Title 15, Natural Resources and Economic Development

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…

(a) There is established the Office of Keep Arkansas Beautiful to be located within the Arkansas Department of Transportation. (b) The Administrator of the Office of the Keep Arkansas Beautiful shall be employed by the Director of State Highways and Transportation. (c) The admini…

(1) The Office of Keep Arkansas Beautiful shall:(1) Be authorized to accept and receive grants, moneys, equipment, material, and services and real and personal property donated, bequeathed, or devised for any purposes relating to the programs of the office and not expressly desig…

This subchapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program”.

(1) The General Assembly finds that:(1) Arkansas is a state of natural cultural and scenic beauty, natural resources, and wildlife;(2) Enjoyment of the natural cultural and scenic beauty, the natural resources, and the observation of wildlife in Arkansas is a favorite pastime of …

“Wildlife observation trail” means a trail route designed to promote conservation and management of wildlife resources of the state and to promote tourism and economic development through the enjoyment, use, protection, and improvement of the natural resources of Arkansas.

(a) There is continued a program to be known as the “Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program”. (b) The program shall be developed, implemented, and administered by the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism with the assistance of the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission.…

(a) To accept a wildlife observation trail into the Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program and be eligible to receive grant moneys under this subchapter, the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall require that the wildlife observation trail:(1) Meet the criteria esta…

(a) (1) There is continued an advisory body to the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism to be known as the “Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program Advisory Board” to provide recommendations to the Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism and the Arkans…

(a) (1) The Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission agrees to make available an amount not to exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000) for fiscal year 2011-2012 for the Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program for the development of wildlife observation trails under this subchapt…

(a) (1) A grant application under this subchapter that meets the criteria under § 15-11-705 shall be submitted to the Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program Advisory Board by the Secretary of the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism for review and comment.(2) The board s…

(a) The Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission and the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall report the status of the Wildlife Observation Trails Pilot Program biannually to the Game and Fish/State Police Subcommittee of the Legislative Council and the Parks and Touri…

(a) The General Assembly finds that:(1) The State of Arkansas has a range of geographic and cultural diversity, stretching from the Ozark Mountains, to the Ouachita Mountains, to the Arkansas River Valley, to the Delta, and to the Timberlands;(2) The economics of each of these ge…

(a) The Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism shall administer and establish the Arkansas Great Places Program to:(1) Provide planning and financial assistance to eligible organizations for community development; and(2) Combine resources of state government in an effort to s…

(a) As used in this subchapter, “eligible organization” means:(1) A county;(2) A municipality or incorporated town; or(3) A nonprofit organization. (1) A county; (2) A municipality or incorporated town; or (3) A nonprofit organization. (b) An eligible organization may apply to th…