Ark. Code Ann. § 15-41-209 (2026)

1. All fines assessed against and collected from persons convicted for infractions of the state laws protecting game, fish, fur-bearing animals, or fresh water mussels shall be paid to the county treasurer or the district court clerk of the county in which the fine is assessed and forwarded, as provided, to the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission.
2. 1. The county treasurer or district court clerk shall give his or her receipt to a person paying a fine or to an officer of the court making settlement of fines collected.
   2. 1. At the end of each month, county treasurers or district court clerks shall file a report and forward all fines collected under this chapter to the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission.
      2. The report, filed on forms provided by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission, shall include:
         1. The name of each defendant;
         2. The court case number;
         3. The name of the arresting officer; and
         4. The amount of the fine.
3. Upon receipt of the fines described in subsection (b) of this section, the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission shall deposit the fines with the Treasurer of State, who shall deposit the fines as special revenues into the Game Protection Fund.
4. A portion of the fines deposited as special revenues into the fund may be expended by the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission in the form of grants issued to the Rural Services Division of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for fish and wildlife conservation education and other purposes consistent with Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 35.
5. 1. The Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission shall file a written report no later than October 1 of each even-numbered year with the Legislative Council and the Joint Budget Committee indicating the amount of fines deposited into the fund during the prior two (2) fiscal years and the amount of those funds transferred to the division under subsection (d) of this section.
   2. If all of the fines were not transferred to the division, the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission shall include in its report an explanation as to why all fines were not transferred.

History. Acts 1927, No. 160, §§ 2, 14; Pope's Dig., §§ 5852, 5918; A.S.A. 1947, §§ 47-121, 47-522; Acts 1995, No. 232, § 7; 2003, No. 799, § 1; 2015, No. 371, § 4.

A.C.R.C. Notes. The operation of this section may be affected by the enactment of Acts 1995, No. 1256.

Acts 2015, No. 371, § 1, provided:

“Legislative findings and intent.

“(a) The General Assembly finds that:

“(1) Conservation of the fish and wildlife of the state is essential to the economy and ecology of our state;

“(2) Educating youth regarding conservation issues is an important step in developing a knowledgeable citizenry that appreciates the benefits to the state and its residents of conserving fish and wildlife;

“(3) A significant portion of the state's conservation efforts take place in rural areas, but people from all over the state travel to these rural areas to interact with the fish and wildlife of the state; and

“(4) The Department of Rural Services is uniquely qualified to administer a program that brings together conservation issues and the needs of rural areas.

“(b) The General Assembly intends for this act to transfer the administration of the fish and wildlife conservation education program from the Department of Education to the Department of Rural Services.”

Amendments. The 2015 amendment substituted “district court” for “municipal court” throughout (a) and (b); substituted “each month” for “each four (4) months, in April, August, and December” in (b)(2)(A); in (c), substituted “Upon receipt of the fines described in subsection (b) of this section, the commission shall deposit the fines” for “The commission shall, upon receipt thereof, deposit the same” and substituted “fines” for “moneys” preceding “as special”; in (d), substituted “A portion of the fines” for “All or any portion of the fine moneys” and substituted “Department of Rural Services” for “Department of Education”; and, in (e)(2), substituted the first occurrence of “fines” for “fine moneys” and the second occurrence for “funds.”