To Amend The Duties Of The Arkansas Waterways Commission; And To Create An Arkansas Waterways Commission Police Force.
Summary
HB1289 would expand the statutory duties of the Arkansas Waterways Commission to include protecting and policing commission property in cooperation with local law enforcement. It also authorizes the commission to appoint one or more Arkansas Waterways Commission law enforcement officers to help protect commission persons and property.
The bill further creates a new jurisdiction and powers section for these officers. A commission officer could arrest a person, on or off commission property, for a violation committed on commission property, using existing Arkansas arrest authority provisions. The bill also allows these officers to carry weapons as needed to perform their duties, and requires that any commission law enforcement officer be a certified law enforcement officer under Arkansas law.
Impact
HB1289 would amend Arkansas Code § 15-23-202 and add a new § 15-23-206 within Title 15, Chapter 23, Subchapter 2. In practical terms, it would give the Arkansas Waterways Commission a limited police function and the ability to employ certified law enforcement officers with arrest and weapons authority tied to enforcement of laws affecting commission property. The bill would affect the commission, its property, and any persons violating laws on that property, while also interacting with existing state arrest and certification statutes.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and property-protection proposal, with an administrative law-enforcement purpose rather than a broad policy change. The available record does not show any formal sentiment from legislators or stakeholders.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are the creation of a new commission-based police force, the scope of arrest authority for officers acting off commission property for offenses committed on that property, and the need for certified law enforcement status. Questions could also arise about overlap with local police and sheriff jurisdiction, the extent of weapons authority, and whether the commission should have its own armed officers at all. Because no discussion transcript is available, no specific opponents or supporters can be identified from the record provided.