2024-078
State Senator Kim Hammer
Question 1: When may someone revoke an anatomical gift by a donor, other than those by an unemancipated minor?
Brief Response: While a donor may revoke an anatomical gift at any time, no one else may revokeโeither before or after the donorโs deathโan anatomical gift made by the donor. Only an anatomical gift made by someone other than the donor can be revoked by someone other than the donor.
Question 2: When may โa party enforcing a donorโs choice to make an anatomical gift be penalized or held legally responsible in any legal proceeding brought by the donorโs surviving family members who were opposed to the donationโ?
Brief response: One who follows, or attempts in good faith to follow, the Revised Arkansas Anatomical Gift Act or the anatomical gift act of another state cannot be held liable in a civil action, criminal prosecution, or an administrative proceeding brought by anyone, including the donorโs surviving family members opposed to the donation.ย
2024-091
Mr. Colby T. Roe
Request for review and approval of an interlocal cooperation agreement between the City of Fort Smith, Arkansas, and Sebastian County, Arkansas, entitled รขยยMutual Aid/Interlocal Agreement for the Establishment of Consolidated Public Safety Answering Point and Dispatch Center.รขยย
Brief Response: Having reviewed the agreement, I find that it meets the requirements of the Interlocal Cooperation Act. Thus, I approve the agreement as submitted.
2024-024
State Senator Jim Dotson
Question: Can the General Assembly under Amendment 7 amend an initiated constitutional amendment by a 2/3 majority?
Brief Response: The plain language of Amendment 7 gives the General Assembly power to amend initiated constitutional amendments. In 1951, the Arkansas Supreme Court reasoned thatโread literallyโ Amendment 7 does just that. But the Court departed from the text because it did not believe the people could have intended to give the General Assembly that power. In my opinion, that decision employed an erroneous form of reasoning and was wrongly decided. If this issue were raised today, I believe the Supreme Court would overturn that case and hold that the plain language controls.