§ 25-19-101. Title

This chapter shall be known and cited as the “Freedom of Information Act of 1967”.

§ 25-19-102. Legislative intent

It is vital in a democratic society that public business be performed in an open and public manner so that the electors shall be advised of the performance of public officials and of the decisions that are reached in public activity and in making public policy. Toward this end, this chapter is adopted, making it […]

§ 25-19-103. Definitions

As used in this chapter: (1) (A) “Custodian”, except as otherwise provided by law and with respect to any public record, means the person having administrative control of that record. (B) “Custodian” does not mean a person who holds public records solely for the purposes of storage, safekeeping, or data processing for others; (2) “Disaster […]

§ 25-19-104. Penalty

Any person who negligently violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor.

§ 25-19-105. Examination and copying of public records

(a) (1) (A) Except as otherwise specifically provided by this section or by laws specifically enacted to provide otherwise, all public records shall be open to inspection and copying by any citizen of the State of Arkansas during the regular business hours of the custodian of the records. (B) However, access to inspect and copy […]

§ 25-19-106. Open public meetings. [Effective until emergency ends or December 31, 2020.]

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all meetings, formal or informal, special or regular, of the governing bodies of all municipalities, counties, townships, and school districts and all boards, bureaus, commissions, or organizations of the State of Arkansas, except grand juries, supported wholly or in part by public funds or expending public funds, […]

§ 25-19-106. Open public meetings. [Effective when emergency ends or on December 31, 2020.]

(a) Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, all meetings, formal or informal, special or regular, of the governing bodies of all municipalities, counties, townships, and school districts and all boards, bureaus, commissions, or organizations of the State of Arkansas, except grand juries, supported wholly or in part by public funds or expending public funds, […]

§ 25-19-107. Appeal from denial of rights — Attorney’s fees

(a) Any citizen denied the rights granted to him or her by this chapter may appeal immediately from the denial to the Pulaski County Circuit Court or to the circuit court of the residence of the aggrieved party, if the State of Arkansas or a department, agency, or institution of the state is involved, or […]

§ 25-19-108. Information for public guidance

(a) Each state agency, board, and commission shall prepare and make available: (1) A description of its organization, including central and field offices, the general course and method of its operations, and the established locations, including, but not limited to, telephone numbers and street, mailing, electronic mail, and internet addresses and the methods by which […]

§ 25-19-109. Special requests for electronic information

(a) (1) At his or her discretion, a custodian may agree to summarize, compile, or tailor electronic data in a particular manner or medium and may agree to provide the data in an electronic format to which it is not readily convertible. (2) Where the cost and time involved in complying with the requests are […]

§ 25-19-110. Exemptions

(a) Beginning July 1, 2009, in order to be effective, a law that enacts a new exemption to the requirements of this chapter or that substantially amends an existing exemption to the requirements of this chapter shall state that the record or meeting is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, § 25-19-101 […]

§ 25-19-111. Arkansas Freedom of Information Task Force

(a) (1) There is created the Arkansas Freedom of Information Task Force for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating, and approving proposed amendments to the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, § 25-19-101 et seq. (2) No later than the first day of November in each even-numbered year preceding a regular legislative session, the task force […]