Title 15, Natural Resources and Economic Development

(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…

Before the Arkansas Economic Development Council shall issue its revenue bonds, the council, acting through the Division of Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, shall have received from small business investment companies i…

(a) Before revenue bonds shall be issued, the Arkansas Economic Development Council shall adopt an authorizing resolution and trust indenture which, together with this subchapter, shall constitute a contract between the council and the holders and registered owners of the bonds. …

(a) The bonds to be issued by the Arkansas Economic Development Council shall be issued in accordance with the same procedures provided for the issuance of revenue bonds by the Arkansas Development Finance Authority. (b) All other provisions of the Arkansas Housing Development Ag…

(a) The principal of, interest on, and trustees' and paying agents' fees in connection with the revenue bonds issued by the Arkansas Economic Development Council under the provisions of this subchapter shall be secured by a lien and pledge of the loans made or the investment loan…

The Arkansas Economic Development Council may require the small business investment company borrowing money from the council or selling small business concern investment loans to the council to pay all or part of the incidental expenses in connection therewith and all or part of …

Bonds issued under the provisions of this subchapter and the interest on those bonds shall be exempt from all state, county, and municipal taxes, and the exemption shall include income, inheritance, and estate taxes.

Neither the members of the Arkansas Economic Development Council nor officials or employees of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission or the Division of Minority Business and Women-owned Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission executing bonds or notes pur…

(1) The Arkansas Economic Development Council, acting through the Division of Minority Business and Women-owned Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, is authorized and empowered to use the proceeds of any bonds issued under this subchapter, together with any…

(a) All revenues received by the Division of Minority Business and Women-owned Enterprise of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission on behalf of the Arkansas Economic Development Council under the authority of this subchapter, except revenues derived from appropriations, ar…

In order to encourage and promote the economic, agricultural, and industrial development of any city, town, or county in this state, not fewer than fifteen (15) natural persons of twenty-one (21) years of age or more who are residents of the city, town, or county may act as incor…

(a) The articles of incorporation shall state:(1) The name of the corporation. The name shall include the name of the city, town, or county and the words “industrial development” or “economic development” and the word “corporation”, “incorporated”, “inc.”, or “company”. The name …

The original copy of the articles of incorporation shall be signed by the incorporators and acknowledged before any officer authorized by the laws of this state to acknowledge the execution of deeds and conveyances.

(a) The original executed articles of incorporation shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. (b) If the Secretary of State finds that the articles of incorporation conform to law, he or she shall, when the fees prescribed by this act have been paid:(1) Endorse on t…