerman. 3
805	804		(2) All four (4) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 4
806	805		(b) The Jackson County District Court Judge shall be elected 5
807	806		countywide. 6
808	807		(c) The Jackson County District Court shall have countywide 7
809	808		jurisdiction. 8
810	809		9
811	810		16-17-948. Johnson County District Court. 10
812	811		(a)(1) Johnson County shall have one (1) district court with three (3) 11
813	812		departments: 12
814	813		(A) One (1) located in Clarksville; 13
815	814		(B) One (1) located in Lamar; and 14
816	815		(C) One (1) located in Coal Hill. 15
817	816		(2) All three (3) departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 16
818	817		(b) The Johnson County District Court Judge shall be elected 17
819	818		countywide. 18
820	819		(c) The Johnson County District Court shall have countywide 19
821	820		jurisdiction. 20
822	821		21
823	822		16-17-951. Little River County District Court. 22
824	823		(a)(1) Little River County shall have one (1) district court with 23
825	824		three (3) departments: 24
826	825		(A) One (1) located in Ashdown; 25
827	826		(B) One (1) located in Foreman; and 26
828	827		(C) One (1) located in Winthrop. 27
829	828		(2) All departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 28
830	829		(b) The Little River County District Court Judge shall be elected 29
831	830		countywide. 30
832	831		(c) The Little River County District Court shall have countywide 31
833	832		jurisdiction. 32
834	833		33
835	834		16-17-953. Pike County District Court. 34
836	835		(a)(1) Pike County shall have one (1) district court with two (2) 35
837	836		departments: 36 HB1661
838	837
839	838		23 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
840	839		(A) One (1) located in Murfreesboro; and 1
841	840		(B) One (1) located in Glenwood. 2
842	841		(2) Both departments are to be served by one (1) judge. 3
843	842		(b) The Pike County District Court Judge shall be elected countywide. 4
844	843		(c) The Pike County District Court shall have countywide jurisdiction. 5
845	844		6
846	845		SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 16 -17-1104 is amended to read as follows: 7
847	846		16-17-1104. State district court judges — Salaries. 8
848	847		(a) The judges who are appointed or elected to serve the courts 9
849	848		created under this subchapter are state district court judges. 10
850	849		(b) The state shall pay the salary and benefits of a state district 11
851	850		court judge. 12
852	851		(c) The salaries of the state district court judges are uniform and 13
853	852		shall be paid with moneys appropriated from the Constitutional Officers Fund, 14
854	853		§ 19-5-205, by the General Assembly. 15
855	854		16
856	855		SECTION 12. Arkansas Code §§ 16 -17-1106 and 16-17-1107 are repealed. 17
857	856		16-17-1106. Salary of state district court judges — Cost-sharing. 18
858	857		(a) The state shall pay the salary and benefits of state district 19
859	858		court judges created under this subchapter. 20
860	859		(b)(1)(A) Each county and town or city in a district in which a state 21
861	860		district court judgeship is created under this subchapter shall pay to the 22
862	861		state an amount equal to its proportionate share of one -half (½) of the base 23
863	862		salary established by law for state fiscal year 2009 for that district's 24
864	863		state district court judge. 25
865	864		(B)(i) The proportionate share is calculated as follows: 26
866	865		(a) Determine the sum total of the base salary 27
867	866		paid by each county and town or city in a district to that county and town or 28
868	867		city's district court judge or city court judge for the calendar year 29
869	868		immediately preceding the creation of the state district court judgeship; and 30
870	869		(b) Determine the proportion of the base 31
871	870		salary of each county and town or city to the sum total base salary of the 32
872	871		district. 33
873	872		(ii) Each county and town or city shall pay to the 34
874	873		state its proportionate share as determined in subdivision (b)(1)(B)(i)(a) of 35
875	874		this section of one-half (½) of the base salary established by law for state 36 HB1661
876	875
877	876		24 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
878	877		fiscal year 2009 for each state district court judge in the district at the 1
879	878		time the county and town or city had a state district court judgeship 2
880	879		created. 3
881	880		(C) On a form provided by the Administration of Justice 4
882	881		Funds Section, each county and town or city in a district shall certify 5
883	882		annually on or before October 31 the amount to be paid to the state for its 6
884	883		share of one-half (½) of the salary as determined in this section for that 7
885	884		district's state district court judge. 8
886	885		(2)(A) This section does not prohibit a county and town or city 9
887	886		in a district in which a state district court judgeship is created under this 10
888	887		subchapter from agreeing in writing on the amount to be paid to the state by 11
889	888		the county and the town or city for its proportionate share of one -half (½) 12
