Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 716 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1896 3
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By: Representative B. McKenzie 5
By: Senator J. Dismang 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO CREATE THE JUNK FEE ELIMINATING ACT OF 9
2025; ABOLISH THE INFORMATION NETWORK OF ARKANSAS; TO 10
TRANSFER ANY REMAINING DUTIES OF THE INFORMATION 11
NETWORK OF ARKANSAS TO THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION 12
SYSTEMS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO CREATE THE JUNK FEE ELIMINATING ACT 17
OF 2025; TO ABOLISH THE INFORMATION 18
NETWORK OF ARKANSAS; AND TO TRANSFER ANY 19
REMAINING DUTIES OF THE INFORMATION 20
NETWORK OF ARKANSAS TO THE DIVISION OF 21
INFORMATION SYSTEMS. 22
23
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 24
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SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title. 26
This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Junk Fee Eliminating 27
Act of 2025". 28
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SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Abolition of Information Network of 30
Arkansas. 31
(a) The Information Network of Arkansas is abolished, and its 32
authority, duties, function, records, contracts, personnel, property, and 33
unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, and other funds, 34
including the functions of budgeting or purchasing are transferred to the 35
Division of Information Systems. 36 HB1896
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(b) The Information Network of Arkansas's statutory powers, duties, 1
and functions, including the functions of budgeting or purchasing, records, 2
contracts, personnel, property, and unexpended balances of appropriations, 3
allocations, and other funds are transferred to the Division of Information 4
Systems. 5
(c)(1) The abolishment of the Information Network of Arkansas does not 6
affect the orders, rules, directives, registration, licensing, or standards 7
made or promulgated by the Information Network of Arkansas before the 8
effective date of this act. 9
(2) The orders, rules, directives, registration, licensing, or 10
standards of the Information Network of Arkansas shall continue to be in 11
effect until they are amended or repealed under authority given by law. 12
13
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 12 -12-1507 is amended to read as follows: 14
12-12-1507. Administration. 15
(a)(1) Release of criminal history information under this subchapter 16
shall be made only by the Identification Bureau of the Division of Arkansas 17
State Police and the Arkansas Crime Information Center as authorized by law. 18
(2) The Division of Arkansas State Police and the center may 19
adopt rules consistent with the provisions and intent of this subchapter. 20
(b) The division Division of Arkansas State Police and the center may 21
contract with the Information Network of Arkansas under the Information 22
Network of Arkansas Act, § 25-27-101 et seq., Division of Information Systems 23
or any other qualified third -party vendor in the establishment of the gateway 24
or means of electronically processing transactions under this subchapter. 25
(c)(1) The division Division of Arkansas State Police shall not 26
process a request for a Federal Bureau of Investigation background check 27
unless a corresponding state background check through the Identification 28
Bureau of the Division of Arkansas State Police has also been properly 29
requested pursuant to this subchapter. 30
(2) The requirements of subdivision (c)(1) of this section may be 31
waived upon written authorization of the Director of the Division of Arkansas 32
State Police. 33
(d) The Division of Arkansas State Police automated fingerprint 34
identification system may access and use the National Fingerprint File and 35
Interstate Identification Index as provided by the Federal Bureau of 36 HB1896
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Investigation when the Arkansas Code authorizes a fingerprint -based Federal 1
Bureau of Investigation check for a noncriminal justice purpose and a 2
positive identification based on fingerprints is made. 3
(e) A background check request for a noncriminal justice purpose that 4
must be completed under state or federal law through the division Division of 5
Arkansas State Police shall be submitted to the division Division of Arkansas 6
State Police by electronic means through the Online Criminal Background Check 7
System. 8
9
SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 16 -92-118(a)-(d) are amended to read as 10
follows: 11
(a)(1) Notwithstanding § 16-13-709, the quorum court of each county of 12
this state may delegate the responsibility for the electronic collection of 13
fines assessed in a circuit court of this state within that county to the 14
Administrative Office of the Courts or the Information Network of Arkansas . 15
