The Arkansas State Capitol Police Department is a law enforcement agency that has the primary responsibility for the protection and security of the State Capitol grounds, the legislative body, state employees working within the Capitol complex area, and visitors to the State Capitol.
 

The Arkansas State Capitol Police Department was created in 1874 and has evolved over the years.  Currently, the Department has thirty sworn personnel and three professional staff.
Anyone in need of police service should contact our dispatch office at (501) 682-5173.

Voices & Votes: Democracy in America


Hidden Talents: Art by Employees of the Arkansas State Capitol


Special Delivery: Postal History in Arkansas


 

Request for Proposal For Business and Commercial Services Software Developer Notice
Request for Proposal For Business and Commercial Services Software Developer RFP # 2022-2  
Contract and Grant Disclosure and Certification Form
 

The Arkansas Secretary of State (SOS) is soliciting Requests for Proposal (RFP) from qualified vendors to provide a new electronic filing system for the SOS Business and Commercial Services (BCS) Division which provides a wide range of services to individuals and companies conducting business within the State of Arkansas, whether based inside the state or elsewhere.  The BCS Division records business entities, trademarks, Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) and charity filings; files notary public certifications; and issues authentication of documents and apostilles. If the project proceeds, the vendor shall be responsible for complete replacement of the existing system, all necessary conversion functions, installation, training, testing, and ongoing maintenance.      

To be considered for scoring for this RFP, the vendor must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1. Five (5) consecutive years of experience in sales and service of computer software;
2. Five (5) consecutive years of specified software experience in similar projects displaying a history of sales, installation, service, and support;
3. Demonstrated ability of assisting clients with testing and providing solutions to issues;
4. Provision of at least three (3) client references using like software in similar applications;
5. Ability to provide on-site and/or cloud based demonstration of the proposed software;
6. Provide a complete, all-inclusive quote for the system as specified herein;
7. Currently have a majority of the modules listed in the detailed specifications already operating in at least four (4) other states; and
8. The system must be able to integrate with a separate payment processor via API or other electronic means. This RFP does not include any payment processing services associated with any specified module. Any such services will be procured separately.

Vendor’s official response packet shall contain responses that best exemplify vendor’s ability to meet all of the detailed specifications of the RFP.  Modifications to the response packet shall be made only in accordance with addenda issued by the Arkansas Secretary of State (SOS).  Vendors are advised to check with the SOS periodically for any issued addenda.

The proposed software must be compatible and be able to integrate with the existing SOS network servers. Vendors shall provide a full turn-key operating system to include, but not be limited to: initial set up, cost of replacement software, software testing, software usage training (initial and ongoing), maintenance and support, and conversion of existing data to the data format of the new system. The system must integrate with a separate payment processor via API or other electronic means. The SOS requires the ability to modify any document or certification at no additional cost.

This project shall consist of seven (7) individual modules completed in two (2) separate phases:

Phase I: To be completed no later than June 30, 2023. Phase I modules:

Module 1: Apostilles and Certifications

Module 2: Charities

Module 3: Facsimile Signatures

Module 4: Uniform Commercial Code

Module 5: Notary

Phase II: To be completed no later than June 30, 2024. Phase II modules:

Module 6: Corporations

Module 7: Trademarks and Service Marks

Response Documents Shall Include (Ordered and Labeled as Follows):

1. Vendor Information:

Provide a Letter of Introduction, signed by an officer or principal of the vendor, which:

1. Summarizes the history of the vendor, the number of years in business, business structure, locations, parent affiliations, foreign ownership (if any), names and titles of all directors and officers, and number of employees.
2. Illustrates the vendor’s unique abilities to meet the specified requirements of this Request for Proposal. Examples may include specialized experience, skills, certifications, and awards attained.
3. Includes the name of one designated contact person and his or her physical address, email address, and phone number to be used for communication related to interviews and vendor selection.

2. Provide a detailed description of the vendor’s experience and qualifications including:
   1. Five (5) consecutive years of experience in the sales and service of computer software;
   2. Five (5) consecutive years of specified software experience in projects consistent with the above scope of work and detailed specifications; and
   3. Demonstrated evidence of providing systems in comparative size and complexity to the above scope of work to at least four (4) states.

Responses should indicate the vendor’s proficiency in creating websites and applications with a focus on site usability and user experience and demonstrate knowledge and proficiency with leading-edge Web and media solutions, architectures, technologies, nomenclature, development practices, and use of industry best practices.

3. List any contracts that have been cancelled for non-performance or default within the past five (5) years.
4. List any litigation, arbitration, or mediation with prior or current clients.
5. Provide a summary of current workload and ongoing contracts. 
6. Provide the last three (3) years of financial statements subject to an independent audit.

2. Project Team (Key Staff):

1. Provide names, titles, and resumes for all proposed project managers/supervisors who will be assigned to the contract to oversee all contractual obligations and responsibilities and serve as the primary contact(s) for the SOS.  Highlight previous experience in this role.
2. Provide a description of project team members to be assigned to this project, their experience, and areas of specialization specific to the proposed scope of work.
3. Describe the process by which work will be assigned, implemented, and tested.

3. References:

Provide the names and contact information for at least three (3) references familiar with the quality of your work of similar nature as that described in the above scope of work. Include the names of the clients, a description of the contracts, and the length of the contracts and reasons for termination.

4. Proposed System:

Provide a formal, detailed description of the design, development, testing, implementation, delivery (including staff training), and ongoing maintenance of the System proposed to achieve all of the criteria specified in the detailed specifications of the RFP. Must be able to provide onsite and /or cloud based demonstration of the proposed software. Must be able to integrate with a separate payment processor via API or other electronic means.

5. Cost Proposal:

Total cost proposal provided in accordance with the above scope of work, inclusive of all state and local sales taxes, to design, develop, test, implement, and deliver (including staff training) both phases of a fully-functional System in accordance with the scope of work delineated in this RFP and provide annual maintenance, updates, licensure, taxes, etc., for the initial term of the agreement ending June 30, 2027, subject to annual renewal thereafter, from the date of contract execution. The cost proposal shall be submitted on the provided form, which shall be completed in ink or typewritten.(See forms section of the RFP.)

6. Required Forms:

Complete, sign, and submit the following forms with your response packet:

1. Vendor Certification Form
2. Cost Proposal
3. W-9 Form
4. Contract and Grant Disclosure and Certification Form
5. Company’s Equal Opportunity Policy

The SOS may require vendors to make oral and visual presentations.

The official response packet shall contain all of the information delineated in the RFP and shall be modified only by addenda issued by the SOS. 

All responses shall be submitted no later than 4:00 pm CST on November 4, 2022 to:
Arkansas Secretary of State
Attn: Business Office, Tiffany Bilon
500 Woodlane Street, Suite 12
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501-682-2008
Email: purchasing@sos.arkansas.gov

Individual responses received by mail shall be enclosed in an outer sealed envelope or container prominently marked with the RFP number (RFP # 2022-2), submission deadline November 4, 2022, responder’s name, and return address.

Individual responses received via email shall prominently state the RFP number (RFP # 2022-2) submission deadline November 4, 2022, responder’s name, and return address.

For any additional information or to request an RFP packet, please call 501-682-2008, or email purchasing@sos.arkansas.gov.

