Title 14 — Local Government

The city council or other governing body shall fix from time to time the number of employees and the salaries to be drawn by each in the departments affected by this chapter.

(a) The secretary of the commission shall file with the treasurer or disbursing officer of his or her city a certificate of those entitled to compensation from the city under this chapter. (b) No compensation shall be allowed to any member of the affected cities unless his or her…

All examinations provided for in this chapter shall be fair and impartial and such as to test the qualifications of the applicants for the particular service and position to be filled.

In the case of a vacancy in a position requiring peculiar or exceptional qualifications of a scientific, professional, or expert character, upon satisfactory evidence that competition is impracticable and the position can best be filled by the selection of some person designated …

(a) (1) (A) No employee of any department of any city affected by this chapter shall be discharged or reduced in rank or compensation without being notified in writing as provided in this section.(B) In case of suspension, discharge, or reduction, the affected or accused person s…

(a) (1) If it shall become necessary to reduce the personnel of any department, reduction shall be from the lowest rank, seniority having priority.(2) In event the personnel is subsequently increased, any employee who has been transferred to another department or discharged by re…

No person in any department affected by this chapter shall be appointed, reduced, suspended, discharged, or otherwise discriminated against because of his or her political opinion or affiliation.

(a) Any city of the first class in this state having a population of twenty thousand (20,000) or more but less than seventy-five thousand (75,000) inhabitants, according to the most recent federal census, may establish or continue a civil service system for the nonuniformed emplo…

A person violating this chapter is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished accordingly.

(a) In any city establishing or continuing a civil service system pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, the city council or other governing body of the city shall name by ordinance five (5) citizens of the city as a civil service commission for the system. (b) The members o…

(a) Members of the civil service commission shall be citizens of the State of Arkansas and residents of the city for at least three (3) years immediately preceding their appointment. (b) (1) No person on the commission shall hold or be a candidate for any political office under a…

After the members of the civil service commission are named as provided in this chapter, the commission shall meet and organize.

The chair of the civil service commission for each biennial period shall be the member whose term of office first expires.

(a) The civil service commission shall select one (1) of its members as secretary, who shall keep the books and records of the commission and shall conduct the correspondence of the commission. (b) The secretary shall also report or cause to be reported the evidence in all trials…

The city attorney shall act as attorney for the civil service commission in all trials or other legal transactions. However, the commission may appoint an attorney to represent the commission if it so desires.

(1) The city council or other governing body shall provide:(1) Suitable rooms for the civil service commission to hold its meetings;(2) All reasonable supplies; and(3) The use of public buildings for holding examinations by the commission. (1) Suitable rooms for the civil service…

Three (3) members of the civil service commission shall constitute a quorum for transacting the business of the commission.

(a) In any investigation conducted by the commission provided for in this chapter, the commission shall have the power to subpoena, the power to require the attendance of any witness and the production of any papers or records pertinent to the investigation, and the power to admi…

(a) The city council or other governing body of the city by a two-thirds vote may remove any of the civil service commissioners during his or her term of office for cause. (b) In the event of the removal of one (1) or more of the commissioners, the city council or other governing…

(a) When a vacancy shall occur on the civil service commission by death, resignation, expiration of the term of office, or in any other manner, the vacancy shall be filled by the city council or other governing body of the city. (b) In the event a vacancy occurs during the term o…

No person who is employed by a city at the time action is taken to establish or continue a civil service system under this chapter shall be required to take an examination except for promotion or advancement, but he or she shall retain his or her present position subject to the o…

(a) The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to department heads except as provided in this section. (b) A “department head” means an employee in a supervisory capacity who is directly responsible to the elected governing body for the direction and execution of policies and…

Private secretaries to elected officials shall not be subject to the provisions of this chapter.

(a) (1) The civil service commission provided for in this chapter shall prescribe, amend, and enforce rules and regulations governing the employees of their respective cities who are under the civil service system.(2) The rules and regulations shall have the force and effect of l…

All employees covered by a civil service system established or continued under the provisions of this chapter shall be governed by the regulations set out by the heads of their respective departments and approved by the city council or other governing body of the city in their re…

(a) No employee in any department affected by this chapter shall engage in the solicitation of any subscription funds or assessments or contribute thereto for any political party or purpose. (b) An employee shall not be connected with any political campaign or political managemen…

The city council or other governing body shall from time to time fix the number of employees and the salaries to be drawn by each as well as the vacation and sick leave of employees in the departments affected by this chapter.