(2) Fines collected in each circuit court by the Administrative 16
Office of the Courts or the Information Network of Arkansas shall be remitted 17
by the fifth working day of the following month to the county official, 18
agency, or department designated under § 16-13-709 as primarily responsible 19
for the collection of fines assessed in that circuit court to be disbursed to 20
the appropriate county fund, state entity, or state agency as provided by 21
law. 22
(b)(1) Notwithstanding § 16-13-709, the governing body or, if 23
applicable and by mutual agreement, each governing body of a political 24
subdivision that contributes to the expenses of a district court or the 25
governing body of the city in which a city court is located may designate the 26
responsibility for the electronic collection of fines assessed in that 27
district court or that city court to the Administrative Office of the Courts 28
or the Information Network of Arkansas . 29
(2) Fines collected in each district court or each department of 30
district court by the Administrative Office of the Courts or the Information 31
Network of Arkansas shall be remitted by the fifth working day of the 32
following month to the county or city official, agency, or department 33
designated under § 16-13-709 as primarily responsible for the collection of 34
fines assessed in that district court to be disbursed under § 16-17-707. 35
(c) Fines collected in each city court by the Administrative Office of 36 HB1896
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the Courts or the Information Network of Arkansas shall be disbursed by the 1
fifth working day of the following month to the city official, agency, or 2
department designated under § 16-13-709 as primarily responsible for the 3
collection of fines assessed in that city court to be disbursed to the 4
general fund or other city fund, state agency, or state entity as provided by 5
law. 6
(d)(1) The Administrative Office of the Courts or the Information 7
Network of Arkansas shall be allowed to charge a transaction fee for any 8
electronic payment of a court -ordered fine by an approved credit card or 9
debit card. 10
(2) The fee provided for in subdivision (d)(1) of this section 11
collected by the Administrative Office of the Courts shall be deposited by 12
the fifth day of each month into the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement 13
Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 14
15
SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 19 -5-1074 is repealed. 16
19-5-1074. Information Network of Arkansas Fund. 17
All moneys received by the Information Network of Arkansas from gifts, 18
donations, grants, or any other sources available by law shall be deposited 19
into the State Treasury and credited to the Information Network of Arkansas 20
Fund, which is created on the books of the Treasurer of State, the Auditor of 21
State, and the Chief Fiscal Officer of the State until expended or otherwise 22
exhausted pursuant to the Information Network of Arkansas Act, § 25-27-101 et 23
seq. 24
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SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 25 -27-101 is repealed. 26
25-27-101. Title. 27
This chapter may be cited as and shall be known as the “Information 28
Network of Arkansas Act”. 29
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SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 25 -27-102 is amended to read as follows: 31
25-27-102. Definitions 32
As used in this chapter: 33
(1) “Agency” means any agency, department, office, board, 34
commission, public instrumentality, political subdivision, or any of the 35
foregoing entities acting on behalf of the State of Arkansas which store, 36 HB1896
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gather, or generate public information; 1
(2) “Gateway system” means any centralized electronic 2
information system by which public information shall be disseminated or 3
collected via the internet, dial-in modem, continuous link, or other 4
electronic medium; and 5
(3) “I.N.A.” means the Information Network of Arkansas, or, if 6
the Information Network of Arkansas shall be abolished, the board, body, or 7
commission succeeding to the principal functions thereof or to whom the 8
powers given by this chapter to the Information Network of Arkansas shall be 9
given by law; 10
(4) “Network manager” means the entity or person designated by 11
contractual obligation to establish, develop, operate, maintain, and expand 12
the gateway system on behalf of the Information Network of Arkansas; 13
(5)(3) “Public information” means any information stored, 14
gathered, or generated in electronic or magnetic form by an agency, its 15
agencies, or instrumentalities, which is included within the information 16
deemed to be public pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, § 25-17
19-101 et seq., and other provisions of the Arkansas Code providing for 18
release of information to the public at large to specified groups or 19
recipients; and 20
(6) “User association” means an association: 21