Q&A Pertaining to RFP #2022-2

#7 -Currently have a majority of the modules listed in the detailed specifications listed below already operating in at least four (4) other states; and.  Could you please clarify if “other states” would be applicable to only the United States of America or if the Arkansas Secretary of state would accept business registry systems that are operating out of the United States in a level of Secretary of State equivalent? 
Our intent was for registry systems created in USA states, however, other nation’s USA state equivalents such as provinces, territories, states, etc. with similar political and geographic characteristics would not prohibit vendors from submitting responses to the RFP. How that fact is weighted and considered is a question for the individual RFP scorers.

#6 Required Forms (on page 11) asked for a number of documents, one of which is c. W-9 Form.  As we would are not a US entity a W-9 form does not apply to organization.  Would there a separate form that would be applicable to us, as a foreign vendor? 
If your company has an affiliate office that does business in the United States, we can work thorough that office to receive invoices and transact business.  Please send us your county’s equivalent W-9 form so that we may send to our state’s Department of Finance and Administration to capture the requisite information for tax reporting purposes and garner their approval. This will not prohibit a vendor from submitting a response.

Contract and Grant Disclosure and Certification Form – It says it is attached as a PDF attachment, but we cannot seem to find it. Could you please provide a copy or point us to the location?
Please find attached.

Is there any flexibility for the SOS to consider a phased approach that includes a Phase 1 of a slightly longer duration but results in an overall project timeline in line with the 18 months proposed by the RFP? 
Vendors may submit RFP responses that propose slightly different completion schedules than specified in the RFP, however, how that fact is weighted and considered is a question for the individual RFP scorers.

Is there a hard requirement for using “Microsoft Word” for generating correspondence templates or would other modern, viable, and more efficient built-in functionality be considered? We note that the other modules do not get as specific as to the technology used for template generation.
Modules other than Microsoft Word may be proposed.

The Cost Proposal Form does not include any provision or instructions for itemizing vendor hosting options and costs (i.e. Cloud). In order to evaluate apples-to-apples we would recommend itemizing any proposed Vendor-hosted cost options separately from Maintenance and Support. If hosting options and costs will be considered outside of this RFP, or if SOS is only considering On-Premise hosting, please confirm for clarity of all vendors.
It is the intention of this RFP for the SOS to acquire a “turn-key” system which is wholly designed, implemented, and maintained by the vendor. For the purposes of cost proposals, vendors are advised to develop all cost data with the understanding that all elements, including material and data, will be hosted by the vendor throughout the project- initial set up, cost of replacement software, software testing, software usage training (initial and ongoing), maintenance and support, and conversion of existing data to the data format of the new system.

In the Charities section, the option to view the most recent organizations that have visited, is this a requirement for the online application as it pertains to a public filer?  
This pertains to the internal dashboard where the administrator has quick access to the previously filed documents for the day.

In the UCC section, the requirement to allow supervisor access to make changes to documents, what documents would a supervisor need to update? Is this a filing image update, application generated correspondence, or data entered into the system that needs correction?
Need the ability to update system data but no images.  No corrections will be made to online filings.

Is it possible to move a module from Phase 1 to Phase 2 and Phase 2 to Phase 1? Can UCC and Trademark be swapped in their delivery phase?
We would prefer our schedule but would look this possibility.

The RFP states specifically that “This RFP does not include any payment processing services associated with any specified module.” What about the online frontend components for each of the modules? Will the successful bidder be expected to develop online forms and user-facing applications that businesses use to submit filings and information online to the Secretary of State’s Office?
The scope of services for this RFP does not include any payment processes for any modular processes. All existing forms will need to be replaced and integrated into one system. The system also needs to have the flexibility to modify and incorporate new forms that may be required as a result of future legislation.

• For example, will the vendor be expected to replace the online Corporation Filing forms found here https://www.ark.org/sos/corpfilings/index.php and integrate those with the BCS System, in addition to the other forms that integrate with the current BSC system?  Yes, all existing forms from all filings from the current system shall be replaced.
• If so, please provide a list of all the forms and online applications that bidders will be expected to replace/provide as part of their response.  All forms are available on the existing BCS website. 

NOTE: This section is under revision. New information and applications will be available soon.

2022 LEGO Exhibit

Statements of Heritage 


Framing a More Perfect Union

The River Remains: 50 Years on the Buffalo National River


Sultana Steamboat Disaster Exhibit

100 Years of National Parks/Hot Springs Spas

The 500 Grill is a casual café serving breakfast and lunch. Located in the Lower Level of the Arkansas State Capitol, it is open Monday-Friday from 7:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Visit us on Tripadvisor or Facebook, or subscribe to our newsletter to receive our daily lunch specials.

Menus:
Breakfast Menu
Lunch Menu
Fried Catfish and Fried Fish Menu (Wednesdays Only)

In Arkansas, we love and respect our veterans. As your Secretary of State, I want our veterans to have the voice in our democracy that they have earned. Throughout April we will be working with the veterans' service organization, We Are The 22, to reach out to veterans across the state to ensure they are both registered and ready to vote. I am also recruiting support for the initiative from all Arkansans by asking them to dedicate their vote to a veteran they wish to honor or encourage. To participate in the Vote in Honor of a Veteran initiative, Arkansans may dedicate their vote to a veteran or an active service member by leaving a message honoring their service by submitting an email to media@sos.arkansas.gov.  Click here to view all #VetsVote Mobile Registration dates and locations.
 

Vote in Honor of a Veteran Submissions

I would like to submit Veteran Wille Gray - Vietnam. - Linda Purifoy

I plan to cast my ballot in honor of MSgt Danny Holland who died serving his country on June 8, 1988.
Thank you,
Tanya Fischer, AR ANG, CMSgt (Ret)

George Duboise,  SFC. 875TH Engineer Bn. - Donald Meredith

I dedicate my vote to Mikel Brooks and Michael Springer.  They served in Iraq thank you guys for your sacrifices. - Leslie Bellamy

I would like to submit  Veteran William E Cowan – Vietnam Era - Jackie Cowan

We would like to honor my brother Chris Hooten of Vilonia.  He served some years back in the Iraq war and suffers from PTSD.   He is so proud to have served and very proud to be an American. He loves this country more than anyone I know. #ARVetsVote - Andy and Jessica Hooten

I Dedicate my vote to my Great Uncle Warren E. Koontz, whom I never met, because he was killed on D-Day, June 6, 1944.  He left Ursula, Arkansas to serve his country and never returned. - Randy Koontz

I will be voting Republican. Capt. (06) U.S. Navy (RET.) - Donald C. Hill, J.D.

