(a) For the purpose of aiding the development and general operation of the respective soil conservation districts of this state, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission is authorized to make payments to the districts from time to time from funds appropriated for that purpose. All payments made to soil conservation districts shall be used for the purposes authorized by law, and no payments may be made to any district that does not comply with the provisions of this section.
(b) (1) Whenever the General Assembly shall have appropriated funds to be used for making payments as authorized by this section, the commission shall annually through its designated employee give notice to all soil conservation districts of this state that applications for payments will be received by the commission on or before a date designated by the commission, which date shall be at least thirty (30) days after the date of notice.
(2) Any soil conservation district desiring to receive payments under the provisions of this section shall make application therefor upon forms furnished by the commission and shall return the application to the commission on or before the date specified by the commission.
(3) All applications for payments shall be signed and verified by the chairman and secretary of the board of directors of the soil conservation district.
(4) The application form shall contain a statement that the signers thereof understand the purposes for which payments will be received and that they agree to use the payments for the purpose for which they are made and will be held accountable for any misuse of the payments.
(5) No application for payments shall be considered by the commission that is not prepared and signed according to the rules and regulations of the commission or which is received after the date specified by the commission for receiving applications.
(c) Payments made to the various conservation districts of this state shall be used only in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter and shall be in such amounts and with such restrictions as prescribed by the rules and regulations of the commission.
(d) (1) (A) Arkansas Legislative Audit may annually audit the books and accounts of each of the soil conservation districts receiving payments under the provisions of this section.
(B) All payments made to the districts shall be used for the purposes provided for in this section.
(2) (A) Any soil conservation district which violates the provisions of this section shall not be eligible for payments under the provisions of this section for three (3) years.
(B) Any member of the board of directors of any soil conservation district or any other person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
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