HB1591

House Bill 1591 amends the Arkansas Retail Pet Store Consumer Protection Act of 1991 to establish state-level preemption regarding the operation of retail pet stores. The bill defines 'local government' to include cities and counties and explicitly prohibits these local entities from passing ordinances or regulations that restrict retail pet stores from acquiring or selling animals obtained from catteries, kennels, or USDA-licensed dealers. Furthermore, the legislation stipulates that any existing or future local regulations conflicting with these provisions are rendered invalid. The primary purpose is to standardize regulations across the state and prevent local jurisdictions from enacting bans or restrictions on the sourcing and sale of pets from specific types of facilities.