All Roll Calls
Yes: 151 • No: 8
ArkansasSB2272025 Regular SessionSenate
TO AMEND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF 1967; AND TO AMEND THE PROVISIONS OF THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT OF 1967 CONCERNING PUBLIC MEETINGS.
Sponsored By: Clarke Tucker (Democratic), Jon S. Eubanks (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 4 mixed.
Boards face limits on private decisions
Board members cannot join polls they know, or reasonably should know, seek another member's vote or position. Outside-meeting communications about foreseeable official action are restricted, including sharing another member's intended vote or support or opposition. Scheduling, agenda, and background-information exchanges are allowed, but cannot become substantive business or deliberation. Informal meetings used for deliberation or official duties are banned. After a finding under Arkansas's public-records enforcement law, a circuit court can invalidate actions resulting directly or indirectly from these violations.
Remote meeting recordings must be kept
The recording provision requires remote portions of public meetings to be recorded in the format used. Covered meeting recordings must be kept for at least 1 year and be reproducible on request. Executive sessions and volunteer fire departments are exempt. However, the supplied provisions also describe a recording-rule repeal and do not clarify which recording duties remain in force.
Residents get meeting notices and access
Regular meeting notice is required at least 3 days ahead, unless another law sets a different deadline. Local newspapers, radio stations, and TV stations must receive emergency or special meeting notice at least 2 hours ahead. Bodies with a website or social media page, including their public entity's pages, must post meeting dates, times, and places. Current agendas must be available on request and posted online 3 days before regular meetings or 2 hours before other meetings; items can be added later. Arkansas residents must have reasonable access, including remote access when used, and be able to hear meaningful discussion.
Remote board members lose attendance payments
Governing-body members cannot receive mileage or per diem payments for attending a public meeting remotely. The provision gives no payment amounts.
Separate recording and storage duties removed
The repeal provision removes the described duty to record open public meetings in the format used. It also removes the described requirement to keep those records for at least 1 year. No effective date is supplied. This conflicts with recording duties described elsewhere in the supplied provisions, so the final recording requirements are unclear.
Boards can discuss cyberattacks in private
Governing bodies can hold closed sessions to discuss their response to a cyberattack or other cybersecurity breach. Before closing the meeting, the presiding officer must publicly announce the specific purpose. Only people legally needed for that purpose can attend. Any action taken in the closed session is void unless the body votes publicly when that session ends.
Public employees can coordinate outside meetings
Two or more public-entity employees or agents can communicate outside a public meeting to carry out an authorized duty. This permission concerns employees and agents, not governing-body members acting as a body.
Public meeting rules have specific exclusions
Formal regular or special gatherings of governing bodies count as public meetings, whether held in person or remotely. Informal gatherings fall outside this definition, but separate rules ban informal gatherings used for official business or deliberation. Court-ordered settlement discussions and meetings of the Child Maltreatment Investigations Oversight Committee are excluded.
Remote board attendance has voting safeguards
Members generally must be physically present to count toward a quorum or vote, unless a legal exception applies. Bodies other than municipalities, counties, and public school districts may adopt remote-attendance policies; school districts follow separate state rules. Remote voting requires identity checks, clear identification of speakers, and votes that participants can observe or understand. Remote members must hear other members and public comment. When a member attends remotely, the public must be able to join by the same means, explained in the notice.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Clarke Tucker
Democratic • Senate
Jon S. Eubanks
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Andrew Collins
Democratic • House
Breanne Davis
Republican • Senate
Clint Penzo
Republican • Senate
Gary Stubblefield
Republican • Senate
Jimmy Gazaway
Republican • House
Zack Gramlich
Republican • House
RJ Hawk
Republican • House
Justin Boyd
Republican • Senate
Jim Petty
Republican • Senate
Jay Richardson
Democratic • House
Lee Johnson
Republican • House
Mark D. McElroy
Republican • House
Richard Womack
Republican • House
Jeremy Wooldridge
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 4/7/2025
Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 1:36:20 PM
Yes: 34 • No: 1
House vote • 3/31/2025
House Vote - Monday, March 31, 2025 3:56:46 PM
Yes: 87 • No: 5 • Other: 5
Senate vote • 3/13/2025
Senate Vote - Thursday, March 13, 2025 2:06:43 PM
Yes: 30 • No: 2
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB227 is now Act 505
4/10/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/8/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/8/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/7/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/7/2025SenateRules suspended.
4/7/2025SenateHouse Amendment No. 1 read first time, rule suspended, read second time and concurred in.
4/7/2025SenatePlaced on second reading for purpose of amendment.
4/7/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed as amended # 1 .
3/31/2025SenateReturned to Senate as passed, as amended # 1
3/31/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
3/31/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
3/19/2025HouseREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
3/18/2025HouseAmendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
3/18/2025HousePlaced on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
3/18/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS- HOUSE
3/13/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
3/13/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
3/13/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
3/13/2025SenateREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
3/12/2025SenateAmendment # 5 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.
3/12/2025SenatePlaced on second reading for purpose of amendment.
3/12/2025SenateReturned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 5
3/11/2025SenateRe-referred to STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE
3/10/2025SenateREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
3/10/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB227 - Introduced
2/13/2025
Act Version
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