(1) This section may be cited as the “Arkansas Professional Bail Bond Company and Professional Bail Bondsman Licensing Act”.
(2) There is hereby created the Professional Bail Bond Company and Professional Bail Bondsman Licensing Board.
(3) The board shall be composed of eight (8) members to be appointed by the Governor for terms of seven (7) years.
(4) Vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Governor for the unexpired portion of the term.
(5) Three (3) members of the board shall be licensed bail bond company owners, one (1) a municipal chief of police, one (1) a county sheriff, one (1) a municipal or circuit judge, and two (2) shall be residents of the state who are not a bail bond company owner, an elected judge, a sheriff, or a chief of police.
(6) No two (2) of the three (3) bail bondsman members shall reside in the same congressional district.
(7) At least one (1) board member shall be an African-American.
(8) At least one (1) board member shall be a female.
(9) The board shall have the authority and responsibility to administer and enforce the provisions of this chapter relating to licensing and regulation of professional bail bond companies and professional bail bondsmen.
(10) The board shall have the authority to adopt and enforce such reasonable rules as it shall determine to be necessary to enable it to effectively and efficiently carry out its official duty of licensing and regulating professional bail bond companies and professional bail bondsmen.
(11) The members of the board shall receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq., and a stipend pursuant to § 25-16-904.
(12) The provisions of this section shall not be construed to repeal any laws in effect on August 13, 1993, relating to the licensing and regulation of professional bail bond companies and professional bail bondsmen but such laws shall remain in full force and effect and shall be administered by the board created herein.