Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 989 of the Regular Session
Act 989 of the Regular Session
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State of Arkansas As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 575 3
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By: Senator C. Tucker 5
By: Representative Dalby 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSTALLMENT FEES 9
COLLECTED IN CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS; TO AMEND 10
THE LAW CONCERNING DRIVER'S LICENSE REINSTATEMENT 11
FEES; TO CREATE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM FEE TASK FORCE; 12
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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15
Subtitle 16
TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSTALLMENT 17
FEES COLLECTED IN CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT 18
COURTS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING 19
DRIVER'S LICENSE REINSTATEMENT FEES; AND 20
TO CREATE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TASK FORCE. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 23
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 5 -65-119(a)(2), as amended by Acts 2025, 25
No. 419, § 50, concerning the distribution of the driver's license 26
reinstatement fee collected by the Office of Driver Services after a 27
suspension for driving or boating while intoxicated or refusal to submit to a 28
chemical test, is amended to read as follows: 29
(2) The fee under subdivision (a)(1) of this section shall be 30
distributed as follows: 31
(A) Seven percent (7%) of the revenues derived from this 32
fee shall be deposited into the State Treasury as special revenues and 33
credited to the Public Health Fund to be used exclusively for the Office of 34
Alcohol Testing of the Department of Health; 35
(B) Thirty-three percent (33%) of the revenues derived 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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from this fee shall be deposited as special revenues into the State Treasury 1
into the Constitutional Officers Fund and the State Central Services Fund as 2
a direct revenue to be used by the Office of Driver Services for use in 3
supporting the administrative driver's licensing revocation and sanctions 4
programs provided for in this subchapter; 5
(C) Ten percent (10%) of the revenues derived from this 6
fee shall be deposited into the State Treasury, and the Treasurer of State 7
shall credit them as general revenues to the various funds in the respective 8
amounts to each and to be used for the purposes as provided in the Revenue 9
Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq.; and 10
(D) Fifty percent (50%) of the revenues derived from this 11
fee shall be deposited into the State Treasury as special revenues to the 12
credit of the Division of Arkansas State Police Fund deposited into the State 13
Treasury and the Treasurer of State shall credit the amount as general 14
revenue to the various funds in the respective amounts to each to be used for 15
the purposes provided in the Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 16
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SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 5 -65-304(d)(3), concerning the driver 18
privilege reinstatement fee collected by the Office of Driver Services after 19
a suspension for underage driving or boating under the influence, is amended 20
to read as follows: 21
(3) Forty percent (40%) of the revenues derived from the fee 22
under this subsection shall be deposited into the State Treasury , as special 23
revenues and credited to the Public Health Fund to be used exclusively for 24
the Blood Alcohol Program of the Department of Health and the Treasurer of 25
State shall credit the amount as general revenue to the various funds in the 26
respective amounts to each to be used for the purposes provided in the 27
Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 28
29
SECTION 3. Arkansas Code § 5 -65-310(f)(3), concerning the driving 30
privilege reinstatement fee collected by the Office of Driver Services after 31
a suspension for an underaged person for refusal to submit to a chemical 32
test, is amended to read as follows: 33
(3) Forty percent (40%) of the revenues derived from the fee 34
under this subsection shall be deposited into the State Treasury , as special 35
revenues and credited to the Public Health Fund to be used exclusively for 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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the Blood Alcohol Program of the Department of Health and the Treasurer of 1
State shall credit the amount as general revenue to the various funds in the 2
respective amounts to each to be used for the purposes provided in the 3
Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 4
5
SECTION 4. Arkansas Code § 16 -13-704(b)(2)(A)(i), as amended by Acts 6
2025, No. 371, concerning the installment fee collected in circuit court, is 7
amended to read as follows: 8
(2)(A)(i) One-half (½) of the installment fee collected in 9
circuit court shall be remitted by the tenth day of each month to the 10
Administration of Justice Funds Section of the Office of Administrative 11
Services of the Department of Finance and Administration, on a form provided 12
by the Office of Administrative Services, for deposit into the Judicial Fine 13
Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712 into the State 14
Treasury, and the Treasurer of State shall credit that portion of the 15
installment fee as general revenue to the various funds in the respective 16
amounts to each to be used for the purposes provided in the Revenue 17
Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 18
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SECTION 5. Arkansas Code § 16 -13-704(b)(3)(A), as amended by Acts 20
2025, No. 371, concerning the installment fee collected in district court, is 21
amended to read as follows: 22
