HB1748

To Adopt The Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act.

Introduced

Last Action (March 12, 2025): WITHDRAWN BY AUTHOR

AI-Generated Summary

House Bill 1748 seeks to adopt the Uniform Electronic Legal Materials Act (UELMA) in Arkansas. The bill establishes legal standards for the authentication, preservation, and accessibility of official state legal documents published in electronic formats. Specifically, it applies to the state constitution, the Arkansas Code, state agency rules, judicial decisions, and state judicial rules. Official publishers are required to provide a method for users to verify that electronic records remain unaltered from their original, official versions. Furthermore, the bill mandates that these official electronic records be preserved, backed up, and kept permanently accessible to the public. The legislation emphasizes the importance of maintaining data integrity and aligning state practices with national standards and other jurisdictions. The act is set to become effective on January 1, 2026.

Potential Impact Analysis

Who Might Benefit?

The primary beneficiaries include legal professionals, researchers, students, and the general public who rely on the accuracy and availability of legal records. By mandating authentication and permanent, secure access, the bill ensures that anyone accessing Arkansas laws, rules, and court decisions online can trust the integrity of the information. Additionally, the state government benefits from having a standardized framework for digital record-keeping that promotes uniformity across different branches of government and other states.

Who Might Suffer?

There are no specific groups or entities expected to be negatively impacted by this legislation, as it primarily serves to formalize and modernize the standards for existing government record-keeping duties. However, state agencies tasked with publishing these materials will incur the responsibility and potential operational costs associated with implementing the required authentication, security, and permanent preservation technologies and protocols.

Read Full Bill on arkleg.state.ar.us