Title 21 — Public Officers and Employees

(a) (1) No member of a state board or commission or board member of an entity receiving state funds shall participate in, vote on, influence, or attempt to influence an official decision if the member has a pecuniary interest in the matter under consideration by the board, commis…

No member of a state board or commission or board member of an entity receiving state funds shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure unwarranted privileges or exemptions for himself or herself or others.

No member of a state board or commission or board member of an entity receiving state funds shall disclose confidential information acquired by him or her in the course of the member's official duties or use such information to further his or her personal interests.

(a) In addition to any penalty contained in any other provision of law, any member of a state board or commission or board member of an entity receiving state funds who knowingly and intentionally violates any of the provisions of this subchapter may be removed from office by the…

This subchapter shall be supplemental to all other laws concerning ethics or conflicts of interest.

(a) A person who is related within the second degree, by consanguinity or affinity, to a member or employee of a state board or commission shall not be eligible for appointment as a member of the board. (b) A person who is related within the second degree, by consanguinity or aff…

(a) As used in this section:(1) “State employee” means an individual employed in the office of:(A) The Governor;(B) The Lieutenant Governor;(C) The Attorney General;(D) The Secretary of State;(E) The Auditor of State;(F) The Treasurer of State;(G) The Commissioner of State Lands;…

(a) A person serving as an elected state official in any jurisdiction is prohibited from registering as a lobbyist in Arkansas under § 21-8-601 et seq. or similarly in any other jurisdiction while the person is serving as an elected state official. (b) As used in this section, “e…

An advertising or advertisement targeting the prevention or reduction of tobacco use shall not include the name, voice, or likeness of any elected official or his or her immediate family.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) The voters, citizens, and policymakers of this state are entitled to transparency in the political and propaganda activities of organizations that may be controlled by or under the influence of foreign countries hostile to the interests of …

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Foreign-supported political organization” means a political party or a domestic partnership, association, corporation, organization, or any other combination of persons that has, within the past five (5) calendar years, received money or other …

(a) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, a person shall not act as a representative of a hostile foreign principal unless the person has filed a true and complete registration statement with the Secretary of State as required by this subchapter.(2) Except as other…

(a) No later than January 31, 2026, and each following year, each foreign-supported political organization shall register with the Secretary of State and provide the following information:(1) The name of the foreign-supported political organization, its business address, and upon…

(a) Upon receipt of a complaint that a representative of a hostile foreign principal or a foreign-supported political organization has failed to comply with the registration and reporting requirements of this subchapter, or upon his or her own determination, the Secretary of Stat…

(1) The Secretary of State shall promulgate rules to:(1) Create and maintain registration statement forms as described under this subchapter; and(2) Implement this subchapter. (1) Create and maintain registration statement forms as described under this subchapter; and (2) Impleme…

(1) For the purposes of this subchapter:(1) “Public agency” shall include:(A) The agency with which a state employee is employed, a state board, commission, institution, office, or agency;(B) Any city, county, or school district, or any agency, division, or instrumentality thereo…

(a) Any employee of the State of Arkansas, including employees of the state-supported institutions of higher education, who fails to file or who shall falsely file any statement as required under the provisions of this subchapter shall be guilty of a violation. (b) Upon convictio…

The General Assembly determines that it is essential to the efficient operation of government, and to minimize the opportunities for conflicts of interest, that all state employees who are employed on a regular salary basis shall be required to disclose each source of income in e…

(a) On or before January 31 following the close of each calendar year, all state employees who are employed by a state office, agency, department, board, commission, or institution of higher education in this state on a regular salary basis shall file a statement under oath refle…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Constitutional office” means the offices of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Auditor of State, Treasurer of State, Secretary of State, Commissioner of State Lands, the Attorney General, the General Assembly, Justice of the Supreme Court, Judge of…

Any person who knowingly or willfully violates any provision of this subchapter shall be guilty of a Class B misdemeanor.

(a) (1) It shall be the duties and responsibilities of the prosecuting attorneys of this state to supervise compliance with this subchapter and to prosecute persons who violate the provisions of this subchapter.(2) (A) However, the Arkansas Ethics Commission shall also have autho…

(a) No public servant shall use or attempt to use his or her official position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself or herself or his or her spouse, child, parents, or other persons standing in the first degree of relationship, or for those with whom he or she h…

(a) If a person has pleaded guilty or nolo contendere to or has been found guilty of a public trust crime, he or she shall not:(1) File as a candidate for:(A) A constitutional office;(B) A county elected office; or(C) An elected office in a municipality, city, township, or other …

(1) Persons elected or appointed to the following offices shall not knowingly or willfully solicit or accept a gift in violation of Arkansas Constitution, Article 19, § 30, from a lobbyist, a person acting on behalf of a lobbyist, or a person employing or contracting with a lobby…

This subchapter, § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq. may be referred to and cited as the “Disclosure Act for Lobbyists and State and Local Officials”.

