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City adopts ordinance to collect out-of-state offender registration fees; staff to study local processing charge
Summary
Chief Eddie Chadoway said Arkansas law requires collecting two $250 fees for out-of-state registrants (DNA and offender database) and remitting them to the state; the board adopted an ordinance establishing local collection procedures and attached an emergency clause, and members asked staff to investigate whether the city can add a local processing fee.
The Board of Directors adopted an ordinance establishing procedures for the Texarkana Police Department to collect and remit out-of-state offender registration fees required by Arkansas law.
Chief Eddie Chadoway told the board the statute requires two $250 fees—one for the DNA database and one for the offender registry—which the police department will collect upon registration and remit to the state. "The money goes to the state of Arkansas," Chief Chadoway said, adding there is no monetary gain for the city under the current statute.
Directors asked whether the city could add a local administrative or processing fee to help cover staff work. Chief Chadoway said he had not researched that question; board counsel said staff could look into whether an administrative processing fee is authorized under state law. The board discussed the policy implications—one director noted that a local processing fee might discourage some registrants from moving to the city—but did not make an immediate change to the ordinance language.
The board read the ordinance through three readings, adopted it by roll call, and attached an emergency clause so the city could implement the collection procedure promptly. Staff were directed to research whether a permitted local processing or administrative fee could be added later.
