HB1790

House Bill 1790 establishes a statewide framework for the regulation of short-term rentals by local governments in Arkansas. It prohibits local governments from enacting jurisdiction-wide bans or numerical caps on short-term rentals, ensuring they cannot effectively prohibit their use. The bill explicitly defines short-term rentals as residential land use for zoning purposes. It allows local governments to require operating permits, collect reasonable fees, and enforce health, safety, fire, building, and sanitation codes. Additionally, it provides specific grounds for the suspension or revocation of permits, such as repeated ordinance violations or the occurrence of felonious criminal acts on the property. The bill clarifies that these provisions do not supersede existing homeowners' association agreements, deed restrictions, or covenants. Finally, it preserves the right of citizens to use initiative powers to regulate or restrict short-term rentals.