Bill > SB374

This bill amends the Arkansas Civil Service System law for fire and police departments, making several key changes to departmental examination and hiring processes. First, the bill shifts control of examination scheduling from a civil service board to the chief of the fire or police department, who will now determine the timing, date, and frequency of exams. The civil service commission will have a more limited role, being prohibited from directly conducting interviews or proctoring exams, though they may observe examinations. Additionally, the bill modifies the procedure for creating eligibility lists when vacancies occur, requiring the department chief to notify the commission within five business days if a position becomes open due to reasons like death, termination, or retirement. The legislation also extends the probationary period for potential fire department appointees to up to 18 months and for law enforcement appointees to between one and two years, and increases the pre-promotion probationary period from six to twelve months. These changes appear designed to give department chiefs more autonomy in staffing and evaluation processes while maintaining a regulatory oversight mechanism.

Government Affairs

https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/Detail?id=sb374&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R