Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 812 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1681 3
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By: Representatives Vaught, Milligan, Achor, F. Allen, Andrews, Barker, Barnes, Barnett, Beaty Jr., 5
Beck, Bentley, S. Berry, Breaux, Brooks, K. Brown, M. Brown, N. Burkes, R. Burkes, Joey Carr, 6
Cavenaugh, Childress, Clowney, A. Collins, C. Cooper, Cozart, Crawford, Duffield, Eaton, Ennett, 7
Eubanks, Evans, K. Ferguson, Furman, D. Garner, Gazaway, Gonzales, Gonzales Worthen, Gramlich, 8
Hall, Hawk, Henley, Holcomb, Hollowell, Hudson, L. Johnson, Ladyman, Long, Maddox, Magie, 9
McAlindon, McClure, McCullough, M. McElroy, McGrew, McGruder, McNair, S. Meeks, J. Moore, K. 10
Moore, Nazarenko, Painter, Pearce, Puryear, J. Richardson, R. Scott Richardson, Richmond, Rose, Rye, 11
Schulz, T. Shephard, Springer, Steele, Steimel, Torres, Tosh, Underwood, Unger, Walker, Warren, D. 12
Whitaker, Wing, Wooldridge, Wooten, Duke 13
By: Senators J. Bryant, Hester, J. Boyd, Caldwell, Crowell, B. Davis, Dees, J. Dotson, J. English, Flippo, 14
S. Flowers, Gilmore, K. Hammer, B. Johnson, M. Johnson, G. Leding, F. Love, M. McKee, R. Murdock, J. 15
Petty, J. Scott, Stone, G. Stubblefield, C. Tucker, D. Wallace 16
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For An Act To Be Entitled 18
AN ACT REGARDING THE ARKANSAS NATURAL RESOURCES 19
COMMISSION; TO ESTABLISH THE WATER AND SEWER 20
TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM; TO CREATE THE 21
WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM 22
FUND; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR OTHER 23
PURPOSES. 24
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Subtitle 27
TO ESTABLISH THE WATER AND SEWER 28
TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM; AND 29
TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 30
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 32
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 19, Chapter 5, Subchapter 12, is 34
amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 35
19-5-1288. Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program Fund. 36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 HB1681
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(a) There is established on the books of the Treasurer of State, the 1
Auditor of State, and the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State a miscellaneous 2
fund to be known as the "Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program 3
Fund". 4
(b) The fund shall consist of any revenues authorized by law. 5
(c) The fund shall be used by the Arkansas Natural Resources 6
Commission to award grants under the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities 7
Grant Program established in ยง 25 -43-203. 8
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code Title 25, Chapter 43, Subchapter 2, is 10
amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 11
25-43-203. Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. 12
(a)(1) There is created within the Arkansas Natural Resources 13
Commission the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program to be 14
administered by the commission. 15
(2) The commission may hire personnel necessary to carry out the 16
duties of administering the program. 17
(b) The commission shall: 18
(1) Create an application form to be submitted by eligible water 19
and sewer treatment facilities seeking a matching grant from the program; 20
(2) Devise an application process that: 21
(A) Defines the eligibility criteria for a matching grant; 22
and 23
(B) Establishes application submission and review 24
processes; 25
(3) Define a process by which grants may be awarded; 26
(4) Execute standard legal grant agreements and other 27
documentation governing the disbursement and use of grants; and 28
(5) Provide a matching grant to eligible water and sewer 29
treatment facilities for infrastructure and improvement projects that are 30
shovel-ready. 31
(c) A recipient of a grant awarded under this section shall: 32
(1) Begin the recipient's project within one (1) year of the 33
award of the grant funds; and 34
(2) Not be eligible for another grant until the awarded grant 35
has been closed out. 36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 HB1681
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(d) Funding under the program shall be awarded as follows: 1
(1) Eighty percent (80%) shall be awarded for shovel -ready 2
projects in: 3
(A) Cities of the first class and cities of the second 4
class with a population over one thousand two hundred (1,200); or 5
(B) Rural water and rural wastewater systems serving a 6
population over one thousand two hundred (1,200); and 7
(2) Twenty percent (20%) shall be awarded in: 8
(A) Incorporated towns and cities of the second class with 9
a population of one thousand two hundred (1,200) or less; or 10
(B) Rural water and rural wastewater systems serving a 11
population of one thousand two hundred (1,200) or less. 12
(e) The commission shall promulgate rules to implement this section. 13
(f) The program shall expire five (5) years from the effective date of 14
this act. 15
(g) The commission shall report annually to the Legislative Council 16
or, if the General Assembly is in session, the Joint Budget Committee, 17
regarding the status of all grants awarded under the program. 18
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SECTION 3. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 20
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that it is in the best interest of 21
the citizens of this state to provide water and sewer grant opportunities for 22
projects to keep Arkansas water systems safe and clean; and that this act is 23
immediately necessary because there is a dire need to protect public health 24
and safety in Arkansas by replacing water and sewer lines that are in 25
disrepair and by providing new access to clean water systems to other 26
citizens. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act being 27
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and 28
safety shall become effective on: 29
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 30
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 31
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 32
bill; or 33
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 34
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 35
36 As Engrossed: H3/11/25 H3/18/25 S4/1/25 HB1681
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APPROVED: 4/17/25 4
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