Asked & Answered

Mike Mertens, AAEA Assistant Executive Director

A question that often comes up when the Arkansas General Assembly is in session is, "When does an Act passed during this session go into effect?" The answer will depend on the specific wording in the language of the bill.

Many bills become law once 90 days have passed after the legislature has adjourned Sine Die, which is the official last day of the session. For example, the 2019 Arkansas Legislative Session adjourned Sine Die on Wednesday, April 24. Acts without an emergency clause or a specific date in the language became law on July 23, 2019. The 2023 Legislative Session is currently in recess. The plan is to come back into session and officially adjourn Sine Die on May 1. Acts without an emergency clause would then become law July 30, 2023.

The 2021 Legislative Session was unusual in that the Legislature took an extended recess all the way into September of that year in order to complete congressional redistricting. This unusual action was due to the 2020 census data being delayed due to Covid-19.

Some bills have an emergency clause and become law immediately when the Governor signs them. An example of bills with emergency clauses would be appropriation bills since they need to be in effect when the new fiscal year starts July 1. Some bills specify within the bill when they take effect.

If you have questions for Mike, email him at m.mertens@theaaea.org .