(A) Whose membership is identifiable by regular payment of 22
association dues and regularly maintained membership lists; 23
(B) Which is registered with the Secretary of State as an 24
Arkansas corporation; 25
(C) Which exists for the purpose of advancing the common 26
occupation or profession of its membership; and 27
(D) Which, after the appointment of the initial Board of 28
the Information Network of Arkansas, regularly promotes and encourages the 29
subscription of its members to the gateway system developed by the 30
Information Network of Arkansas . 31
32
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 25 -27-103 is repealed. 33
25-27-103. Board. 34
(a) There is created the Information Network of Arkansas, a public 35
instrumentality carrying out an essential government function, which shall be 36 HB1896
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governed by a Board of the Information Network of Arkansas consisting of 1
twelve (12) voting members, as follows: 2
(1) The Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission 3
or his or her designee; 4
(2) The Secretary of State, or the Secretary of State's 5
designee; 6
(3) The Secretary of the Department of Finance and 7
Administration, or his or her designee; 8
(4) Two (2) members, or their designees, who are chief executive 9
officers of agencies of the executive branch other than the Department of 10
Finance and Administration and the Division of Information Systems, shall be 11
appointed by the Governor; 12
(5)(A)(i)(a) Four (4) members from user associations initially 13
selected by the Governor shall be appointed by the Governor after consulting 14
each user association. 15
(b) Members appointed by the Governor under 16
subdivision (a)(5)(A)(i)(a) of this section shall be subject to confirmation 17
by the Senate. 18
(ii) No two (2) members appointed pursuant to this 19
subdivision (a)(5) shall be members of the same user association. 20
(B) Such members shall serve staggered three -year terms; 21
(6)(A) One (1) member who is a public library director appointed 22
by the Governor after consulting the President of the Arkansas Library 23
Association and subject to confirmation by the Senate. 24
(B) The member shall serve a three -year term; 25
(7)(A) One (1) member appointed by the Governor after consulting 26
the Arkansas Bar Association and subject to confirmation by the Senate. 27
(B) The member shall serve a three -year term; and 28
(8) The Director of the Division of Information Systems, or the 29
Director of the Division of Information Systems' designee. 30
(b)(1) The board shall annually elect one (1) member from the board as 31
chair of the board. 32
(2) The board may also elect a vice chair and a secretary. 33
(c)(1) Six (6) members of the board shall constitute a quorum, and the 34
affirmative vote of six (6) members shall be necessary for any action taken 35
by the board. 36 HB1896
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(2) No vacancy in the membership of the board shall impair the 1
right of a quorum to exercise all rights and perform all the duties of the 2
board. 3
(d) The board shall meet at least semiannually. 4
(e) Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be 5
eligible to receive reimbursement for mileage and reimbursement for expenses 6
in accordance with § 25 -16-902. 7
8
SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 25 -27-104 is amended to read as follows: 9
25-27-104. Duties. 10
(a) The Information Network of Arkansas Division of Information 11
Systems shall have the following duties: 12
(1) To develop and implement an electronic gateway system to 13
provide electronic access to members of the public to public information and 14
to develop, implement, and promote the use of electronic commerce and digital 15
signature applications within the state in cooperation with the Division of 16
Information Systems; 17
(2) To provide appropriate oversight of the network manager; 18
(3)(A) To establish charges for the services provided by the 19
division Information Network of Arkansas. 20
(B) The Information Network of Arkansas shall on a 21
quarterly basis submit a report of any change in charges for services to the: 22
(i) Legislative Council; and 23
(ii) Joint Committee on Advanced Communications and 24
Information Technology ; and 25
(4) To explore ways of expanding the amount and kind of public 26
information provided, increasing the utility and form of the public 27
information provided, and implement such changes as required to be consistent 28
with the provisions of this chapter; 29
(5)(3) To explore ways of improving citizen and business access 30
to public information and, where appropriate, implementing such changes; 31
(6) To explore ways of expanding a gateway system and its 32
services to citizens and businesses by providing add -on services to the 33
public, such as access to other for -profit information databases, electronic 34
mail, and calendaring; 35
(7) To serve in an advisory capacity to the Department of 36 HB1896
