# Arkansas HB1608: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC RECORDS AND ARCHIVES; AND TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE ARKANSAS STATE ARCHIVES PRIOR TO THE DESTRUCTION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS.

Arkansas HB1608, TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC RECORDS AND ARCHIVES; AND TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE ARKANSAS STATE ARCHIVES PRIOR TO THE DESTRUCTION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Kim Hammer (Republican), Ryan A. Rose (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-18 (Notification that HB1608 is now Act 319) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1608-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas HB1608
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC RECORDS AND ARCHIVES; AND TO REQUIRE APPROVAL OF THE ARKANSAS STATE ARCHIVES PRIOR TO THE DESTRUCTION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-26
- Last action: 2025-03-18, Notification that HB1608 is now Act 319
- Sponsors: Kim Hammer (Republican), Ryan A. Rose (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (114 yes, 3 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Counties need approval to destroy older records: benefit, low. County custodians may destroy original records after copying them to permanent media using photographic or electronic methods. But handwritten records over 50 years old require review first. Custodians must consult the Arkansas State Archives and get its approval before destroying those originals.
- More recorded paper originals can be destroyed: cost, low. Custodians may destroy paper originals of documents recorded using methods allowed by state law. An original is protected from destruction only when all three conditions apply. It must be handwritten, over 50 years old, and judged historically valuable by the Arkansas State Archives.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kim Hammer (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Ryan A. Rose (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-13 | Senate | Senate Vote - Thursday, March 13, 2025 3:36:50 PM | pass | 33 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025-03-06 | House | House Vote - Thursday, March 6, 2025 2:34:08 PM | pass | 81 | 3 | 10 |

## Actions (13)

- 2025-03-18: Notification that HB1608 is now Act 319 (House)
- 2025-03-14: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House)
- 2025-03-13: TO BE ENROLLED (House)
- 2025-03-13: Returned from the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-03-13: Returned to the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-03-13: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Received from the House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-03-05: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-02-26: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-02-26: Filed (House)

## Bill text

- HB1608 - Introduced, 2025-02-26: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1608.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=319.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related bills

- HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted)
- HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed)
- HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed)
- SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed)
- HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed)
- HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed)

## Sources
- [HB1608 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1608.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=319.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R)

## Related
- [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025)
- [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025)
- [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025)
- [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025)
- [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025)
- [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1608-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).