Theodore D. Sweeden-WWII (Grandfather) and Donald (Don) Johnson-Vietnam (former Pope County Clerk). - Pam Ennis

I will be voting in honor of Spc Aaron J (AJ) Walker (United States Army, 1st Armor Division, Vilseck Germany) who was killed in combat operations in Iraq. – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston

I’d like to honor: Bravo Company, 1^st Platoon, 3^rd Recon BN, Sangin Valley - Sandra Blount

I would like to vote for Donald Meredith. - Kim Meredith

Sgt. Kenneth Melton who served in Iraq and was killed on April 25, 2004 thank you for your sacrifice. - Michael Springer

I am proud to vote in honor of my Dad Kevin L. Hayes, a veteran of the United Sates Army. My Dad Daniel W. Thompson a USAF veteran who served in Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi freedom.  My Grandfathers David Thompson and George Hayes both retired veterans of the USAF. Kenneth Mars, my great grandfather, killed in action in WWII . Lastly, my Aunt Genise Thompson USAF.  I am proud of my military roots and will vote in the honor of my family. - Shantell McGraw

I dedicate my vote to my uncle, George Duboise. - Tera Riga

I want to vote for my Uncle George Duboise - Brian Riga

I dedicate my vote to George Duboise, SFC. 875th Engineer Bn - Nicole Whitaker

I will cast my ballot in this election in honor of my late grandfather, Henry Thomas Jones, Jr., for his service and gallantry in World War II and the Korean War, and for his brave and stoic battle against the PTSD that followed. - Hank Jones

Chelis Patterson. He retired from the Navy.  Benjamin Harrison Patterson. My Grandfather who served in WW1 USA Army Karen Patterson Loyd - Karen Patterson Loyd

I am honored to be casting my vote this year in honor of my brother Colonel Norman Southerland (Retired).  Colonel Southerland joined the Army in 1969 in the midst of the Vietnam conflict and served 33 years in a distinguished career that included Korea, Germany. the Iran Contra conflict in Honduras, Desert Storm, the Somalia conflict, plus command assignments in Army intelligence training, security surveys for the Pentagon, and as the senior Army advisor to the Arkansas National Guard.  After retirement, he served on the elections board in White county for several years.  Truly a man of honorable service. - Dwight Southerland

Commercial Services (UCC) FAQ

Frequent Asked Questions

What is a ticket tracking system?

A ticket tracking system is a method for reporting problems electronically. When you experience an error, you can report the incident and receive a ticket number. Using the ticket number you can track the progress of your problem until it is resolved by technical support. You can use the ticket tracking system to correspond with technical support, even send and receive files through the system.

Why use this system? Why not just call technical support?

By submitting an error report to the system, you can easily track and document your problem, and the responses from technical support. Since technical support is alerted each time a report is submitted, you may get a faster response than calling on the phone.

What are the transaction fees associated with the UCC Online Filing System?

New Filing $16.00; Termination (of Filings dated earlier than 7/28/1995) $6.00; Termination (of Filings dated on or after 7/28/1995) No Charge; Continuation $6.00; Search (with results) $6.00 Search (no results) $6.00

Why should I file electronically?

Savings (No monthly fees, No hidden fees, No Postage, No copy charge) Convenience (No paper forms to fill out, no mail delays, speed) Speed (Instant search results, position granted immediately)

Is electronic filing legal?

Yes, Revised Article 9 has passed in Arkansas.

What about signatures? Is it legal to file a UCC electronically without wet signatures?

YES! According to the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act of 2001, the State of Arkansas allows online UCC filings. Please see the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act for more information.

Do I need an Internet connection?

YES! You should have a local ISP (Internet Service Provider). Your performance speed will be affected by the speed of your connection.

How do I get connected to an Internet Service Provider?

There are numerous national and/or local Internet Service Providers. Your ISP may be a local cable company, phone company, or other communications provider. Typical ISP charges range from $10 to $40 per month for service including email and other services. Once you connect to an ISP, there are no additional communication costs associated with UCC electronic filing and searching!

What is a Submitter Account, why do I need it, and how do I get one?

The Information Network of Arkansas requires all electronic UCC filers to have a Submitter Account in order to use the Online Filing System. To apply for an online account type in http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/corp_ucc_commercial.html in the address line of your web browser. Then click on “UCC Online Search & Filing “, then “New User? Register Here” and complete forms. The annual subscription fee is $150.00.

Are fixture filings affected by the change in the law?

This change does not affect the filing of a mortgage on the related real property if the collateral is “as-extracted collateral or timber to be cut” or if the financing statement is filed as “a fixture filing and the collateral is goods that are or are to become fixtures”.

How do I continue a document that is not recorded with the Secretary of State?

Financing Statements that need to be continued must be submitted on a UCC-3 and be accompanied by certified copies of the initial financing statement (which includes all additional subsequent filings related to the initial file.)

Can financing statements be continued or amended online?

Filers that wish to file continuations or amendments online should check with the SOS office to determine if their imaging software is adequate for the required document upload. The online filing system has been re-designed to help users through the process with an easy to follow step by step program. If submitting by mail, then simply send all documentation along with the UCC-3 to the Arkansas Secretary of State’s BCS division.

What are the filing fees?

UCC 1(termination included) - $16.00 UCC 3- $6.00 Searches - $6.00 - Please note on filings transferred from the county clerk’s office the SOS will not charge the additional page fee on those copies. However the circuit clerk may charge for the certified copies obtained from that office.

What filing numbers will I use to find documents with the Secretary of State’s Office?

Once the UCC filing is on file with the Secretary of State’s Office the file will be given a new filing number. From this point forward all references with this office will be conducted with the new filing number. All county filing numbers will not be searchable in the SOS centralized database.

Where are farm stored commodity loans financed by the Commodity Credit Corporation of the USDA to be filed?

These filings will remain with the circuit clerk until December 31, 2012. Starting January 1, 2013 these filings will then transition to the Secretary of State’s Office.

When can a filer continue or amend a UCC financing statement and transfer it to the Secretary of State’s office?

Anytime after December 31, 2009, a file may be continued or amended at the Secretary of States office. However continuations will be rejected if they do not fall within the six (6) month continuation window.

When I continue a financing statement with the SOS, what will the new lapse date be?

When the financing statement is continued with the SOS, the initial filing date will be manually changed to reflect the original filing date. Therefore the new lapse date will be the same as if it were to have been continued in the circuit clerk’s office.

Arkansas Election Video 1 - How to Register to Vote

Arkansas Election Video 2 - Voting on Election Day

Arkansas Election Video 3.1 - Absentee Voting

Arkansas Election Video 3.2 - UOCAVA Voting

Arkansas Election Video 4 - Early Voting

Arkansas Election Video 5 - Election Poll Worker

Arkansas Election Video 6 - Voter Security

Smithsonian Exhibit on Display at Arkansas State Capitol Voices & Votes: Democracy in America
(April 17, 2023) Little Rock, Ark - In cooperation with the Smithsonian and the Arkansas Humanities Council, Secretary of State John Thurston is pleased to present, Voices & Votes: Democracy in America, a limited Smithsonian traveling exhibit, which is now on display at the Arkansas State Capitol. The exhibit will travel across our state to multiple locations throughout the year, providing an exceptional opportunity for Arkansans to view a Smithsonian exhibit without leaving the comfort of their home state. 

Voices & Votes highlights and examines the ever-evolving story of democracy in America. The exhibit features historical and contemporary photos and historical artifacts, such as campaign and voter memorabilia. Educational and archival videos and multimedia interactives bring the exhibit’s content alive to viewers of all ages.

Click here to view the rest of the press release.

Early Voting Begins Monday, October 24th
(October 21, 2022) Little Rock, Ark – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston would like to remind voters that early voting for the 2022 General Election, Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff Election, and School Elections begins on Monday, October 24th.  

Early voting will run from October 24th through November 7th. Polls will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the final Monday before Election Day. Polls are closed on Sundays. 