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Finance and Administration, the division, and other state agencies regarding 1
the dissemination to and collection of state data for the citizens and 2
businesses of Arkansas; 3
(8) To seek advice from the general public, its subscribers, 4
professional associations, academic groups, and institutions and individuals 5
with knowledge or interest in computer networking, electronic mail, public 6
information access, gateway services, add -on services, and electronic filing 7
of information; and 8
(9) To accept gifts, donations, and grants for the support of a 9
gateway system in Arkansas. 10
(b)(1) All state agencies shall participate with the Information 11
Network of Arkansas division in providing assistance as may be requested for 12
the achievement of its purpose of implementing this section . 13
(2) Services and information to be provided by any agency shall 14
be specified pursuant to a contract between the Information Network of 15
Arkansas and such an agency. 16
(3) Agencies may contract to recover from the Information 17
Network of Arkansas costs incurred by providing such assistance to the 18
Information Network of Arkansas. 19
(4) The Information Network of Arkansas shall cooperate with the 20
division to fulfill the purposes of the Arkansas Information Systems Act of 21
1997, § 25-4-101 et seq. 22
23
SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 25 -27-105 is repealed. 24
25-27-105. Network manager. 25
(a)(1) The Information Network of Arkansas shall procure a network 26
manager after developing, in consultation with the Division of Information 27
Systems, criteria and specifications for such a network manager and his or 28
her duties. 29
(2)(A) The Information Network of Arkansas may negotiate and 30
enter into a contract with the network manager. 31
(B) The contract shall specify the duties and 32
responsibilities of the network manager and shall also include any other 33
terms necessary to the agreement. 34
(b) The network manager shall: 35
(1) Direct and supervise the day -to-day operations and expansion 36 HB1896
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of the gateway system, including the initial phase of operations necessary to 1
make the gateway system operational; 2
(2) Attend meetings of the Information Network of Arkansas; 3
(3) Keep a record of all gateway, network, and related 4
operations of the Information Network of Arkansas. The records shall be the 5
property of the Information Network of Arkansas; 6
(4) Maintain and be a custodian of all financial and operational 7
records, documents, and papers filed with the Information Network of 8
Arkansas; 9
(5) Update and revise on a yearly basis the business plan of the 10
Information Network of Arkansas in consultation with and under the direction 11
of the Information Network of Arkansas; 12
(6) Submit to the Information Network of Arkansas quarterly 13
financial reports, an annual audit, an annual report, and any other 14
information requested by the Board of the Information Network of Arkansas; 15
and 16
(7) Perform other such activities or services as requested or 17
authorized by the Information Network of Arkansas consistent with the 18
provisions of this chapter. 19
(c) The division may provide to the Information Network of Arkansas 20
such staff and other assistance under contract. 21
22
SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 27 -50-906(a)(2)(B), concerning fees 23
charged under a central driver's records file, is repealed. 24
(B) The Information Network of Arkansas may charge an 25
additional fee under the Information Network of Arkansas Act, § 25 -27-101 et 26
seq., for the service of transmitting this information electronically. 27
28
SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 27 -50-906(c), concerning fees charged 29
under a central driver's records file, is amended to read as follows: 30
(c)(1)(A) The fee for an insured's or applicant's driver confirmation 31
record shall be ten cents (10¢) per record. 32
(B)(2) This The fee under subdivision (c)(1) of this section 33
shall be deposited into the fund as a direct revenue to be used by the 34
division. 35
(2) The network may charge an additional fee under the 36 HB1896
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Information Network of Arkansas Act, § 25 -27-101 et seq., for the service of 1
transmitting this information electronically. 2
3
SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 27 -50-912(f)(4), concerning fees for the 4
driver monitoring program report, is repealed. 5
(4) The Information Network of Arkansas may charge insurers or 6
their agents an additional fee under the Information Network of Arkansas Act, 7
§ 25-27-101 et seq., for transmitting a driver monitoring report 8
electronically. 9
10
SECTION 14. DO NOT CODIFY. EFFECTIVE DATE. This act is effective on 11
and after January 1, 2026. 12
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APPROVED: 4/16/25 15
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