To Amend The Law Concerning The Duties Of A County Property Assessor; And To Permit A Property Owner To Opt Out Of Having The Property Owner's Information Posted On An Online Database.
Summary
HB1565 amends Arkansas law governing county government electronic records to give property owners a new privacy option when a county assessor maintains an online property-records database. The bill defines an “online database” as a public website controlled by a county official that allows users to search public records, and it requires county assessors who maintain such a database to allow a property owner to opt out of having the owner’s information posted online.
To use the opt-out, the property owner must submit a written request to the county assessor stating the intent to be excluded from the online database. The bill also authorizes the Assessment Coordination Division to adopt rules and create the forms needed to process these requests. The legislation does not require county assessors to create online databases, but it regulates them if they are maintained.
Impact
The bill would add new provisions to Arkansas Code § 14-14-111 concerning county government use of electronic records, creating a statutory right for property owners to request removal of their information from assessor-maintained online property databases. It affects county assessors, the Assessment Coordination Division, and property owners by establishing a formal opt-out process and allowing state-level rulemaking and form development to implement it.
Sentiment
The available bill text and context suggest generally neutral-to-supportive sentiment, with the measure framed as a privacy and convenience bill rather than a controversial policy change. The legislative findings emphasize that online records are optional and that property owners may want to limit online publication for privacy or other reasons, indicating an intent to balance public access with individual preference. No committee testimony or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence of organized opposition or strong debate in the available materials.
Contention
The main policy issue is the tension between public access to property records and individual privacy. Supporters would likely view the bill as giving property owners control over personal information displayed online, while any potential critics could worry about reduced transparency, added administrative burden for county assessors, or inconsistency in public record access. Because no committee transcripts or votes are included, specific objections or named opponents cannot be identified from the record provided.