Title 15 — Natural Resources and Economic Development

(a) Enforcement of each of the recapture provisions under § 15-4-3607 is subject to a six-month cure period. (b) Recapture shall not occur until the Arkansas Economic Development Commission has given the qualified community development entity written notice of its noncompliance a…

(a) A qualified community development entity that seeks to have an equity investment or long-term debt security designated as a qualified equity investment eligible for a tax credit under this subchapter shall pay a fee in the amount one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the amount o…

(a) An entity claiming a tax credit under this subchapter is not required to pay any additional retaliatory tax levied under § 23-63-102 as a result of claiming the tax credit. (b) In addition to the exclusion in subsection (a) of this section, it is the intent of this subchapter…

(a) (1) If a qualified equity investment is certified under § 15-4-3605, the qualified equity investment shall not be decertified unless the requirements of subsection (b) of this section are met.(2) Until all qualified equity investments issued by a qualified community developme…

(a) (1) A qualified community development entity that issues a qualified equity investment under this subchapter shall submit a report to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission within five (5) business days after the first anniversary of the initial credit allowance date.(2…

(a) (1) Before making a qualified low-income community investment, a qualified community development entity shall submit to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for review a revenue impact assessment prepared by a nationally recognized third-party independent economic for…

The Arkansas Economic Development Commission shall promulgate rules to implement this subchapter.

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act”.

The purpose of this subchapter is to outline a workforce development plan for Arkansas and to comply with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, Pub. L. No. 113-128, by increasing access for Arkansans, particularly those individuals with barriers to employment, to opportun…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) (A) “Chief elected official” means the chief elected executive officer of a unit of general local government in a local workforce development area.(B) If a local workforce development area includes more than one (1) unit of general local governm…

(a) The Arkansas Workforce Development Board is created. (b) The Arkansas Workforce Development Board shall consist of:(1) The Governor;(2) The following members to be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate:(A) Members constituting a majority of the Arka…

(a) (1) To comply with the requirements and responsibilities assigned under this subchapter, the Arkansas Workforce Development Board shall select from its membership an executive committee to be composed of at least nine (9) members but no more than eleven (11) members.(2) The C…

(1) The Arkansas Workforce Development Board shall assist the Governor and the Secretary of the Department of Commerce in:(1) The development, implementation, and modification of the state workforce development plan;(2) The review of statewide policies, of statewide programs, and…

(a) By March 3, 2016, the Governor shall submit to the United States Department of Labor and other approval authorities, as appropriate, a state plan outlining the state's four-year strategy for the core programs of the state under this subchapter. (b) The state plan shall be a u…

(a) No later than July 1, 2015, the Governor shall designate local workforce development areas within the state:(1) Through consultation with the Arkansas Workforce Development Board; and(2) After consultation with chief elected officials and local workforce development boards an…

(a) There shall be established by July 1, 2015, and certified by the Governor, a local workforce development board in each local workforce development area to carry out the functions described in § 15-4-3711. (b) The Governor, in partnership with the Arkansas Workforce Developmen…

(a) One (1) time every two (2) years, the Governor shall certify one (1) local workforce development board for each local workforce development area in the state. (b) The certification under this section shall be based on criteria established under § 15-4-3709, and for a second o…

(a) The functions of a local workforce development board include:(1) (A) Developing and submitting a local workforce development plan to the Governor that meets the requirements in § 15-4-3713.(B) If the local workforce development area is part of a planning region that includes …

(a) (1) The local workforce development board shall designate and direct the activities of standing committees to provide information and to assist the local workforce development board in carrying out activities under this subchapter.(2) A standing committee shall be:(A) Chaired…

(a) (1) Each local workforce development board shall develop and submit to the Governor a comprehensive four-year local workforce development plan, in partnership with the chief elected official.(2) The local workforce development board shall support the strategy described in the…

(a) No later than June 30, 2016, the Arkansas Workforce Development Board shall identify regions in the state after consultation with the local workforce development boards and chief elected officials in the local workforce development areas. (b) The Arkansas Workforce Developmen…

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act”.