To check your voter registration, find your polling location and operating hours, or to view a sample ballot, visit www.voterview.org. (read more)
 

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston Launches Veteran Voter Initiative
(April 4, 2022) Little Rock, Ark - The office of the Arkansas Secretary of State, in partnership with the veteran service organization We Are The 22, announces the launch of a Veteran Voter Initiative. Throughout the month of April, representatives of both organizations will be on the road, reaching out to veterans across the state to ensure that they are both registered and ready to vote. The #ARVetsVote hashtag has been established to highlight the initiative. Click here to view the rest of the press release.

Secretary of State Thurston Presents Arkansas Diamond Award to State Capitol Police Officers
(November 9, 2021) Little Rock, Ark – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston presented the Arkansas Diamond Award to three members of the State Capitol Police force for recent actions in the line of duty.  Corporal Tavares Purifoy, Corporal Don Brown, and Officer Andrew Badger received the Arkansas Diamond Award, the highest honor given by the Secretary of State.
 

Teacher Resources 

Let us bring the State Capitol to your Classroom!  We offer virtual tours, classroom presentations, lesson plans, free resources for your classroom, and so much more! Follow the links below or contact our Education Team for more information.

State Capitol Tours	Young Voter Workshop	Teacher Workshop
Educational Downloads	Classroom Presentations	Online Presentations

Curriculum Maps & Lesson Plans (Kindergarten-4th)

• Voter Registration Form English (PDF)
• Voter Registration Form Spanish (PDF)

Teacher Newsletter Signup

Notary Public Page
eNotary Page

Nonprofit Corporation

Act 569 of 2007 requires nonprofit corporations to file an annual report with the Secretary of State’s office by August 1st of each year.

Capitol Construction

The Arkansas State Capitol was constructed between 1899 and 1915 on the site of the old state penitentiary using prison labor. Designed by architects George Mann and Cass Gilbert, the original construction cost was not to exceed $1 million. After two general contractors, four Capitol Commissions and six governors, the completed Capitol cost almost $2.3 million. In 1911, the General Assembly convened in the unfinished building for their first session at the new State Capitol.

The neo-classical style of the building is a common example of monumental architecture of the early 20th century. The marble on the floors and walls came from Vermont, the columns from Colorado, and the grand staircases from Alabama. The exterior limestone was quarried near Batesville, Arkansas while a softer Indiana limestone was used for the dome. The Capitol contains 247,000 square feet. The distance from ground level to the top of the cupola is 213 feet. The cupola is covered in gold leaf.

Caring for the century-old State Capitol and its surrounding landscape is the focus of the Capitol Facilities Division of the Arkansas Secretary of State’s office. A variety of tradesmen maintain and preserve the Capitol itself, as well as the Capitol Hill Building and features around the campus. Housekeeping staff attend each of the offices located in the building while others nurture the 51 varieties of roses found in the Capitol’s test gardens.

Historical Capitol Construction Acts

1899                            1901

1903                            1909A

1909B                          1913

Capitol Event Guidelines

Capitol Event Request Form 

Phone: 501-682-6244

Email: capitolevents@sos.arkansas.gov 

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Local beer producer donating hand sanitizer to polling sites around Arkansas. Click here for the story!

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The Administrative Procedures Act, ACA 25-15-201 et. seq., requires state agencies, boards and commissions to file with the Secretary of State a copy of each rule adopted by the filing group. ACA 25-15-218 requires the Secretary of State to publish all state agency rule notices, emergency rules, adopted rules, proposed rules and financial impact statements on the Secretary of State website.

For questions about Administrative Rules email register@sos.arkansas.gov.

• Search Arkansas Administrative Rules
• State Agency Public Meeting Calendar
• Agency Rule Filing Instructions
• Bulk Data Download
• Arkansas Register
• Register Proposed Sheet (To be filed with State Agency NOTICE rule filings)
• Register Transmittal Sheet (To be filed with State Agency FINAL rule filings)

Administrative Rules are filed by state agencies, boards, or commissions. Agency Rules “...interprets, or prescribes law or policy, or describes the organization, procedure, or practice of any agency…”. Administrative Rules do not concern the internal management of the agency, and are only filed by state agencies,  boards or commissions. Administrative Rules are NOT filed by for-profit / non-profit businesses, property owners associations, or an entity not involved in state government.

For Election Officials:

Candidate Filing Forms

Running for Public Office Handbook

Election Calendar 

Candidate Filing Forms

• Candidate Information Form
• Candidate Information Form (Federal Candidates)
• Political Practices Pledge

NOTE: ALL FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED AND SIGNED IN DUPLICATE PRIOR TO SUBMISSION. TWO COPIES OF EACH MUST BE FILED WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

General Candidate Info

• 2024 Running for Public Office Handbook
• 2024 Election Calendar
• Notice to Candidates: New Online Campaign Finance Disclosure System
• Financial Disclosure Portal

Links

• Republican Party of Arkansas
• Democratic Party of Arkansas
• Libertarian Party of Arkansas
• Arkansas Ethics Commission
• Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee
• Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners

Attention: All Candidates, County Political Party Committees, Exploratory Committees, Independent Expenditures, Political Action Committees and Political Parties will no longer file on the old website. Please use the link below to access the new filing system.

• New Online Financial Disclosure System
• Notice to Candidates: New Online Campaign Finance Disclosure System

Notice to Lobbyists: The Fourth Quarter Report Due January 15, 2024 will be filed in the current system. New Registration for the New System will begin in January. Please do not re-register in the current system.

• Search Financial Disclosure Reports (2017-2023)

Other Ethics Filing Information: 

• Statement of Financial Interest Report (fillable PDF)
• Campaign Contribution and Expenditure Report (fillable PDF)
• Additional Forms 
• Search Archived Financial Disclosure Reports (2017 and Prior) 

2022 Elections

• 2022 Special Election for Senate District 7

2021 Elections

• 2021 Special Primary Election for State Senate District 7

2020 Elections

• 2020 Special Primary Election for State House District 34
• 2020 Special Primary Runoff Election for State House District 34
• 2020 Special General Election for State House District 34
• 2020 Preferential Primary & Nonpartisan Judicial General Election
• 2020 Preferential Primary Runoff Election
• 2020 General Election and Nonpartisan Judicial Runoff

2019 Elections

• 2019 Special Primary Runoff for State Representative District 36
• 2019 Special Primary Election for State Representative District 36
• 2019 Special Primary Election for State House District 22

2018 Elections

• Special Primary Election - State Senate District 16, State Senate District 29, State House District 83
• Special Primary Runoff Election - State Senate District 16
• Preferential Primary & Nonpartisan General Election
• Preferential Primary Runoff Election
• Special General Election - State Senate District 8
• General Election & Nonpartisan Runoff Election
• Candidate Search

2016 Elections

• Preferential Primary & Nonpartisan General Election
• General Primary Runoff Election
• General Election & Nonpartisan Runoff Election

2015 Elections

• Senate District 16 Special General Election
• Senate District 16 Special Primary Runoff Election
• Senate District 16 Special Primary Election

2014 Elections

• General Election & Nonpartisan Runoff Election
• General Primary Runoff Election
• Preferential Primary Elections & Nonpartisan Election
• Senate District 21 General Election

2013 Elections

• Senate District 21 Primary Runoff
• Senate District 21 Primary

2012 Elections

• 2012 General Election Runoff
• 2012 General Election & Non Partisan Judicial Runoff Election
• 2012 General Primary (Runoff) Election
• 2012 Preferential Primary Elections & Non Partisan Judicial General Election

