Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-316 (2026)

Chapter 19 Transportation

Cross References. Routes of school buses, declared to be county roads, § 27-66-206.

Speed at which buses may be operated, § 27-51-201.

Effective Dates. Acts 1931, No. 132, § 5: approved March 20, 1931. Effective date clause provided: “All laws and parts of laws in conflict herewith are hereby repealed, and this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.”

Acts 1931, No. 169, § 198: approved Mar. 25, 1931. Emergency clause provided: “It is found as a fact that the advent of the automobile, and the great improvement in the roads of the State have worked great changes in the system of administering the public schools of the State, and there is occasion to change the boundaries of many such districts before the end of the current school term, to relieve many of them of pressing indebtedness, to immediately administer to the health of many pupils in the schools, and to distribute State Funds to many of the schools in the near future to prevent some of them from having to close for the lack of funds; therefore, it is necessary that this act take immediate effect for the preservation of public peace, health, and safety; therefore, an emergency is declared and this act shall take effect and be in force immediately after its passage.”

Acts 1937, No. 300, § 165: Mar. 23, 1937. Emergency clause provided: “It is hereby ascertained and determined by the General Assembly that the proper regulation of traffic on the highways is a necessary function of the State Government, and that the loss of life and property under the present laws creates an emergency. Therefore, this act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, shall go into effect immediately upon its passage and approval.”

Acts 1943, No. 156, § 5: Mar. 4, 1943. Emergency clause provided: “Because of wartime needs and the effect upon the schools, particularly with respect to the securing of adequate personnel for driving school buses, it is necessary for the preservation of public health, safety, and welfare that the provisions of this act take effect immediately; therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and the provisions of this act shall take effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1945, No. 31, § 3: Feb. 8, 1945. Emergency clause provided: “Because of the necessity of meeting the demand of the War and that more men eighteen years or over who would otherwise be eligible for school bus drivers are either in the Army or subject to immediate call or cannot meet the qualifications on account of disabilities, and this act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist and this act shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1951, No. 43, § 2: Feb. 5, 1951. Emergency clause provided: “Whereas, State-supported institutions of higher learning are being required to purchase license tags; and Whereas, these statutes may effect a savings by the provisions of this bill. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and this act being necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety, shall take effect and be in force from the date of its approval.”

Acts 1953, No. 65, § 2: Feb. 13, 1953. Emergency clause provided: “It is hereby determined by the General Assembly that many school districts own motor vehicles for which the law requires the purchase of licenses, and that such motor vehicles are used for school purposes and should therefore be exempt from the payment of license fees in order to preserve to such school districts funds essential to proper operation. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety, shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1979, No. 646, § 3: Mar. 28, 1979. Emergency clause provided: “It is hereby found and determined by the General Assembly that in recent months there have been several accidents involving a school bus hitting a child who has just left the bus and is walking in front of the bus; that unless appropriate mirrors are placed on the bus, the driver is in many cases unable to see a small child immediately in front of the bus; that this Act is designed to require suitable mirrors on the bus to enable the driver to see the area immediately in front of the bus and should be given effect immediately. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1989, No. 794, § 4: Mar. 21, 1989. Emergency clause provided: “It is hereby found and determined by the General Assembly that Arkansas Code Annotated 6-19-106(a) is in conflict with federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on age and that this act is necessary for the public health, welfare and safety of the people of this State. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this act being necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1995, No. 805, § 8: Mar. 28, 1995. Emergency clause provided: “It is hereby found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the safety of thousands of children who ride school buses to and from school and school-related activities is largely dependent upon motorists being alerted to the presence of the school bus and that recent research indicates the use of flashing white strobe lights on school buses will contribute significantly to warning motorists of a need for caution; that electric crossing gates will provide greater visibility to a bus driver who can better see students crossing in front of the school bus; that recent incidents where armed individuals have stopped and boarded school buses for the purpose of robbing and terrorizing children on the bus are reflective of a rise in juvenile crime throughout Arkansas and that the immediate implementation of this act is necessary to better address the safety of all school children. Therefore, an emergency is hereby declared to exist and this act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and approval.”

Acts 1999, No. 1078, § 92: July 1, 2000.

Acts 2001, No. 1220, § 20: July 1, 2001. Emergency clause provided: “It is found and determined by the General Assembly that changes to the distribution of public school funds must take effect at the time that appropriations become effective and that to not do so would create confusion in the state's public school districts. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety shall become effective on July 1, 2001.”

Acts 2005, No. 1327, § 8: Mar. 29, 2005. Emergency clause provided: “It is found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that the Arkansas Supreme Court has determined that current public school academic facilities in Arkansas are inadequate and inequitable; that the General Assembly established the Joint Committee on Educational Facilities to inventory the current condition of public school academic facilities and recommend methods for bringing those facilities into conformity with the court's constitutional expectations; that the Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation is charged with the administration of a comprehensive state program for overseeing the provision of constitutionally appropriate public school academic facilities across the state; and that the division must be given authority to immediately begin work on developing programs to provide constitutionally appropriate public school academic facilities for the benefit of public school students in the State of Arkansas. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: (1) The date of its approval by the Governor; (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the bill; or (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.”

Acts 2005, No. 1979, § 5: Apr. 11, 2005. Emergency clause provided: “It is found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that child safety alarm devices need to be installed in vehicles used to transport more than seven (7) passengers and one (1) driver, for programs licensed by the Department of Human Services in order to protect and preserve their health and safety. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist and this act being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on: (1) The date of its approval by the Governor; (2) If the bill is neither approved nor vetoed by the Governor, the expiration of the period of time during which the Governor may veto the bill; or (3) If the bill is vetoed by the Governor and the veto is overridden, the date the last house overrides the veto.”

Acts 2019, No. 910, § 6346(b): July 1, 2019. Emergency clause provided: “It is found and determined by the General Assembly of the State of Arkansas that this act revises the duties of certain state entities; that this act establishes new departments of the state; that these revisions impact the expenses and operations of state government; and that the sections of this act other than the two uncodified sections of this act preceding the emergency clause titled ‘Funding and classification of cabinet-level department secretaries’ and ‘Transformation and Efficiencies Act transition team’ should become effective at the beginning of the fiscal year to allow for implementation of the new provisions at the beginning of the fiscal year. Therefore, an emergency is declared to exist, and Sections 1 through 6343 of this act being necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety shall become effective on July 1, 2019”.

Research References

Am. Jur. 67B Am. Jur. 2d, Schools, § 278 et seq.

C.J.S. 78A C.J.S., Schools, § 1030 et seq.