(1) The General Assembly intends for this subchapter to:(1) Create, strengthen, and expand local farm and food economies throughout the state;(2) Support and encourage the procurement of local farm or food products as a significant portion of all food products purchased by the st…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) (A) “Agency” means an entity that receives at least twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) a year from the state and offers a food service program.(B) “Agency” includes without limitation:(i) An institution of higher education;(ii) A child care …

(a) For each fiscal year, each agency shall make it a goal to ensure that at least twenty percent (20%) of the agency's purchases of food products is spent on local farm or food products. (b) Each agency shall:(1) Identify the percentage of funds spent on local farm or food produ…

(a) By October 1 of each year, an agency or agency designee shall submit a report to the Department of Agriculture stating:(1) The name of the agency and, if applicable, agency designee;(2) A policy statement signed by the executive head of the agency or agency designee expressin…

(a) The Department of Agriculture may use its internet resources to:(1) Promote, create, and expand local farm and food economies in this state;(2) Maintain a list of local farm or food products and the providers of local farm or food products; and(3) Facilitate compliance with t…

(a) If this subchapter conflicts with federal law pertaining to a federal aid program, the conflicting provision or provisions of this subchapter do not apply to a contract that is subject to that federal law, rule, or regulation to the extent of the conflict. (b) To the extent a…

(1) The Office of State Procurement may promulgate rules to implement and administer this subchapter, including without limitation a method for:(1) Identifying and certifying vendors as providers of local farm or food products; and(2) Determining the means of satisfying and track…

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Military Affairs Council Act”.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) The State of Arkansas has a long and distinguished history of hosting military installations vital to the defense of the United States;(2) This state is currently home to the following five (5) military installations:(A) Little Rock Air For…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “City” means a city of the first class, a city of the second class, or an incorporated town in this state;(2) “Economic development organization” means a business entity:(A) In good standing with the Secretary of State; and(B) Formed to promote …

(a) There is established the Arkansas Military Affairs Council. (b) The purpose of the council is to advise and assist the Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission in the performance of his or her duties under this subchapter. (c) (1) The council shall consist of …

(a) There is created the Military Affairs Division within the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to be the instrumentality of this state to promote and support military installations in the State of Arkansas. (b) (1) There is created the Military Affairs Director to head th…

(1) The Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, the Military Affairs Director, and the Military Affairs Division, with the advice and assistance of the Arkansas Military Affairs Council and in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of the Military, ha…

(1) The Military Affairs Grant Program is established to provide grants for projects or programs that:(1) Support and sustain military installations and military families in Arkansas; or(2) Result in economic growth to:(A) The community hosting a military installation;(B) The reg…

(a) (1) An eligible applicant may submit an application to receive a grant provided under the Military Affairs Grant Program to the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.(2) The commission shall:(A) Solicit grant applications as funding becomes available; and(B) Assign the Gov…

(1) An eligible applicant that receives approval from the Director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission provided under the Military Affairs Grant Program shall execute a grant agreement with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission that includes without limitation …

(1) The Military Affairs Division shall adopt rules to implement and administer this subchapter, including without limitation rules regarding the:(1) Application process for grants provided under the Military Affairs Grant Program;(2) Disbursement of grant funds; and(3) Reporting…

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Arkansas Healthy Food Retail Act of 2025”.

(a) The General Assembly finds that:(1) When fresh produce and other healthy foods are not readily available or affordable, people, particularly low-income families, children, and the elderly, face serious barriers to eating a healthy diet;(2) Research in Arkansas and the nation …

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Funding” means grants, loans, or a combination of grants and loans;(2) “Healthy food retailers” means for-profit or nonprofit retailers that sell high-quality, fresh produce at competitive prices to various sellers, including without limitation…

(a) To the extent funds are available, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, in cooperation with public and private sector partners, shall establish the Healthy Food Retailer Program that provides funding directly and indirectly to healthy food retailers that increase acc…

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Jobs Creation by Stimulating Small Business Growth Act of 1985”.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) It would be in the best interest of the population of the State of Arkansas to promote the growth and development of small business concerns and concerns owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, to the ex…

(1) As used in this subchapter:(1) “Council” means the Arkansas Economic Development Council;(2) “Division” means the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission;(3) “Small business concern” means small business firms i…

(1) The Arkansas Economic Development Council shall promulgate rules and procedures to be followed by the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission:(1) In administering the provisions of this subchapter; and(2) In the…

(a) Any small business investment company which qualifies and is licensed by the United States Small Business Administration as a small business investment company authorized to do business in this state and to make loans and provide investment funds for capital improvements to p…

(1) To stimulate the flow of private funds for capital improvements to small business concerns, the Arkansas Economic Development Council is authorized to:(1) Issue revenue bonds to obtain funds to be administered through the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterpri…

(a) The Arkansas Economic Development Council is authorized and empowered to issue revenue bonds in such amounts as may be determined by the council. (b) For the purposes of this subchapter, the aggregate amount of revenue bonds to be issued under the provisions of this subchapte…