Title 15, Natural Resources and Economic Development

(1) An outdoor recreation operator shall have the following duties with respect to operation of an outdoor recreation area:(1) To maintain one (1) or more trail boards at prominent locations at each outdoor recreation area displaying that outdoor recreation area's network of trai…

(a) A participant in an outdoor recreation activity shall be presumed to have:(1) Known the inherent risks of the outdoor recreation activity in which he or she participates;(2) Fully appreciated the nature and extent of the inherent risks of the outdoor recreation activity; and(…

(a) A tramway operator or an outdoor recreation operator shall be liable only if the tramway operator or outdoor recreation operator does any of the following:(1) Commits an act or omission related to an outdoor recreation activity that is intentional, reckless, grossly negligent…

(a) The Arkansas Occupational Safety and Health office within the Department of Labor and Licensing shall make investigators and inspectors available for as long as the investigators and inspectors need to conduct investigations and inspections of recreational tramways. (b) The i…

A claim arising out of this subchapter against a state board, employee, or other body or person employed by the State of Arkansas under this subchapter shall be submitted to the Arkansas State Claims Commission.

(1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism to:(1) Make available and make use of the materials and information assembled by state agencies and gather additional information and materials concerning the state's resources, its depart…

(a) The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism is specifically authorized to promulgate its own rules and procedures applying to the purchase of printed material and specialty items for advertising purposes. The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism will take no less tha…

For the purpose of aiding in the establishment of new industrial enterprises and the expansion of the tourist industry, and additionally, for furnishing authentic and favorable information about this state and its people through publicizing the State of Arkansas with respect to i…

(a) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall consist of fifteen (15) regular members, of whom at least:(1) One (1) is active in media, including without limitation newspaper, television, radio, internet, or the video service provider industry;(2) Seven (7) have pr…

(a) From time to time, the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall select from its membership a chair and a vice chair. (b) The Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall be ex officio secretary of the commission but shall have no vote on matte…

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall be charged with the duty of administering the provisions of this subchapter and the rules and orders established thereunder. (b) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission, by resolution duly adopte…

(a) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall:(1) Have and be subject to all functions, powers, and duties as by law are conferred and imposed upon it; and(2) For the purpose of regulating its own procedure and carrying out its functions, have the authority from ti…

(a) The Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism and his or her staff shall cooperate with representatives of newspapers, magazines, and radio and television stations but shall not otherwise be identified with any of these enterprises. (b) (1) All information o…

Nothing in §§ 15-11-201 and 15-11-202 shall be deemed to affect in any manner the placing of the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission under any other principal department or subdivision of a principal department by any law now or hereafter enacted.

When a commissioned law enforcement officer of the State Parks Division of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism retires from service in good standing after twenty (20) years of service, in recognition of and appreciation for the service of the retiring officer, the Dire…

(a) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission and the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism may dispose of rail and other railroad track material by gift or contract to a regional intermodal facilities authority organized pursuant to the Regional Intermodal Faciliti…

(1) A person designated as and employed as a law enforcement officer by the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall:(1) Be a certified law enforcement officer under § 12-9-101 et seq.; and(2) Have statewide law enforcement jurisdiction and authority. (1) Be a certified l…

The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism is authorized and directed to establish, as funds are provided therefor, and to maintain and operate at or near the federal interstate highway points of entry into this state tourist information bureaus to perform the functions and d…

(1) Tourist information bureaus established pursuant to this subchapter shall:(1) Be open to the public at regular business hours and, during tourist seasons, shall be operated at such other hours as may be determined by the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism;(2) Be situa…

(1) In furtherance of the purposes of this subchapter, the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall:(1) Encourage the assistance and cooperation of public agencies and private businesses throughout the state in promoting the tourist industry;(2) Have the authority to …

In accepting gifts, grants, and donations, the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall not make any agreement whereby the person or firm making the gift, grant, or donation shall receive any special consideration or preference from the commission or any tourist infor…

The State Highway Commission, the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission, and all other state agencies are requested to cooperate and assist the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism with respect to tourist information bureaus established under the provisions of this subcha…

(a) The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism may lease existing buildings and facilities for operation as tourist information bureaus at or near the major highway points of entry into this state and may pay the necessary cost of maintenance, upkeep, and operation of the lea…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Commission” means the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission or the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism or any successor agency designated by law to promote tourist travel and vacation business in Arkansas;(2) “Natural planning r…

