Bill > HB1618

This bill amends Arkansas law concerning municipal attorneys for cities of the second class and incorporated towns, providing more flexibility in how these legal professionals are selected and retained. The bill allows municipalities to either elect, appoint, or contract with an attorney to serve as their municipal attorney, whereas previous law was more restrictive. For elected or appointed municipal attorneys, the bill now requires them to reside within the municipal boundaries, maintaining a local connection. The term of office for an elected or appointed municipal attorney remains four years. An important new provision allows municipalities to contract with attorneys for legal representation, and these contracted attorneys are not required to live within the city limits. The bill also preserves municipalities' ability to join with other local governments to purchase legal services. Additionally, the bill repeals two existing statutes (§ 14-42-122 and § 14-43-319) that previously regulated city attorney selection for smaller cities, streamlining the legal framework for municipal attorney appointments across different city sizes.

Government Affairs

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=hb1618&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R