22-3-923. Allocation of space — Legislative findings and determination — Purpose and intent.

22-3-923. Allocation of space — Legislative findings and determination — Purpose and intent. (a)(1) It is found and determined by the General Assembly that: (A) The Arkansas Justice Building was constructed primarily to house the higher appellate courts and that other agencies were permitted to occupy portions of the building only because the space was not needed by the courts at that time; (B) Since construction of the building, the electors of the state authorized the establishment of a new appellate court, the Court of Appeals; (C) The Court of Appeals is in urgent need of additional space in the Arkansas Justice Building in order to perform its responsibilities; and (D) It is essential that the additional space to be provided the Court of Appeals is contiguous to the space now assigned to that court. (2) Furthermore, it is the purpose and intent of this section to establish specific priorities for use of space in the Arkansas Justice Building and to specifically authorize the Building Authority Division of the Department of Finance and Administration to allocate space in the Arkansas Justice Building in accordance with those priorities to assure that the appellate courts and the services and facilities essential to the effective and efficient operation of the courts, such as library facilities, are given first priority in the use of space in the building. (b)(1) Space in the Arkansas Justice Building shall be allocated by the division, after seeking the advice of the Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Facilities, to the following courts, library, and offices in the order of priority listed: (A) The Supreme Court; (B) The Court of Appeals; (C) The Clerk of the Supreme Court; (D) The Supreme Court Library; and (E) The Administrative Office of the Courts. (2) The space requirements of each court, library, or office listed in this subsection must be adequately met before any space is allocated to any other office or agency. (c) If the space requirements of the courts, library, and offices listed in subsection (b) of this section are adequately met, the division, after seeking the advice of the Joint Interim Committee on Legislative Facilities, may allocate any additional space to any other offices or agencies it deems appropriate. (d) The division shall allocate space in accordance with the priorities prescribed in this section as soon as practicable after April 3, 1985, in order that the additional space allocated to the courts, library, and offices enumerated in this section shall be available on or before July 1, 1985. (e)(1) The provisions of §§ 22-3-901 — 22-3-918 and the covenants and obligations of the division entered into in connection with the issuance of bonds under §§ 22-3-901 — 22-3-918 are ratified and confirmed. (2) Nothing in this section is intended or shall be interpreted to alter the amounts of, due dates for, or obligors of lease rentals payable pursuant to leases entered into between the division and any lessee identified in §§ 22-3-901 — 22-3-918 or any successor thereto, or to alter the handling, deposit, or application of the lease rentals.