(3)(A) One-half (½) of the installment fee collected in district 23
court shall be remitted by the tenth day of each month to the Administration 24
of Justice Funds Section, on a form provided by that section, for deposit 25
into the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712 26
into the State Treasury as general revenue and the Treasurer of State shall 27
credit that portion of the installment fee to the various funds in the 28
respective amounts to each to be used for the purposes provided in the 29
Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 30
31
SECTION 6. Arkansas Code § 16 -13-704(b)(3)(E)(ii), as amended by Acts 32
2025, No. 371, concerning the additional installment fee collected in 33
district court, is amended to read as follows: 34
(ii) In district court only, an installment fee of 35
an additional five dollars ($5.00) per month shall also be assessed on the 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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first day of each month on each person who is ordered to pay a fine on an 1
installment basis with the additional five dollars ($5.00) to be remitted by 2
the tenth day of each month to the Administration of Justice Funds Section on 3
a form provided by that section for deposit into the State Administration of 4
Justice Fund into the State Treasury, and the Treasurer of State shall credit 5
the additional installment fee as general revenue to the various funds in the 6
respective amounts to each to be used for the purposes provided in the 7
Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 et seq. 8
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SECTION 7. Arkansas Code § 19 -6-301(120), concerning the 10
classification of revenue from certain driver's license reinstatement fees as 11
special revenue, is repealed. 12
(120) That portion of driver's license reinstatement fees for 13
the Office of Driver Services, § 5 -65-119(a)(2)(B); 14
15
SECTION 8. Arkansas Code § 19 -6-301(155), concerning the 16
classification of revenue from certain driver's license reinstatement fees as 17
special revenue, is repealed. 18
(155) That portion of driver's license reinstatement fees for 19
the Office of Alcohol Testing, § 5 -65-119(a)(2)(A), § 5-65-304(d), and § 5-20
65-310(f); 21
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SECTION 9. Arkansas Code § 19 -6-301(218), concerning the 23
classification of revenue from certain driver's license reinstatement fees as 24
special revenue, is repealed. 25
(218) That portion of an operator's driver's license 26
reinstatement fees, § 5 -65-119(a)(2)(D); 27
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SECTION 10. Arkansas Code § 19 -6-301(219), concerning the 29
classification of revenue from certain driver's license reinstatement fees as 30
special revenue, is repealed. 31
(219) That portion of suspended, revoked, or cancelled driver's 32
license reinstatement fees, § 27 -16-508(c) and § 27-16-808(b)(2); 33
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SECTION 11. Arkansas Code § 21 -6-416(b) and (c), concerning the court 35
technology fee, as amended by Acts 2025, No. 371, § 13, are amended to read 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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as follows: 1
(b) The court technology fee is as follows: 2
(1) For all civil actions and misdemeanors filed in either the 3
Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals............. $15.00 4
(2) For initiating a cause of action in the civil, domestic 5
relations, or probate division of circuit court, including 6
appeals............. 15.00 7
(3) For initiating a cause of action in the civil or small 8
claims division of district court............. 15.00 9
(4) For all criminal and traffic cases, from each defendant upon 10
24 each conviction, each plea of guilty or nolo contendere, or each bond 11
25 forfeiture............. 15.00 . 12
(c)(1) The fee provided under subdivision (b)(1) of this section 13
collected in the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals shall be remitted by 14
the Clerk of the Supreme Court on or before the fifteenth day of each month 15
to the Administration of Justice Funds Section on a form provided by the 16
Office of Administrative Services for deposit into the Judicial Fine 17
Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 18
(2) The fee provided under subdivisions (b)(2)—(4) (b)(2) and 19
(3) of this section collected in circuit court or district court shall be 20
remitted by the county or city official, agency, or department designated 21
under § 16-13-709 as primarily responsible for the collection of fines 22
assessed in circuit court or district court on or before the fifteenth day of 23
each month to the section, on a form provided by the office, for deposit into 24
the Judicial Fine Collection Enhancement Fund established by § 16 -13-712. 25
26
SECTION 12. Arkansas Code § 27 -16-508(b), concerning the driver's 27
license reinstatement fee collected by the Office of Driver Services, is 28
amended to read as follows: 29
(b) The revenues derived from this fee shall be deposited into the 30
State Treasury, as special revenues to the credit of the Division of Arkansas 31
State Police Fund and the Treasurer of State shall credit these revenues as 32
general revenue to the various funds in the respective amounts to each to be 33
used for the purposes provided in the Revenue Stabilization Law , § 19-5-101 34
et seq. 35
36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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SECTION 13. Arkansas Code § 27 -16-808(b), concerning the driver's 1
license reinstatement fee collected by the Office of Driver Services, is 2
amended to read as follows: 3
(b) All proceeds remitted to the Office of Driver Services under this 4
section shall be deposited as follows: 5
(1) Twenty-five percent (25%) to the State Police Retirement 6
Fund; and 7
(2) Seventy-five percent (75%) to the State Treasury as special 8
revenues to the credit of the Division of Arkansas State Police Fund into the 9
