§ 12-75-124 - Compensation for services and property.
12-75-124. Compensation for services and property.
(a) (1) Each person within this state shall conduct himself or herself and keep and manage his or her affairs and property in ways that will reasonably assist and will not unreasonably detract from the ability of the state and the public to successfully meet disaster emergencies. This obligation includes appropriate personal service and use or restriction on the use of property in time of disaster emergency.
(2) This chapter neither increases nor decreases these obligations but recognizes their existence under the Arkansas Constitution and statutes of this state and the common law.
(3) Compensation for services or for the taking or use of property shall be only to the extent that obligations recognized in this chapter are exceeded in a particular case and then only to the extent that the claimant may not be deemed to have volunteered his or her services or property without compensation.
(b) The state, any agency of the state, and any political subdivision shall not compensate any personal services except pursuant to statute or local law or ordinance.
(c) Compensation for property shall be only if the property was commandeered or otherwise used in coping with a disaster emergency and its use or destruction was ordered by the Governor or a member of the disaster emergency forces of this state.
(d) Any person claiming compensation for the use, damage, loss, or destruction of property under this chapter shall file a claim therefor with the Arkansas State Claims Commission in the form and manner the commission provides.
(e) Unless the amount of compensation on account of property damaged, lost, or destroyed is agreed between the claimant and the commission, the amount of compensation shall be calculated in the same manner as compensation due for a taking of property pursuant to the condemnation laws of this state.
(f) Nothing in this section applies to or authorizes compensation for the destruction or damaging of standing timber or other property in order to provide a fire break or to the release of waters or the breach of impoundments in order to reduce pressure or other danger from actual or threatened flood.