(a) (1) Any group of interested citizens and residents of counties composing a natural planning region of this state and who are residents of counties representing not less than fifty percent (50%) of the total population of the region, but in no event fewer than fifteen (15) ind…

(a) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission or the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism, upon receipt of a copy of incorporation papers, constitution, bylaws, and resolutions, if any, of a nonprofit corporation applying for recognition as a regional tourist promo…

The Tourism Division is designated as the administrative agency of this state to act under the authority of the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission or the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism in administering the provisions of this subchapter.

(a) All grants under the provisions of this subchapter shall be on a matching basis with the applying regional tourist promotion agency furnishing one-third (⅓) of the funds and the state grant being two (2) times the amount of the funds supplied by the applying regional tourist …

(a) (1) Upon approval of the State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission, the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism may make grants from funds specifically appropriated for such purposes to regional tourist promotion agencies, to assist such regional tourist promotion age…

(a) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission or the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism is authorized to accept gifts, grants, or donations from the United States Government or agencies thereof, and some private individuals, foundations, or concerns to be used in…

(a) (1) The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission shall promulgate reasonable rules regarding the use of matching funds that are available to the respective regional tourist promotion agencies.(2) The funds available to each regional tourist promotion agency may be used …

The State Parks, Recreation, and Travel Commission or the Tourism Division from time to time may make such investigations and audits and require each participating regional tourist promotion agency to furnish such evidence or proof to determine that all funds granted under the pr…

(a) Any brochures and other printed materials produced by the regional tourist promotion agencies or municipalities with state matching funds under the provisions of §§ 15-11-401 — 15-11-409 shall not be subject to state printing contracts. (b) However, all such brochures and oth…

This subchapter shall be referred to and may be cited as the “Arkansas Tourism Development Act”.

The General Assembly finds and declares that the general welfare and material well-being of the citizens of the State of Arkansas depend, in large measure, upon the development of tourism attractions in the state, and that it is in the best interests of the state to induce the cr…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Agreement” means an agreement entered into pursuant to § 15-11-506 by and between the Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and an approved company with respect to a tourism attraction project;(2) “Approved company” means any…

(a) The Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall establish standards for the making of applications for inducements to eligible companies and their tourism attraction projects by the promulgation of administrative rules in accordance with the Arkansas Admini…

(a) The Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall establish standards for final approval of eligible companies and their tourism attraction projects by the promulgation of administrative rules in accordance with the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, § 25…

(a) Upon granting final approval, the Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission may enter into an agreement with an approved company with respect to its tourism attraction project. (b) The terms and provisions of each agreement shall include, but shall not be limit…

(a) Upon receiving notification from the Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission that an approved company has entered into a tourism attraction project agreement and is entitled to the sales tax credits provided by this subchapter, the Secretary of the Department…

This subchapter shall be construed liberally to effectuate the legislative intent, and the purpose of this subchapter is complete and independent authority for the performance of each and every act and thing authorized by this subchapter, and all powers granted by this subchapter…

(a) Tourism attraction projects meeting the eligibility requirements under § 15-11-503(14)(A) are entitled to receive an income tax credit based upon a percentage of the payroll of the new full-time permanent employees working at the tourism attraction project. (b) Upon notificat…

(a) A lodging facility may qualify as a tourism attraction project, as defined in § 15-11-503, entitled to the benefits of this subchapter even though the lodging costs represent one hundred percent (100%) of the total tourism attraction project costs, provided the approved costs…

(a) As used in this section, “qualified amusement park” means a commercial recreational activity that:(1) Operates at least three (3) consecutive months during a calendar year;(2) Offers rides, shows, games, and other diversions;(3) Otherwise qualifies as an approved company unde…

(a) There is created a program to be known as the “Natural State Initiative Pilot Program”. (b) The program shall be developed, implemented, and administered by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission in consultation with the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. (c) T…

(a) (1) There is created the “Keep Arkansas Beautiful Advisory Board”, which shall advise the Office of Keep Arkansas Beautiful, to be composed of five (5) members appointed by the Director of State Highways and Transportation.(2) One (1) member shall be appointed from each Arkan…