To Repeal The Shielded Outdoor Lighting Act.
HB1955 repeals Arkansas’s Shielded Outdoor Lighting Act in its entirety by striking Arkansas Code Title 8, Chapter 14. The existing law was designed to conserve energy and protect the environment by requiring certain publicly funded outdoor lighting fixtures to be shielded so light is directed downward, with a number of exemptions for low-wattage fixtures, highway signage, airports, agricultural and industrial safety lighting, and certain public facilities. It also required electric utilities to offer a shielded lighting service option, directed the Public Service Commission to establish rates for that service, and authorized the Division of Environmental Quality to adopt rules limiting landfill disposal of mercury-containing lighting components.
If enacted, the bill would remove the statewide statutory framework governing shielded outdoor lighting, including the public-funds restriction, utility service requirements, enforcement provisions, penalties, and the state-level light-pollution standards currently in Chapter 14. Local governments would no longer be operating under this chapter, though municipalities and counties with their own ordinances that are equal to or more stringent than the repealed law could still regulate light pollution under local authority. The repeal would also eliminate the specific statutory mandate related to mercury-containing bulbs and the associated disposal rules tied to the chapter.
The available voting history suggests the bill had substantial support on the House floor, passing third reading on April 14, 2025 by a vote of 79-11. No committee transcript is available, so there is no recorded committee debate to indicate detailed arguments for or against the measure. The broad floor margin indicates generally favorable sentiment toward repeal, at least among a large majority of House members.
The main point of contention appears to be whether statewide lighting and light-pollution standards should remain in place or be left to local governments and utilities. Supporters of repeal likely view the act as outdated, burdensome, or unnecessary, while opponents may be concerned about losing energy-conservation, environmental, and dark-sky protections, as well as the mercury-disposal safeguards. The bill’s exemptions for schools, detention facilities, higher education institutions, and various safety-related lighting uses suggest that practical implementation and cost concerns were already built into the original law, but HB1955 would remove those statewide requirements altogether.
HB1955 would repeal Arkansas Code Title 8, Chapter 14, eliminating the Shielded Outdoor Lighting Act and its statewide requirements for shielded outdoor lighting on publicly funded projects. This would affect state agencies, municipalities, counties, utilities, and certain regulated facilities by removing the statutory mandate for shielded fixtures, utility service options, enforcement penalties, and related environmental rules on mercury-containing lighting disposal. Local governments could still regulate light pollution through their own ordinances if they choose to do so.
The bill appears to have been received favorably in the House, as reflected by the 79-11 third-reading vote. With no committee transcripts available, there is no detailed record of debate, but the floor vote suggests broad support for repealing the existing statewide lighting regulations. The limited recorded opposition likely centered on preserving environmental, energy-efficiency, and light-pollution protections.
The central disagreement is between those who favor removing a statewide regulatory scheme for outdoor lighting and those who want to preserve it for energy conservation, environmental protection, and reduced light pollution. Opponents may also object to losing the mercury-disposal rule and the requirement that utilities offer shielded lighting service. Supporters likely emphasize reduced mandates, administrative simplicity, and local flexibility, while opponents may argue that repeal shifts too much responsibility away from statewide standards and onto local ordinances.