SB525

Senate Bill 525 proposes shifting the primary authority for overseeing the incorporation and organization of new municipalities from county courts to the Arkansas Secretary of State. The bill reduces the petition signature threshold for incorporation from 200 to 75 qualified voters. It establishes new criteria for the Secretary of State to evaluate, including a requirement that petitions include a business plan for essential services such as police, fire, utilities, and trash collection. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Secretary of State publish hearing notices on their website and grants the office the power to promulgate rules for the incorporation process. It also clarifies procedures for cross-county incorporations and specifies effective dates for incorporation orders.