Bill > HB1159

This bill establishes the Retail Convenience Store Security Act, which mandates specific security measures for convenience stores operating in Arkansas between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. beginning January 1, 2026. The legislation is driven by findings that convenience stores are frequent targets for nighttime robberies, with FBI data showing over 22,788 violent crime incidents in 2021, double the number in 2017. The bill requires stores to maintain at least two employees on-site during nighttime hours, install a security camera system, use a drop safe for cash management, keep a well-lit parking lot, post signs indicating limited cash in registers, maintain clear window visibility, install height markers to aid in suspect identification, develop cash management policies, conduct employee training, maintain a silent alarm, and lock premises with transactions occurring only through indirect pass-through windows or doors. Violations of these requirements can be prosecuted by the Attorney General under existing state consumer protection laws. The legislation aims to reduce violent crime and enhance safety for both employees and customers in retail convenience stores by implementing comprehensive security protocols.

Business and Industry

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1159&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R