2011 Elections

• 2011 Special Highway Bond Election
• 2011 Special General Election for the Office of State Representative District 54
• 2011 Special General Primary (Runoff) Election for the Office of State Representative District 54
• 2011 Special Primary Election for the Office of State Representative District 54
• 2011 Special General Election for the Office of State Representative District 24

2010 Election Results

• 2010 General Election & Non Partisan Judicial Runoff Election
• 2010 Special General Election for the Office of State Representative District 21
• 2010 General Primary (Runoff) Election
• 2010 Preferential Primary Election & Non Partisan Judicial General Election

2009 Election Results

• Special General Election for the Office of Member of the Senate of the Arkansas General Assembly for District 4 - December 8, 2009
• Special Primary Election for the Office of Member of the Senate of the Arkansas General Assembly for District 4 - October 13, 2009

2008 Election Results

• 2008 General Election and Non Partisan Judicial Runoff Election and Special General Election for Prosecuting Attorney 9-W
• 2008 General Primary (Runoff) Election
• 2008 Preferential Primary Election & Non Partisan Judicial General Election
• 2008 Presidential Preferential Primary Election

2006 Election Results

• 2006 General Election and Non Partisan Judicial Runoff Election
• 2006 General Primary Runoff
• 2006 Preferential Primary and Non-Partisan Judicial General Election
• 2006 Special Election - State Senate District 14
• 2006 Election Results Publication - XLS

2005 Election Results

• 2005 Special General Election and Special General Election for the Office of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly for District 39
• Special Democratic Primary (Run off) Election for the Office of Member of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly for District 39 - November 1, 2005.
• Special Democratic Primary Election for the Office of Member of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly for District 39 Oct 11, 2005.
• Special Republican Primary Election for the Office of Member of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly for District 39 Oct 11, 2005.
• Proclamation for House District 39 Special Election - PDF
• Highway Bond - PDF
• Education Bond - PDF

2004 Election Results

• 2004 General Election and Non-Partisan Judicial Runoff
• 2004 General Primary (Runoff) Election
• 2004 Preferential Primary and Non-Partisan Judicial Election
• 2004 General Election and Non-Partisan Judicial Runoff - PDF
• General Primary (Runoff) Election - PDF
• 2004 Preferential Primary and Non-Partisan Judicial Election - PDF

2002 Election Results

• 2002 General - November 5, 2002 - PDF
• 2002 Preferential Primary & Non-Partisan Judicial May 21, 2002 - PDF
• 2002 Preferential Primary Run-off June 11, 2002 - PDF

2001 Election Results

• 2001 Special Primary US Congress District 3 September 25, 2001Summary Reports - PDF
• 3rd Congressional District Special Primary Election Official Results - Democratic Party - ZIP
• 3rd Congressional District Special Primary Election Official Results - Republican Party - ZIP
• 3rd Congressional District Special Primary Run-off Official Results - Democratic Party - ZIP
• 3rd Congressional District Special Primary Run-off Official Results - Republican Party - ZIP
• 3rd Congressional District Special General Election Official Results - ZIP

2000 Election Results

• Certified General Election Results - PDF
• Certificate of Certification of the Primary Election Results - PDF
• Summary of the Official Primary Election Results by County - XLS
• Official 2000 Primary Election Results by County and Precinct- XLS
• Certificate of Certification of the Primary Run Off Election Results- PDF
• Summary of the Official Primary Run Off Election Results by County- XLS
• Official 2000 Primary Run Off Election Results by County and Precinct - XLS
• House Districts 33 & 53 Special Election Results - Primary & General - XLS
• Senate District 31 & House District 89 Special Election Results - Primary, Runoff and General - XLS
• Download 2000 General Election Results by County - ZIP
• Download 2000 General Election Results by County & Polling Location - ZIP
• Download 2000 Special Election for District 12 Results by County and County & Polling Location - ZIP
• Download 2000 Special Election for District 27 Results by County and County & Polling Location - ZIP

1999 Election Results

• Primary Election Results- XLS
• House District 14 Special Election Results - Primary & General- XLS
• Election Results for 1999 Highway Bond Issue- XLS

1998 Election Results

• Download 1998 Primary Results by County - XLS (zipped)
• Download 1998 Primary Runoff Results by County - XLS (zipped)
• Download 1998 Primary Runoff Results - XLS (zipped)
• Official 1998 General Election Results by County & Precinct - XLS (zipped)

1996 Election Results

• Official 1996 Election Results - PDF
• Primary Election Results- XLS
• Primary Runoff Election Results- PDF
• Download 1996 Results by County- XLS
• Download 1996 Results by County & Precinct - XLS

1994 Election Results

• General Election Results- XLS
• Primary Election Results- XLS
• Primary Runoff Election Results- XLS

1992 Election Results

• General Election Results- XLS
• Primary Election Results- XLS

1976-1990 Election Results

• 1976 Election Results-PDF
• 1978 Election Results-PDF
• 1980 Election Results-PDF
• 1982 Election Results-PDF
• 1984 Election Results-PDF
• 1986 Election Results-PDF
• 1988 Election Results-PDF
• 1990 Election Results-PDF

Click here, for more information about voter registration status, polling locations and sample ballots.

Register to Vote

• Voter Registration Application (English) - PDF
• Voter Registration Application (Spanish) - PDF
• Voter Registration Information
• Voter Registration FAQs
• Request an application through the mail (USPS) - Online Form

Absentee, Military, and Overseas Voting

• Absentee Voters
• Military and Overseas Voters

Additional Information

• 2024 Candidate Search
• Voting in Arkansas
• Conducting a Voter Registration Drive
• Contact Your Elected Official
• Election Video Series

Check Your Voter Registration Information

• VoterView

• Government Offices in the Capitol
• Capitol Tours, Maps & Parking
• The 500 Grill
• Wireless Access 

• Commerical Registered Agents 
• Cooperatives 
• Student Exchange 
• Other Forms/Filings 
• Trademark/Service Mark
• Frequently Asked Questions

Nonprofits / Charitable Entities

Nonprofit corporations are created for public benefit, for mutual benefit for its members, or for religious purposes. Nonprofit corporation status does not guarantee that the organization will be granted tax-exempt status, nor does it ensure that the contributions to the organization are tax deductible. Becoming a nonprofit corporation is generally a prerequisite to applying for tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Code, such as section 501(c)(3). To accommodate the vast number of entities choosing to file for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, the Arkansas Secretary of State provides a blank template with suggested IRS language as well as the traditional nonprofit articles of incorporation templates. If the nonprofit corporation intends to solicit charitable contributions, it must also register as a charitable entity with the Arkansas Secretary of State's office which can be done by going here: Charitable Entities

To access forms (including nonprofit annual reports) for both domestic and foreign nonprofits, click HERE

Below are some (but not all) important reminders about nonprofit entities:

• May not have shareholders or pay dividends.
• Are created by filing Articles of Incorporation with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
• Must file an annual disclosure statement with the Arkansas Secretary of State.
• May compensate members, officers, and trustees (in reasonable amounts) for services rendered.
• Must have specific provisions in its Articles of Incorporation dealing with property distribution upon dissolution.