(1) As used in this subchapter and § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq., unless the context otherwise requires:(1) (A) “Administrative action” means any decision on, or proposal, consideration, or making of any rule, ratemaking proceeding, or policy acti…

(a) Upon conviction, any person who violates any provision of this subchapter, § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., or § 21-8-801 et seq. is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. (b) The culpable mental state required shall be a purposeful violation.

The prosecuting attorney of the district where an alleged violation occurred shall have the authority to investigate the alleged violations of this chapter.

This subchapter, § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq. are supplemental to any other law pertaining to ethics or conflicts of interest and do not repeal any other law except for a law specifically repealed by this subchapter, § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-70…

For the purposes of this subchapter, § 21-8-601 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq., the value of a ticket to a charitable event shall not include the tax deductible portion of the ticket.

Any work of art contracted for prior to January 1, 1998, for public service recognition for members of the General Assembly shall not be a gift under § 21-8-402 nor shall it be deemed an unlawful gift under any other statute or rule.

(a) (1) A lobbyist shall register within five (5) days after beginning lobbying. Such registration shall be on forms provided by the Secretary of State containing the following information:(A) The name, address, and telephone number of the lobbyist;(B) The calendar year for which…

(a) A lobbyist who lobbies public servants of state government shall register and make other filings with the Secretary of State. (b) A lobbyist who lobbies public servants of municipal government shall register and make other filings with the city clerk or recorder of the munici…

(a) (1) Within fifteen (15) days after the end of each calendar quarter, each registered lobbyist shall file a complete and detailed statement, signed and sworn to, concerning his or her lobbying activities during the previous calendar quarter.(2) (A) A registered lobbyist who lo…

(a) The lobbyist activity reports shall be signed and sworn to by the registered lobbyist. (b) The reports shall contain:(1) (A) The total of all expenditures made or incurred by the registered lobbyist or on behalf of the registered lobbyist by his or her employer or any officer…

A registered lobbyist shall maintain and preserve all accounts, bills, receipts, and any other documents necessary to substantiate the financial reports required by this subchapter, § 21-8-401 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq. for a period of at least four (4) y…

(1) The Secretary of State, each county clerk, and each city clerk or recorder shall:(1) Provide forms approved by the Arkansas Ethics Commission for registration and for statements required by this subchapter, § 21-8-401 et seq., § 21-8-701 et seq., and § 21-8-801 et seq. to all…

(a) No person shall purposely employ any lobbyist who is required to register as a registered lobbyist but is not registered pursuant to this chapter. (b) No person engaging in lobbying shall:(1) Influence or attempt to influence, by coercion, bribery, or threat of economic sanct…

(a) The following persons shall file a written statement of financial interest:(1) A public official, as defined in § 21-8-402(17);(2) A candidate for elective office;(3) A district judge or city attorney, whether elected or appointed;(4) An agency head, department director, or d…

Forms used by persons in filing statements as required in this subchapter shall provide for the signature of the person, under penalty of false swearing, with respect to the truth and accuracy of the statements made on the form.

(a) The statement of financial interest shall be filed as follows:(1) State or district public servants and candidates for state or district public office required to file shall file with the Secretary of State;(2) County, township, or school district public servants and candidat…

(1) If a person who is required to file a statement of financial interest under this subchapter is called to active duty in the United States Armed Forces:(1) The person shall be allowed an additional one hundred eighty (180) days to file the statement of financial interest requi…

If the party filing period under § 7-7-203 ends before January 1 of the year of the general election, a candidate for elective office shall file a statement of financial interest for the previous calendar year no later than January 31 of the year of the general election in additi…

(a) No public servant shall:(1) Receive a gift or compensation as defined in § 21-8-401 et seq., other than income and benefits from the governmental body to which he or she is duly entitled, for the performance of the duties and responsibilities of his or her office or position;…

(a) No legislator shall appear for compensation on behalf of another person, firm, corporation, or entity before any entity of:(1) State government, if the legislator is a member of the General Assembly;(2) The legislator's county government, if the legislator is a member of a qu…

(a) A legislator who is required to take an action in the discharge of his or her official duties that may affect his or her financial interest or cause financial benefit or detriment to him or her, or a business in which he or she is an officer, director, stockholder owning more…

(a) (1) The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer of State, Auditor of State, Commissioner of State Lands, and Attorney General, in their official capacity, may accept gifts, grants, and donations of money or property on behalf of the state for any lawful p…

In addition to the required filings under § 21-8-701, a member or a member-elect of the General Assembly shall report any goods or services sold during the previous calendar year having a total annual value in excess of one thousand dollars ($1,000) to an office, department, comm…

(a) The disclosure required by § 21-8-901 shall be filed with the Secretary of State at the same time as the filing of the statement of financial interest required under § 21-8-701 et seq. (b) The disclosure shall be on a form requiring the signature of the member, under penalty …