State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > Arkansas > Title-13 > Chapter-3 > Subchapter-1 > 13-3-104

13-3-104. Powers and duties.

(a) All records, papers, archives, and historical material at any time in the possession of the Arkansas History Commission, excepting such as it may have on loan, shall be and remain the property of the State of Arkansas. It shall also be the function, power, and duty of the commission to:

(1) Receive, classify, and preserve, through the making of photographic copies or by other means, all official archives of Arkansas, its counties, its municipalities, and its other subdivisions, which may come either permanently or temporarily into the commisson's custody;

(2) Collect, classify, and preserve, through the making of photographic copies or by other means, all records, manuscripts, maps, diaries, letters, war service records, journals, and papers of historical value, pertaining to Arkansas and Arkansans;

(3) Collect and preserve, through the making of photographic copies or by other means, all files of such Arkansas newspapers as it may acquire either permanently or temporarily;

(4) Collect and preserve portraits, photographs, sketches, drawings, and other likenesses of eminent Arkansans, historic places, houses, buildings, and scenes in Arkansas;

(5) Select and publish any state papers and other source material of Arkansas history it shall deem appropriate and its funds will permit;

(6) Build up and maintain at its headquarters a reference library of the source material of Arkansas history;

(7) Establish and maintain at its headquarters any permanent or temporary displays of historic relics and other articles and objects of historic interest, which it shall determine to be desirable or feasible; and

(8) Ascertain the location of battlefields within the state on which battles were fought in the War Between the States, prepare data as to the troops employed in such engagements, ascertain which battlefields should be marked by suitable markers, accept designs for the markers, and, within the limit of funds available for the purpose, acquire and place markers in suitable positions on those battlefields, subject, in each instance, to the approval of the owners of the land.

(b) Without limiting the generality of the other provisions of this chapter by reason of the following enumeration, the commission shall have the authority to:

(1) Adopt and use a seal;

(2) Destroy, exchange, or otherwise dispose of any materials in its possession, except borrowed materials, which it may find to be worthless or surplus to its needs;

(3) (A) Establish and make reasonable charges for furnishing photographic and certified copies of materials in its possession.

(B) The funds so collected shall be deposited to the credit of the commission's account in a bank and from time to time withdrawn therefrom for the purchase of photographic equipment and supplies, to pay for processing films, and for related purposes;

(4) Receive and expend any moneys arising from grants, contributions, or gratuities, receive bequests or donations of real or personal property, convert into money any property which cannot be used in the form received, and expend the money for any of the functions performable by it. The Chief Fiscal Officer of the State shall prescribe rules for the handling of these moneys;

(5) Cooperate with, and receive the cooperation of, historical associations and other nonprofit organizations devoted to the history of this state;

(6) Contract and be contracted with; and

(7) Take such other action, not inconsistent with law, as it shall deem necessary in the performance of any of its functions.