890	889		of the salary as determined in this section for that district's state 13
891	890		district court judge. 14
892	891		(B) If a written agreement is reached under subdivision 15
893	892		(b)(2)(A) of this section, the county and town or city shall submit on or 16
894	893		before October 31 a copy of that written agreement to the Administration of 17
895	894		Justice Funds Section. 18
896	895		(c) The amount of the state district court judge's salary initially 19
897	896		paid by the county and the town or city in a district and annually afterwards 20
898	897		shall be the amount determined under subsection (b) of this section. 21
899	898		(d)(1) Beginning with its annual meeting of 2011, the quorum court in 22
900	899		each county in a district in which a state district court judgeship is 23
901	900		created under this subchapter and the council in each town or city in a 24
902	901		district in which a state district court judgeship is created under this 25
903	902		subchapter shall appropriate annually from its general revenues an amount 26
904	903		sufficient to pay its share of the state district court judgeship salary 27
905	904		allocated to it under subsection (b) of this section. 28
906	905		(2) The duty under subdivision (d)(1) of this section may be 29
907	906		enforced in a court of competent jurisdiction. 30
908	907		(e) On or before December 15, 2011, and annually afterwards, the 31
909	908		Administration of Justice Funds Section shall certify to the county and the 32
910	909		town or city in each district the amount of its share of one -half (½) of the 33
911	910		base salary established under subsection (b) of this section. 34
912	911		(f) On or before January 15, 2012, and annually afterwards, the county 35
913	912		and the town or city shall remit to the Administration of Justice Funds 36 HB1661
914	913
915	914		25 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
916	915		Section for deposit into the Constitutional Officers Fund the sum necessary 1
917	916		to fund its share of the base salary allocated to it under subsection (e) of 2
918	917		this section. 3
919	918		4
920	919		16-17-1107. Salary of judges serving city or county. 5
921	920		This subchapter shall not in any way limit the power and authority of 6
922	921		local district courts currently existing. Except for the state district court 7
923	922		judgeships created under this subchapter, a judge serving in another full -8
924	923		time or part-time local district court position shall continue to be an 9
925	924		employee of the cities or counties, or both, that he or she serves and shall 10
926	925		be paid according to state law. 11
927	926		12
928	927		SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 21 -6-416(b) and (c), concerning the court 13
929	928		technology fee, are amended to read as follows: 14
930	929		(b) The court technology fee is as follows: 15
931	930		(1) For all civil actions and misdemeanors filed in either the 16
932	931		Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals............. $15.00 17
933	932		(2) For initiating a cause of action in the civil, domestic 18
934	933		relations, or probate division of circuit court, including 19
935	934		appeals............. 15.00 20
936	935		(3) For initiating a cause of action in the civil or small 21
937	936		claims division of district court............. 15.00 22
938	937		(4) For all criminal and traffic cases, from each defendant upon 23
939	938		each conviction, each plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or each bond 24
940	939		forfeiture............. 15.00 . 25
941	940		(c)(1) The fee provided under subdivision (b)(1) of this section 26
942	941		collected in the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals shall be remitted by 27
943	942		the Clerk of the Supreme Court on or before the fifteenth day of each month 28
944	943		to the Administration of Justice Funds Section on a form provided by the 29
945	944		Office of Administrative Services for deposit into the Judicial Fine 30
946	945		Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 31
947	946		(2) The fee provided under subdivisions (b)(2) and (3) (b)(2)—32
948	947		(4) of this section collected in circuit court or district court shall be 33
949	948		remitted by the county or city official, agency, or department designated 34
950	949		under § 16-13-709 as primarily responsible for the collection of fines 35
951	950		assessed in circuit court or district court on or before the fifteenth day of 36 HB1661
952	951
953	952		26 03/03/2025 3:06:51 PM CEB067
954	953		each month to the section, on a form provided by the office, for deposit into 1
955	954		the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 2
956	955		3
957	956		4
958		-	~~APPROVED: 3/20/25~~ 5
	957	+	5
959	958		6
960	959		7
961	960		8
962	961		9
963	962		10
964	963		11
965	964		12
966	965		13
967	966		14
968	967		15
969	968		16
970	969		17
971	970		18
972	971		19
973	972		20
974	973		21
975	974		22
976	975		23
977	976		24
978	977		25
979	978		26
980	979		27
981	980		28
982	981		29
983	982		30
984	983		31
985	984		32
986	985		33
987	986		34
988	987		35
989	988		36