Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
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State of Arkansas 1
95th General Assembly A Bill 2
Regular Session, 2025 SENATE BILL 60 3
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By: Senator Hill 5
By: Representative Evans 6
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For An Act To Be Entitled 8
AN ACT TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS DATA CENTERS ACT OF 9
2023; TO PROHIBIT A DIGITAL ASSET MINING BUSINESS 10
FROM BEING LOCATED WITHIN A THIRTY -MILE RADIUS OF A 11
MILITARY FACILITY; TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY; AND FOR 12
OTHER PURPOSES. 13
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Subtitle 16
TO PROHIBIT A DIGITAL ASSET MINING 17
BUSINESS FROM BEING LOCATED WITHIN A 18
THIRTY-MILE RADIUS OF A MILITARY 19
FACILITY; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. 20
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: 22
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SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 14, Chapter 1, Subchapter 6, is amended 24
to add an additional section to read as follows: 25
14-1-607. Operation of digital asset mining business within thirty -26
mile radius of military facility prohibited — Definition. 27
(a) As used in this section: 28
(1) "Military facility": 29
(A) Means a physical location in the state that is 30
operated by one (1) or more branches of the United States Armed Forces or the 31
National Guard to: 32
(i) House military personnel and equipment; 33
(ii) Support training and operations; or 34
(iii) Serve as a command center or training grounds; 35
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(B) Includes without limitation a military: 1
(i) Base or camp; 2
(ii) Hospital or clinic; and 3
(iii) Arsenal; and 4
(2) "Operation" means generating income as a result of 5
generating digital assets by securing a blockchain network. 6
(b)(1) A digital asset mining business shall: 7
(A) Not operate within a thirty -mile radius of a military 8
facility; 9
(B) Shut down operations at each location that is within a 10
thirty-mile radius of a military facility unless the digital asset mining 11
business was fully constructed and in operation at that site before December 12
31, 2024; and 13
(C) Cease construction of a location that is within a 14
thirty-mile radius of a military facility. 15
(2) A digital asset mining business that was in operation at a 16
location within a thirty -mile radius of a military facility before December 17
31, 2024, and subsequently changes ownership shall shut down operations at 18
each location that is within thirty -mile radius of a military facility before 19
the change in ownership becomes effective. 20
(c) Upon request of a person or upon receipt of information that leads 21
the Attorney General to believe that a violation of this section may exist, 22
the Attorney General may conduct an investigation that includes without 23
limitation: 24
(1) Receiving sworn statements; and 25
(2) Issuing subpoenas to compel the: 26
(A) Testimony of witnesses subpoenaed before him or her; 27
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(B) Production of records and other documents under § 25 -29
16-705. 30
(d) If as a result of an investigation under subsection (c) of this 31
section the Attorney General concludes that a violation of this section has 32
occurred, the Attorney General shall order the digital asset mining business 33
to shut down operations at each location that is within a thirty -mile radius 34
of a military facility. 35
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SECTION 2. EMERGENCY CLAUSE. It is found and determined by the 1
General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that digital asset mining, also 2
known as "cryptomining", is a rising industry in the state that poses unique 3
opportunities as well as risks; that risks posed by digital asset mining 4
include without limitation threats to national security and the security of 5
the State of Arkansas, which is amplified by a digital asset mining 6
facility's being located within a thirty -mile radius of a military facility; 7
and that this act is immediately necessary in order to ensure the health and 8
safety of the State of Arkansas and its citizens. Therefore, an emergency is 9
declared to exist, and this act being immediately necessary for the 10
preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective 11
on: 12
(1) The date of its approval by the Governor; 13
(2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, 14
the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the 15
bill; or 16
(3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is 17
overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto. 18
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