The Business and Commercial (BCS) Services Division of the Secretary of State records and certifies Notaries Public for the State of Arkansas. A Notary Public verifies the identity of an individual who appears before them. The Notary acts as an official and unbiased witness to the identity of a person whether the person is taking an oath, giving oral or written testimony, or acknowledging his/her signature on a legal document.

To apply for (register) or renew a notary commission or to change (amend) your address you will create a new user account http://bcs.arkansas.gov. If you created an online user account prior to 1/25/2024 you will need to create a new one. 

For instructions on using the system, refer to the Notary System User Guide. For step by step instructions on the application process and notary rules and procedures refer to the Notary Handbook (interim edition). 

Pursuant to Act 215 of 2019, if you are a non-resident spouse of a United States military service member working in Arkansas, or operating a business in Arkansas, and wish to become an Arkansas Notary Public, please contact our office at 501-682-1010.

• Notary System User Guide (PDF)
• Notary Change of  Information
• Notary Public FAQs (PDF)
• Notary Affidavit & Acknowledgement Templates for Public Use (PDF)
• Notario Publico Disclaimer (PDF)
• Declaration of Domicile (PDF)
• Notary Complaint Form with Instructions (PDF)

For all questions regarding the Notary Public, please contact our office at 501-682-1010 or email us at notary@sos.arkansas.gov.

PLEASE USE CHROME BROWSER FOR THE TRAINING BELOW

Registration of Facsimile Signature of Public Officials

Arkansas law permits a public official to use a facsimile signature in lieu of his or her manual signature on any public security or any instrument of payment.  The public official must first register his or her manual signature with the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated 21-10-102.

• Registration of Facsimile Signature of Public Officials (PDF)
• Registration of Facsimile Signature & Seal of Notary Public (PDF)
• Online Registration of Facsimile Signature

• Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Fees, Forms, and Online Services 
• Frequently Asked Questions 
• Uniform Commercial Code Filing Office Rules 

NOTICE:

Due to heavy volume, the anticipated filing times for all corporation / LLC filings are as follows:

1.  All mailed in documents: 7-10 business days after received

2.  All dropped off documents: 3-7 business days

3.  All online filings: 3-7 business days.

To start a new business entity, follow the steps below:

1.  Download the SOS "DOING BUSINESS IN ARKANSAS" booklet HERE

2.  If you have any questions, visit our FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS page HERE

3.  Search for your BUSINESS NAME AVAILABILITY HERE

4.  New Business Filings:

           To file YOUR NEW ENTITY ONLINE, click HERE

           To file via PDF PAPER FORMS, click HERE

5.  To apply for an EIN (Employment Identification Number) with the IRS, go to this website

AFTER you have filed and received your new entity from the Secretary of State

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/how-to-apply-for-an-ein

Please note that per the Corporate Transparency Act, beginning January 1, 2024, all existing and all new entities will need to file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCen: www.fincen.gov

Click HERE to file your FRANCHISE TAXES ONLINE

NOTICE:

Due to heavy volume, the anticipated filing times for all corporation / LLC filings are as follows:

1.  All mailed in documents: 7-10 business days after received

2.  All dropped off documents: 3-7 business days

3.  All online filings: 3-7 business days

• To enter the Corporations / LLC / Nonprofit Online Filing System click HERE
• To access all Paper Forms / Filing Fees for all entities click HERE
• To file Partnership only Annual Reports  click HERE
• To do a Business Entity Search or seach for a filing number, click HERE

Click HERE for all RECORDS REQUESTS

Please note that per the Corporate Transparency Act, beginning January 1, 2024, all existing and all new entities will need to file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCen: www.fincen.gov

Previous Meetings

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

The Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office (SOS) is requesting qualifications from architecture firms for professional on-call architectural services related to various construction, restoration, renovation, and repair projects within the State Capitol building and upon its grounds in Little Rock, Arkansas.  Qualified firms shall be properly licensed and insured and demonstrate verifiable experience in planning and design, new construction, building and infrastructure renovation, repairs, restoration, modifications, demolition, and alterations involving structural, mechanical, utility, and other systems.  Firms with substantive knowledge and experience working with historic and historically-significant civic and governmental buildings and projects are preferred. Highly- qualified firms may have experience working on buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, preservation of such buildings’ historical attributes/original character, and experience with historically-relevant materials.

Responses shall be evaluated on the following criteria:

The firm’s unique abilities to meet the requirements of the request for qualifications (RFQ).

Experience and qualifications with projects in architecture, engineering, construction administration, and planning consistent with the scope of work identified in the RFQ.

Qualifications of the project manager and other key project team members.

References familiar with the quality of work of the firm.

Current project workload, state projects awarded, and recent experience with project costs and schedules.

 Proximity to and familiarity with the Arkansas State Capitol building and grounds.

Other factors that may be appropriate to the scope of work identified in the RFQ.

The SOS Office will appoint a selection committee which will evaluate each response based upon the above criteria and may require firms to make on-site oral and visual presentations which will be further evaluated based upon the following criteria:

Overview of the Vendor.

Similar Projects Completed.

Experience.

SOS staff shall enter negotiations with the most responsive firm to negotiate fees and finalize a contract.  If SOS staff is unable to negotiate a satisfactory fee structure for the services to be provided with the most responsive firm, negotiations will be formally terminated and negotiations with the next highest scoring firm will be initiated.  The negotiation process will be repeated until a selection has been made, or until such time as the SOS Office decides not to move forward with a contract.

Firms may submit written questions requesting clarification of information contained within this RFQ.  Please reference the RFQ number (RFQ # 2019-1) in the subject line. Written questions shall be addressed only to:

Jodi Bourne

Email: jodi.bourne@sos.arkansas.gov

The deadline for submitting questions specific to the RFQ shall be August 16, 2019; 4:00 pm CST.

Written questions shall be consolidated and responded to by SOS staff and posted to the SOS website.

One (1) original and three (3) hard copies of each response (each copy bound in a single volume where practical) and one (1) electronic redacted (pdf) copy on flash drive shall be submitted to:

Arkansas Secretary of State

Attn: Capitol Facilities Office, Jodi Bourne

500 Woodlane, Suite 31

Little Rock, AR 72201

All responses to this RFQ shall be received by the SOS Office no later than September 10, 2019; 4:00 pm CST.

For any additional information or to request an RFQ packet, please call 501-682-6244, or email Jodi.bourne@sos.arkansas.gov

Documents & Forms

• On-Call Architectural Services RFQ Notice
• On-Call Architectural Services RFQ
• Contract and Grant Disclosure and Certification Form
• Israel Boycott Restriction Certification Form
• Illegal Immigrant Contractor Disclosure Certification Form

National Statuary Hall Collection

The United States Congress authorized the creation of the National Statuary Hall Collection in 1864 to allow each state to provide two (2) statues of notable citizens for display in the United States Capitol.  Arkansas has two (2) statues presently displayed in the National Statuary Hall Collection, one (1) dedicated to U.M. Rose by Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 6, Acts 1915, and one (1) dedicated to James P. Clarke by Acts 1917. Federal legislation enacted in 2000, provided that states may request the replacement of statues which have been displayed for at least 10 years by a resolution of the state legislature and approval of the Governor.

