Arkansas Code of 1987 (2023)
Title 25 - STATE GOVERNMENT (§§ 25-1-101 — 25-43-1605)
Chapter 19 - FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (§§ 25-19-101 — 25-19-112)
Section 25-19-103 - Definitions

As used in this chapter:

• (1)
  • (A) "Custodian", except as otherwise provided by law and with respect to any public record, means the person having administrative control of that record.
  • (B) "Custodian" does not mean a person who holds public records solely for the purposes of storage, safekeeping, or data processing for others;

• (2) "Disaster recovery system" means an electronic data storage system implemented and maintained solely for the purpose of allowing a governmental unit or agency to recover operational systems and datasets following the occurrence of a catastrophe, including without limitation an act of war, an equipment failure, a cyber-attack, or a natural disaster such as a tornado, earthquake, or fire;

• (3) "Format" means the organization, arrangement, and form of electronic information for use, viewing, or storage;

• (4) "Medium" means the physical form or material on which records and information may be stored or represented and may include, but is not limited to, paper, microfilm, microform, computer disks and diskettes, optical disks, and magnetic tapes;

• (5)
  • (A) "Municipally owned utility system" means a utility system owned or operated by a municipality that provides:
    • (i) Electricity;
    • (ii) Water;
    • (iii) Wastewater;
    • (iv) Cable television; or
    • (v) Broadband service.
  • (B) "Municipally owned utility system" includes without limitation a:
    • (i) Consolidated waterworks system under the Consolidated Waterworks Authorization Act, § 25-20-301 et seq.;
    • (ii) Utility system managed or operated by a nonprofit corporation under § 14-199-701 et seq.; and
    • (iii) Utility system owned or operated by a municipality or by a consolidated utility district under the General Consolidated Public Utility System Improvement District Law, § 14-217-101 et seq.;

• (6) "Public meetings" means the meetings of any bureau, commission, or agency of the state or any political subdivision of the state, including municipalities and counties, boards of education, and all other boards, bureaus, commissions, or organizations in the State of Arkansas, except grand juries, supported wholly or in part by public funds or expending public funds;

• (7)
  • (A) "Public records" means writings, recorded sounds, films, tapes, electronic or computer-based information, or data compilations in any medium required by law to be kept or otherwise kept and that constitute a record of the performance or lack of performance of official functions that are or should be carried out by a public official or employee, a governmental agency, or any other agency or improvement district that is wholly or partially supported by public funds or expending public funds. All records maintained in public offices or by public employees within the scope of their employment shall be presumed to be public records.
  • (B) "Public records" does not mean software acquired by purchase, lease, or license;

• (8) "Public water system" means all facilities composing a system for the collection, treatment, and delivery of drinking water to the general public, including without limitation reservoirs, pipelines, reclamation facilities, processing facilities, distribution facilities, and regional water distribution districts under The Regional Water Distribution District Act, § 14-116-101 et seq.; and

• (9) "Vulnerability assessment" means an assessment of the vulnerability of a public water system to a terrorist attack or other intentional acts intended to substantially disrupt the ability of the public water system to provide a safe and reliable supply of drinking water as required by the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002, Pub. L. No. 107-188.

Amended by Act 2015, No. 881,§ 1, eff. 7/22/2015.

Amended by Act 2015, No. 999,§ 4, eff. 4/2/2015.

Amended by Act 2015, No. 186,§ 2, eff. 2/24/2015.

Amended by Act 2013, No. 235,§ 1, eff. 8/16/2013.

Acts 1967, No. 93, § 3; 1977, No. 652, § 1; 1981, No. 608, § 1; 1985, No. 468, § 1; A.S.A. 1947, § 12-2803; Acts 2001, No. 1653, § 1; 2003, No. 763, § 1; 2005, No. 259, § 1; 2007, No. 268, § 1; 2007, No. 998, § 1; 2009, No. 631, § 1; 2011, No. 99, § 1; 2011, No. 210, § 2.