Constitution of Arkansas (2025 publisher edition) — Amendment 55: REVISION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Publisher edition notice: This collection preserves the complete constitutional appendix of the Secretary of State’s 2025 Election Laws and Constitution compilation: its preamble, twenty original articles, schedule and 104 published amendments, including annotations and explicit repealed notices. Repealed notices remain historical publisher context. Later amendments have not been independently verified.

Amendment 55

AMEND. 55. REVISION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT
Publisher’s Notes. This amendment was proposed by
H.J.R. No. 20 (see Acts 1973, p. 2230) and filed in the office
of the Secretary of State on April 10, 1973. It was approved
at the general election on Nov. 5, 1974, by a vote of 242,419
for and 230,014 against.
Effective Dates.
Const. Amend. 55, § 7 provided: “Sections 1 and 4 of this
Amendment shall be effective January 1, 1977, and all
other provisions hereof shall be effective when this Amend-
ment is adopted [November 5, 1974].”
§ 1. Power of quorum court.
(a) A county acting through its Quorum Court may exercise local legislative authority not
denied by the Constitution or by law.
(b) No county may declare any act a felony or exercise any authority not relating to county affairs.
(c) A county may, for any public purpose, contract, cooperate, or join with any other county, or
with any political subdivisions of the State or any other states or their political subdivisions, or
with the United States.
§ 2. Composition of quorum court — Power over elective offices.
(a) No county’s Quorum Court shall be comprised of fewer than nine (9) justices of the peace,
nor comprised of more than fifteen (15) justices of the peace. The number of justices of the peace
that comprise a county’s Quorum Court shall be determined by law. The county’s Election
Commission shall, after each decennial census, divide the county into convenient and single
member districts so that the Quorum Court shall be based upon the inhabitants of the county
with each member representing, as nearly as practicable, an equal number thereof.
(b) The Quorum Court may create, consolidate, separate, revise, or abandon any elective
county office or offices except during the term thereof; provided, however, that a majority of those
voting on the question at a general election have approved said action.
§ 3. Power of county judge.
The County Judge, in addition to other powers and duties provided for by the Constitution and
by law, shall preside over the Quorum Court without a vote but with the power of veto; authorize
and approve disbursement of appropriated county funds; operate the system of county roads;
administer ordinances enacted by the Quorum Court; have custody of county property; hire
county employees, except those persons employed by other elected officials of the county.
§ 4. Powers of quorum court.
In addition to other powers conferred by the Constitution and by law, the Quorum Court shall
have the power to override the veto of the County Judge by a vote of three-fifths of the total
membership; fix the number and compensation of deputies and county employees; fill vacancies
in elective county offices; and adopt ordinances necessary for the government of the county. The
Quorum Court shall meet and exercise all such powers as provided by law.
§ 5. Compensation of county officers fixed by quorum court.
Compensation of each county officer shall be fixed by the Quorum Court within a minimum and
maximum to be determined by law. Compensation may not be decreased during a current term;
provided, however, during the interim, from the date of adoption of this Amendment until the
first day of the next succeeding month following the date of approval of salaries by the Quorum
Court, salaries of county officials shall be determined by law. Fees of the office shall not be the
basis of compensation for officers or employees of county offices. Per diem compensation for
members of the Quorum Court shall be fixed by law.
§ 6. Bonding of county officers.
All County Officers shall be bonded as provided by law.
701 Amend. 55, § 6 REVISION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT

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