State laws having to do with archeological sites and artifacts, historic preservation, human remains, historic cemeteries, and the mission of the Arkansas Archeological Survey can all be found in the Arkansas Code. Laws begin as bills in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, and have reference titles like HR 245. Once passed into law their titles change to Acts that are numbered in order within each legislative session. Each Act is then divided up by topic and each part is inserted into the Arkansas Code, the official body of State Law, where the reference to each authorization, violation, or stipulation is a numerical code. Law enforcement authorities are most familiar with Arkansas laws through their code numbers.
Most laws relating to archeology, human remains, and historic preservation are in Title 13, Chapter 6 of the Arkansas Code.
See also: Federal Historic Preservation Laws, Regulations & Orders
- Act 877 - House Bill 1554 (2017)
AN ACT CONCERNING PRIVATE REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS; TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, AND HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS; TO DETER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON A PERSON'S REAL PROPERTY; TO PROVIDE FOR SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF CERTAIN ITEMS AND CONVEYANCES USED IN THE COMMISSION OF CERTAIN OFFENSES; CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
- Act 503 - House Bill 1506 (February 2019) - external
AN ACT TO IMPOSE A CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR THEFT OF DECORATIVE OR MEMORIAL ITEMS FROM A CEMETERY OR GRAVE SITE: AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - House Bill 1554 (February 2017)
AN ACT CONCERNING PRIVATE REAL PROPERTY RIGHTS; TO PROTECT NATURAL RESOURCES, AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, AND HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS; TO DETER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY ON A PERSON'S REAL PROPERTY; TO PROVIDE FOR SEIZURE AND FORFEITURE OF CERTAIN ITEMS AND CONVEYANCES USED IN THE COMMISSION OF CERTAIN OFFENSES; CONCERNING THE OFFENSE OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 82 of 1959
AN ACT TO CREATE AN ARKANSAS PROGRAM OF ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 39 of 1967
AN ACT TO DESIGNATE THE PROGRAM OF ARCHEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AND DISCOVERY PROVIDED FOR IN ACT 82 OF 1959, AS THE ARKANSAS ARCHEOLOGICAL SURVEY. - Act 58 of 1967
AN ACT FOR THE PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF ARKANSAS' ARCHEOLOGICAL HERITAGE, ITS ANTIQUITIES, ARTIFACTS AND SITES, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
- Act 2232 of 2005
AN ACT TO PROTECT CEMETERIES FROM DESECRATION AND DISPLACEMENT; TO PROVIDE FUNDS FOR UPKEEP OF CEMETERIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 480 of 1977
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE PUBLIC INTEREST AND VALUE TO THE STATE IN PRESENTING ITS UNIQUE HERITAGE; TO DEVELOP A COORDINATED STATEWIDE PROGRAM OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AMONG EXISTING AGENCIES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 21-13 of 1981
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT VOLUNTEERS ACT
- Act 523 of 1989
THE ARKANSAS CAVE RESOURCES PROTECTION ACT - Act 753 of 1991
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT THE DESECRATION OF HUMAN SKELETAL BURIAL REMAINS IN UNREGISTERED CEMETERIES; TO PROHIBIT TRADE OR COMMERCIAL DISPLAY OF HUMAN SKELETAL BURIAL REMAINS OR ASSOCIATED BURIAL FURNITURE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 1533 of 1999
AN ACT TO INCREASE CRIMINAL PENALTIES FOR DISPLAYING HUMAN SKELETAL BURIAL REMAINS AND DESECRATING BURIAL GROUNDS. - Act 217 of 2007
AN ACT TO PROTECT ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES; TO INCREASE THE PENALTIES FOR DISTURBING ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. - Act 705 of 2011
TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING BURIAL FURNITURE ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN SKELETAL BURIAL REMAINS - Act 552 of 2013 - external
CONCERNING THE OWNERSHIP, ADMINISTRATION, AND REGULATION OF ISLANDS, SUBMERGED LANDS, AND PROPERTY LOCATED ON THE ISLANDS OF SUBMERGED LANDS.
(replaces House Bill 1653)
* THEFT ALERT! *
Twenty-seven pots were stolen from the SAU Research Station in 2006. If you have information pertaining to the whereabouts of any of these items, please contact the Survey at (870) 235-4230.
Click here to view a full list of the stolen vessels in PDF format