State Treasury, and the Treasurer of State shall credit these proceeds as 10
general revenue to the various funds in the respective amounts to each to be 11
used for the purposes provided in the Revenue Stabilization Law, § 19 -5-101 12
et seq. 13
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SECTION 14. DO NOT CODIFY. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. Justice System Fee 15
Task Force — Findings — Intent — Creation — Membership — Duties. 16
(a)(1) The General Assembly finds that: 17
(A) The justice system in Arkansas imposes an excessive 18
number of fees on individuals charged with or convicted of crimes or 19
otherwise involved in the justice system; 20
(B) The collective impact of these fees on the individuals 21
they are imposed upon substantially inhibits their ability to move forward 22
with their lives in a constructive manner; 23
(C) Many of the fees in the justice system no longer serve 24
a productive purpose; and 25
(D) Altering the structure of or eliminating many of the 26
fees in the justice system would serve the people of Arkansas by reducing 27
recidivism and therefore improving public safety. 28
(2) It is the intent of the General Assembly to: 29
(A) Implement safe policy changes that will improve the 30
effectiveness of the fees in the justice system in a manner that will: 31
(i) Reduce recidivism; 32
(ii) Lower crime across the state; and 33
(iii) Enhance the ability of individuals charged 34
with or convicted of crimes to turn their lives around; and 35
(B) Establish the Justice System Fee Task Force as a 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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mechanism to study the fees in the justice system and make recommendations to 1
the General Assembly regarding the possible alteration or elimination of 2
those fees. 3
(b)(1) There is created the Justice System Fee Task Force. 4
(2) The task force shall consist of the following thirteen (13) 5
members: 6
(A) Two (2) members appointed by the Governor as follows: 7
(i) One (1) member who is a representative of the 8
Arkansas Public Defender Commission; and 9
(ii) One (1) member who is a prosecuting attorney; 10
(B) Two (2) members of the Senate appointed by the 11
President Pro Tempore of the Senate; 12
(C) Two (2) members of the House of Representatives 13
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 14
(D) Two (2) members who are staff members of the 15
Administrative Office of the Courts appointed by the Director of the 16
Administrative Office of the Courts; 17
(E) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections or his 18
or her designee; 19
(F) One (1) circuit court judge appointed by the President 20
of the Judicial Council; 21
(G) One (1) district court judge appointed by the 22
President of the Arkansas District Judges Council, Inc.; 23
(H) One (1) member designated by the Association of 24
Arkansas Counties; and 25
(I) One (1) member designated by the Arkansas Municipal 26
League. 27
(3) If a vacancy occurs on the task force, the vacancy shall be 28
filled by the same process as the original appointment. 29
(4)(A) The Senate members appointed by the President Pro Tempore 30
of the Senate under subdivision (b)(2)(B) of this section shall call the 31
first meeting of the task force no later than August 31, 2025. 32
(B) At the first meeting of the task force, the members of 33
the task force shall elect from their membership a chair and other officers 34
as needed for the transaction of the business of the task force. 35
(C) The task force shall meet at least quarterly and shall 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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meet: 1
(i) At the call of the chair; or 2
(ii) Upon the calling of a meeting by a majority of 3
the members of the task force. 4
(5) The task force shall meet at the State Capitol Building or 5
in the legislative committee rooms in the Multi -Agency Complex on the State 6
Capitol grounds. 7
(6) The task force shall adopt rules and procedures for 8
conducting its business. 9
(7) Six (6) members of the task force shall constitute a quorum 10
for transacting business of the task force. 11
(c) The task force shall study and recommend improvements to the 12
justice system fees in the State of Arkansas. 13
(d) As part of its study under subsection (c) of this section, the 14
task force shall: 15
(1) Conduct a comprehensive analysis of each fee in the Arkansas 16
justice system, including without limitation: 17
(A) The amount of each fee; 18
(B) The purpose of each fee; 19
(C) The amount of revenue generated by each fee; 20
(D) The programs funded by the revenue generated by each 21
fee; and 22
(E) The efficacy of each fee; 23
(2) Examine the effectiveness of current practices of imposing 24
justice system fees on individuals in Arkansas; and 25
(3) Develop recommendations for the General Assembly for 26
improving the system of imposing justice system fees on individuals. 27
(e)(1) On or before December 1, 2026, the task force shall submit its 28
final report to the: 29
(A) Legislative Council; 30
(B) Governor; and 31
(C) Supreme Court. 32
(2) The final report shall include the task force's activities, 33
findings, and recommendations, including without limitation: 34
(A) Recommendations for improving the system of imposing 35
fees on individuals in the justice system; and 36 As Engrossed: S4/3/25 H4/9/25 SB575
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(B) The funding necessary to accommodate each 1
recommendation made under subdivision (e)(2)(A) of this section. 2
(f) The task force expires on December 31, 2026. 3
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SECTION 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. Sections 1 through 13 of this act are 5
effective on July 1, 2026. 6
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/s/C. Tucker 8
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APPROVED: 4/22/25 11
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