HB1560

House Bill 1560 amends Arkansas state law concerning public works contracts by establishing new requirements for the procurement of lighting components. Under the bill, public entities—including the state, counties, municipalities, and school districts—are prohibited from entering into contracts for projects designed by electrical engineering firms unless the design includes a specification requiring bids from three separate lighting agencies. A lighting agency is defined as an entity representing lighting manufacturers for sale through distribution houses. Municipal electric utilities are exempt from this requirement. Additionally, architects and electrical engineers retain the authority to exempt specialty fixtures from this three-bid requirement in cases involving design aesthetics or historical preservation.