plan of the governor and general assembly regarding their discretion to use rainy day funds, surpluses and/or general improvement funds toward state highways for purposes to match $200 million in federal highway funds.
911 funding and efficiencies
Te CJAA voted for the CJAA Executive Board to take the recom- mendations of the 911 Blue Ribbon Committee, the subcommittee and 911 coordinators and pursue along with other stakeholders ad- ditional legislation necessary for 911 funding and efficiencies. Te county judges also submitted two draft proposals focused on various unrelated specific items.
Landlocked clarifications bill (Amendment to various code sections) Tis is an amendment to the law concerning procedures for access to certain real property. Tis proposal is to substitute the process and selection of three viewers with a surveyor (either the county surveyor or court-appointed surveyor). Te proposal also includes a provision that the county court may in its discretion appoint a viewer to assist the court in determining damages and valuation of the subject property and the sum of just compensa- tion. Te bill also makes more explicit the duty of the petition or petitioner to demonstrate the status as landlocked.
Ethics — Property and commodities from county government officers and employees (Amendment of ACA § 14-14-1202)
Tis provision adds “commodities and real property” to the
current guiding statute concerning purchases by a county from county government officers and employees due to unusual cir- cumstances via local ordinance.
County Clerks
Te county clerks have proposed three bills with the potential for a fourth in response to an attorney general’s opinion.
Running for multiple offices (Amendment of § 7-5-111) Te clerks’ first bill adds “district” and “township” office to
ACA § 7-5-111; Candidacy for more than one elected office. Currently, a person shall not run for election for more than one state, county or municipal office if the elections are to be held on the same day. Te clerks propose township and district offices to be included in this provision. Candidates who run for more than one office creates vacancies and costs taxpayers time and money in filling those vacancies.
L&A Testing for runoff elections (Amendment of § ACA 7-5-611)
County clerks seek to adjust logic and accuracy testing dead- lines for runoff elections only. Tey must perform these public tests seven days prior to an election. Tis provision would allow a five-day prior to a runoff election deadline for this testing. Run- off election timing presents a quick turnaround period for pre- election procedures. Tis bill would simply allow two more days to perform these tests before runoff elections only.
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Elections in cities of the second class and vote centers (Amendment of ACA § 14-44-103)
Te third county clerk association bill is aimed to clean up
ACA § 14-44-103, which states cities of the second class shall have a voting precinct in each ward. It would be detrimental and conflicting for counties that have established vote centers to have to open precincts in every ward in a city of the second class.
Secrecy of the ballot (Potential amendment of ACA § 7-5-701) Te fourth potential bill for county clerks concerns precinct
reporting and conflicts with the Arkansas Constitution Amend- ment 50, Article 2 that states all elections by the people should ensure the secrecy of individual votes. In certain circumstances, reporting election results by precinct pursuant to ACA § 7-5-701, could disclose individual votes in small precincts, especially when very few absentee ballots are cast in said precinct. Rep. Lanny Fite has requested an attorney general’s opinion on the matter. Clerks hope to identify language that would allow precinct reporting to be rolled into the next precinct when this situation occurs to protect the secrecy of individual votes.
Circuit Clerks
Juror Orientation Reimbursement (Amendment of ACA § 16-34-106)
Tis provision clarifies as long as funds are available the state
shall reimburse a county for the cost of a one-day prospective juror orientation for any juror who is eligible for payment under ACA § 16-34-103(b)(2)… if the county makes a request.
County Sheriffs
Transportation of state inmates (Amendment of ACA § 12-27-113(d) and/or ACA § 16-93-705)
Several sheriffs have concerns that they continue to have to take community corrections inmates all over the state (and not to the nearest facility pursuant to Act 1171 of 2015; ACA § 16-93- 705 or ACA § 12-27-113(d)). Amendment of ACA § 16-93-705 regarding transport of community corrections inmates might be warranted. Likewise, amendment of ACA § 12-27-113(d) may be necessary to the extent inmates of community corrections are included in this section. Te Arkansas Sheriffs’ Association voted to continue to pur- sue and partner with leadership and citizens on the dire need in Arkansas to address two major complex and challenging areas of emphasis: Behavioral health and crisis intervention diversion; and prison and jail overcrowding. Actual legislative drafting ef- forts in these areas are not yet defined.
Behavioral health and crisis intervention diversion
(See county judges’ association areas of emphasis.) Prison/jail overcrowding
(See county judges’ association areas of emphasis.) COUNTY LINES, FALL 2016
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