(a) The secretary of the civil service commission shall file with the treasurer or disbursing officer of his or her city a certificate of those entitled to compensation from the city under this chapter. (b) No compensation shall be allowed to any member of the system of the affec…

All examinations provided for in this chapter shall be fair and impartial and designed to test the qualifications of the applicants for the particular service and position to be filled.

In the case of a vacancy in a position requiring peculiar or exceptional qualifications of a scientific, professional, or expert character, upon satisfactory evidence that competition is impracticable and the position can best be filled by the selection of some person designated …

(a) (1) No civil service employees under a system established or continued pursuant to this chapter shall be discharged or reduced in rank or compensation without being notified in writing of the discharge and the cause therefor.(2) In case of discharge or reduction, the affected…

(a) (1) If it shall become necessary to reduce the personnel of any department reduction shall be from the lowest rank, seniority having priority.(2) In the event the personnel is subsequently increased, any employee who has been transferred to another department or discharged by…

No person in any department affected by this chapter shall be appointed, reduced, suspended, discharged, or otherwise discriminated against because of his or her political opinion or affiliation.

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: “board”, “commission”, or “commissioners” means the board of civil service commissioners of the police and fire departments as provided for in § 14-51-201 et seq.

In addition to all other powers possessed by cities of the first class, these cities may establish a board of civil service commissioners for the police and fire departments of their cities.

Any person violating any part of this chapter shall be subject to civil suit for injunctive and declaratory relief by the aggrieved party.

(a) In all cities of the first class having a civil service system, the city's governing body shall name by ordinance five (5) upright and intelligent citizens of their cities as a board of civil service commissioners for the police and fire departments or the nonuniformed employ…

(a) The commissioners shall be:(1) Citizens of the State of Arkansas and residents of the city for more than three (3) years preceding their appointments; and(2) Qualified electors of the city at all times during their appointments. (1) Citizens of the State of Arkansas and resid…

(a) The commissioners named as provided in this chapter shall meet and organize. (b) The commissioner who shall be elected for a term of two (2) years shall act as chair.

(a) The board of civil service commissioners shall select annually on the first Monday of May one (1) of the commissioners to serve as chair of the commission. (b) (1) The chair shall preside over all meetings of the commission and be its executive officer.(2) The chair shall vot…

(a) The board shall elect one (1) of its members as secretary. (b) The secretary shall:(1) Keep the books and records of the board;(2) Conduct the correspondence of the board;(3) Report the evidence in all trials or cause the evidence to be reported, for which the reasonable expe…

(a) Except if the commission decides otherwise, the city attorney shall act as attorney for the commission in all trials or other legal transactions. However, the commission may appoint an attorney to represent the commission if it so desires. (b) The city shall hire on an annual…

(1) The city council or other governing body, as the case may be, shall:(1) Provide suitable rooms for the board to hold meetings;(2) Allow all reasonable supplies;(3) Permit use of public buildings for holding examinations by the board;(4) Provide, designate, manage, and supervi…

A majority of the total number of the members of a civil service commission authorized by statute and city ordinance shall constitute a quorum for any business, meeting, or hearing.

(a) In any investigation conducted by the commission provided for in this chapter, the commission shall have the power of subpoena, to require the attendance of any witness and the production of any papers or records pertinent to the investigation, and to administer oaths to the …

(a) The city council or governing body of the city by a two-thirds vote may remove any of the commissioners during their term of office for cause. (b) In the event of the removal of one (1) or more of the commissioners, the council or governing body shall fill the vacancy created…

(a) When a vacancy shall occur on the board by death, resignation, or expiration of the term of office, or in any other manner, the vacancy shall be filled by the city council or governing body of the city. (b) In the event a vacancy occurs during the term of office of any commis…

(a) The powers and duties of every civil service commission established pursuant to this chapter shall be and are hereby expressly limited such that the said commissions shall not have any control nor shall said commissions attempt to exercise any control over the normal and rout…

(a) (1) The board provided for in this chapter shall prescribe, amend, and enforce rules and regulations governing the fire and police departments of its respective cities.(2) The rules and regulations shall have the same force and effect of law.(3) The board shall keep a record …

All employees in any fire or police department affected by this chapter shall be governed by rules and regulations set out by the chief of their respective police or fire departments after rules and regulations have been adopted by the governing bodies of their respective municip…