Act 1068 of 2019

Act 1068 of 2019, effective July 24, 2019, was enacted by the Arkansas General Assembly to authorize the replacement of the existing statues of U.M. Rose and James P. Clarke with statues of Daisy Lee Gatson Bates and John R. “Johnny” Cash. The act also established the National Statuary Hall Collection Trust Fund through which donations may be made to fund the replacement of both statues.

Submitting Donations

If you would like to donate money to the National Statuary Hall Collection Trust Fund, please complete the donor information below, make checks payable to Treasurer of the State of Arkansas and mail or deliver your check and this form to:

Arkansas Secretary of State’s Office
State Capitol, Suite 12
500 Woodlane Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72201

Click Here to Download the Donation Form 

Please address any questions to: Kurt Naumann, Director of Administration, 501-680-0239 or kurt.naumann@sos.arkansas.gov.

*Each additional page is $0.50 up to a maximum of $100.

**Termination fee paid at the time of filing.

Note: A court order must accompany all charging applications.  Filings must be submitted via paper forms.

Arkansas Projected: Maps in the Arkansas State Archives

Arkansas's Western Post: Fort Smith's Two Centuries

Womens Suffrage: Their Rightful Place

Tiny Bricks, Big Dreams:  Legos in December

War, Collections, Memory: The Great War in the Arkansas State Archives

When, in 1917, the United States entered the world war, Arkansans in all walks of life stepped forward.  Over 70,000 Arkansans, black and white, served in uniform. By war’s end, nearly 4,000 had died or were seriously wounded.

Within months after the Armistice, the World War became the stuff of memories; the Arkansas History Commission (today’s Arkansas State Archives) partnered with Louis C. Gulley, an enthusiastic battlefield collector, to assemble a significant array of artifacts, memorabilia, documents and curiosa related to the war. This trove, augmented by government documents, personal papers and other artifacts, remains one of the Archives’s largest and richest collections. 

For many years, items from the Gulley collection were displayed in the Arkansas Capitol as the “Museum of the World War.”  This spring, the Great War returns to the Capitol: “War, Collections, Memory” features significant and memorable artifacts, photographs and documents from the State Archives related to “the war to end war.”  The exhibit is not a comprehensive history of Arkansans in the war; instead, it samples the materials collected and preserved in order to preserve the stories of the conflict.  These range from predictable battlefield trophies such as bayonets and helmets, to fragments of buildings damaged by shell fire and items sewed by Arkansas women for the American Red Cross.  A bullet-riddled helmet, mess cup and iron body armor attest to the dangers of facing modern small-arms fire, while playing cards and a chess set improvised by German prisoners of war represent soldiers’ attempts to set aside the horrors of the field, if only for a little while.  The home front is represented by a box of bandages rolled by Arkansas women for use in field hospitals overseas, and by identification photographs of resident German nationals who were required to register as enemy aliens in 1917.

Nearly a century has gone by since the cease-fire of November 11, 1918, but in the Arkansas State Archives and, through August, the halls of the Capitol, the echoes of that heartbreaking conflict remain.

“War, Collections, Memory: the Great War in the Arkansas State Archives” will remain on display in the first floor galleries of the Arkansas Capitol through August 2018.

Mixed Company: When Dolls Come Out To Mingle

Hoxie: Right in '55

From its founding in the 1880s until ten years after the end of World War II, the northeast Arkansas town of Hoxie was an agricultural town, a railroad town, a cotton market town.  Its greatest assets were its location, at the junction of two railroads, the fertile farmland around it and its children, served by a school system that was a source of community pride.

In July 1955, however, Hoxie and its schools became objects of national attention. After the local school board moved to end racial segregation, acting on moral, legal and practical considerations, Hoxie became the object of attempts by outside forces to influence its path. “Remember Hoxie” became a rallying cry for proponents of states' rights and continued segregation: the incident spurred a surge of white activism and helped boom the political career of James D. “Justice Jim” Johnson. In the end, though, the Hoxie schools stayed the course and remained integrated.  Over time, Hoxie’s notoriety faded, especially as the events of 1957 in Little Rock, which had been foreshadowed by the Hoxie controversy, unfolded.

“Hoxie: Right in ’55,” The Arkansas Capitol’s fall exhibit, recalls the saga of how this Arkansas town dealt with changing law and changing times, and what came of it.  Vintage images and memorabilia of Hoxie and its schools, as well as documentary materials from the Arkansas State Archives, tell the stories of the town and the main actors in what one historian styled “the Hoxie imbroglio.” The exhibit ends by suggesting some consequences, including current efforts by Hoxie community members to preserve, interpret and help spread understanding of what happened in their town.

Today, more than six decades and more since Hoxie’s minutes of fame, community members of the Hoxie: The First Stand committee are working to create a museum that will preserve memories of the Hoxie desegregation and interpret the story for future generations. In 1955, the Hoxie school board, students, staff and, ultimately, the town, chose the right.  That choice would create echoes far beyond the bounds of the Hoxie school district.  In “Hoxie: Right in ’55,” we remember the events of 1955 and salute those who would preserve those memories as a legacy for the Hoxie of days to come.

Let’s Ride: Mountain Biking in the State Parks of Arkansas

Once upon a time, all bicycles were, really, “dirt bikes.”  In cycling’s earliest days, wheelmen—and women--followed uneven gravel roads and rough paths, both to get from point “a” to point “b” and for the sheer joy of the ride.  Today, many cyclists have rediscovered the fun and challenges of unpaved riding, and Arkansas’s state parks offer a variety of such opportunities. This summer, the Arkansas State Capitol’s first-floor galleries feature “Let’s Ride: Mountain Biking in the State Parks of Arkansas,” a celebration of adventurous cycling around the Natural State.

Created by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism in collaboration with the Secretary of State’s office, “Let’s Ride” highlights the state parks’ connection to the beginnings of mountain biking in Arkansas: two staffers at Devil’s Den State Park helped organize the state’s first mountain bike gathering, the Ozark Mountain Bike Festival, at Devil’s Den in 1989.  Today, state parks feature mountain bike trails for cyclists of all skill levels, ranging from beginner routes to rocky advanced-level “technical” trails. The Delta Heritage Trail, a state park venture, is a crushed limestone rail-to-trail path that when completed will offer a nearly eighty-five mile “gravel grinding” ride through the historic and scenic heart of the state’s southeastern quarter.

The exhibit includes scenes from trails statewide, as well as examples of the two-wheeled technology suited for them: one cycle, a 1980s-vintage GT “Karakoram,” is a veteran of the original 1989 Devil’s Den event.  Others, loaned by area cycle shops and distributors, illustrate the variety of modern-day mountain cycles. A fourth is “all business”: a law enforcement-spec bike used by Arkansas park rangers.

To learn more about mountain biking opportunities in the state parks, visit: https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/biking/.

Accountable for Treasures

The Auditor of State is one of the seven constitutional officers of Arkansas’s state government.  The post was created in the Constitution of 1836 and acts as the State’s general accountant, keeping track of fund and appropriation balances of all state agencies and writing warrants or checks in payment of the liabilities of the State, including paychecks of state employees. The Auditor also carries out other responsibilities; the best-known of these is managing the state’s Unclaimed Property program.

