TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OATH OF OFFICE.

HB 1597 updates Arkansas law to clarify which officials can administer oaths of office for elected and appointed public officials. It specifies that municipal officers (like city council members) must take oaths before designated judges, county clerks, or other authorized personnel, while state officials (such as the Governor and Supreme Court justices) have defined options including state court judges or clerks. The bill directly affects all local and state officials required to take oaths upon assuming office. It modifies existing code sections to provide precise, accessible pathways for oath administration without changing substantive policy. This is a procedural update focused on streamlining the swearing-in process.