Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
House approves law to criminalize unlawful squatting after extended debate
Summary
The Arkansas House passed House Bill 10 49 to create a criminal offense for unlawful squatting, after sponsors and supporters described property owners’ difficulties under current civil-only remedies and opponents raised concerns about safeguards and fairness.
The Arkansas House of Representatives on Feb. 10 passed House Bill 10 49, a measure that creates a criminal offense for unlawful squatting and is intended to give property owners a criminal-remedy option when unauthorized occupants claim residential property.
Representative Tash, who sponsored the bill, said the measure responds to constituent cases in which residents returned to find strangers in their homes and were told by responding officers that the matter was civil only. “When law enforcement arrived, they talked to the individuals inside…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