“Accountable for Treasures,” the Capitol’s autumn exhibit, affords visitors a rare look at a rich sample of items which have been “left behind.” Unclaimed property is any financial asset, held for a person or entity that cannot be found.  It may consist of bank account balances, uncollected wages, securities, refunds or checks of many kinds, but safe deposit box contents are the most varied and most evocative. These lock boxes may contain money but often, more personal items are left behind, including personal papers, awards and decorations, collections with high intrinsic value (such as rare coins or stamps) and others with value mainly to the men or women whose obsessions they reflected.

“Accountable for Treasures” features an assortment of items removed from safe deposit boxes from across Arkansas and sent to the Auditor’s office in hope that owners or their heirs will claim them.  Highlights include extensive coin collections, silver ingots, military medals, family photographs and letters, jewelry and souvenir trinkets. One collection consists exclusively of Beanie Babies plush toys, another encompasses watches, belt buckles, ID bracelets, books, numerous men’s rings and a bottle of vintage champagne while yet another combines Beatles LPs with VHS copies of films featuring Sean Connery as James Bond.  A pair of police service revolvers, once the property of a Pine Bluff patrolman, are displayed near an accumulation of pocket knives both pristine and well-used and a silver trinket box containing a gold teddy-bear ring.

The exhibit also features a rare relic of the office’s history: a letter book preserving the official correspondence of State Auditors beginning in 1836 and continuing into the 1870s.  The letter book is featured through the courtesy of the Arkansas State Archives, which acquired the book on Arkansas’s 180th birthday, June 15, 2016.

Finding Your Adventure

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed into law a measure creating a new agency within the Department of the Interior, charged with managing an assortment of over thirty places already set aside by the federal government. That agency, the National Park Service, would grow both in size and in responsibilities carried. Today, as it approaches its 100th birthday, the National Park Service oversees more than four hundred sites encompassing more than 84 million acres spread across the United States, its trust territories and protectorates.

Finding Your Adventure, the Arkansas Capitol’s summer exhibit for 2016, is a birthday salute to the National Park System (NPS) and a “sampler” of its Arkansas sites. They are distinguished by their variety: in them, one may take a hike, sink into a thermal bath or float a river. One can stand where battles raged in the Civil War and in the Civil Rights Movement, explore an historic courthouse or a U.S. President’s childhood home and much more.

The exhibit features artifacts and images selected by staff members from each of the seven NPS sites within Arkansas. Architectural details and bath house memorabilia represent Hot Springs National Park, while Fort Smith National Historic Site’s offerings include a court document pertaining to notorious bank robber Henry Starr, signed by famed “hanging judge” Isaac Parker. Buffalo National River is represented by a half-canoe, crafted from a wrecked watercraft by park staff, while the William J. Clinton Birthplace and Home contributes a Little Golden Book once the property of a young Billy Blythe, the future president.

For 100 years the National Park Service has protected the nation’s natural and cultural treasures, preserved its stories and provided opportunities for recreation, learning, discovery and awe. These are your public lands and in this Centennial Anniversary year, the Capitol, along with the NPS, encourages visitors—natives and out-of-staters alike—to seek and find adventure in a national park in Arkansas.

Finding your Adventure will remain on display through Labor Day.

Ghost Signs of Arkansas

Beginning in the mid-Nineteenth century and continuing into the Twentieth, a new kind of graphic blossomed across America: outdoor advertising, in the form of signs painted on building walls or roofs or even natural features. Many of these advertised local concerns but also were “privilege” signs—ones promoting regional or even nationally-branded products such as Coca-Cola, patent medicines, tobacco products or cigars. Painted with care and stylistic flair by lettering artists who earned the appellation “wall dogs,” these signs boomed the products and enterprises of a growing, diversifying American economy.

Such signs once covered almost any flat building side. With the spread of billboards and other advertising media, the vogue for wall signs faded; many signs were obscured as new buildings went up, others were covered over with paint or plaster and many were simply left to fade away. The wall dogs did good work, though; across Arkansas and the nation, these graphics (many created using tenacious lead-based paint) survive as “ghost signs,” persistent reminders of our business past.

In the 1990s, the Arkansas Historic Preservation program, a division of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, began documenting Arkansas’s ghost signs. This project led to “Ghost Signs of Arkansas: Off-The-Wall Relics,” an exhibit which made its debut at the Old State House Museum in 1994. The exhibit featured photographs by Jeff Holder and text by Cynthia Haas, both of the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program. The images recorded fading wall signage from Trumann, Fordyce, Conway, Pine Bluff, Prescott and other towns across the state; many of the signs had outlasted the products they publicized. In 1997, the University of Arkansas Press issued Ghost Signs of Arkansas, in which Haas and Holder expanded on the exhibit. The exhibit itself graced the offices of the Arkansas Senate for many years, then went into storage.

This summer, however, Capitol visitors will be able to enjoy these “ghosts” once more; Ghost Signs of Arkansas is on view in the Capitol’s lower-level gallery through August. The images are more than two decades old and the survival rate of the signs depicted is unknown, so for this outing the exhibit is doubly “ghostly”: the signs recorded were shades of their original selves, and their images may virtually preserve the shades of things that have disappeared altogether.

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A.C.A. § 26-54-101 et al., also known as the “Arkansas Corporate Franchise Tax Act of 1979”, requires all Corporations, LLC's, Banks, and Insurance Companies registered in Arkansas to pay an annual franchise tax.  Failure to pay can result in the imposition of additional fees, penalties and interest, or even revocation of the authorization to do business. Franchise taxes continue to accrue, even for revoked businesses, until the business is dissolved, withdrawn, or merged. And, per A.C.A. § 26-54-114, any additional BCS filings are prohibited for persons or entities that fail to pay the franchise tax. 

For fastest service, choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card ($5.00 processing fee). If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing (no processing fee), click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

Click HERE to file your FRANCHISE TAXES ONLINE

To do a BUSINESS ENTITY NAME SEARCH or seach for a FILING NUMBER, click HERE.

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

For all RECORDS REQUESTS, click here for instructions and request form

General Partnership

Domestic Partnerships | Foreign Partnerships | General Partnerships

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

For all RECORDS REQUESTS, click here for instructions and request form

Foreign Partnerships

Domestic Partnerships | Foreign Partnerships | General Partnerships

Foreign Limited Partnership

Foreign Limited Liability Partnership

Foreign Limited Liability Limited Partnership

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

Series LLC forms can be found under the Miscellaneous Forms link.

Click HERE to file your FRANCHISE TAXES ONLINE

To do a BUSINESS ENTITY NAME SEARCH or seach for a FILING NUMBER, click HERE

Foreign LLC

Domestic LLC | Foreign LLC

Foreign Limited Liability Company

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

Click HERE to file your FRANCHISE TAXES ONLINE

To do a BUSINESS ENTITY NAME SEARCH or seach for a FILING NUMBER, click HERE

Foreign Corporations

Domestic Corporations | Foreign Corporations

Foreign Business Trust

Foreign Corporation

Foreign Benefit Corporation

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

For all RECORDS REQUESTS, click here for instructions and request form

Miscellaneous Forms

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

Public Water Authority

Public Water Authority

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.

Cooperative

Forms / Fees / Records Requests

Choose to file online by clicking the ONLINE link and proceed to file electronically which is payable by credit card. If the filing type is not available online or if you prefer to mail or deliver your filing, click “PDF” to print a copy, complete the form, attach payment and mail or deliver to the Business and Commercial Services office.