Beauty Pageants
No person shall conduct a beauty pageant in Arkansas unless registered with the Department. Registration in another state as a beauty pageant operator shall not be effective in this state.
A registration and bonding exemption applies to any operator which has existed as an operation for at least twenty-five (25) years, and its affiliates, whether now or hereafter, and whose continuing primary function involves the annual organization, promotion and sponsoring of a statewide talent and beauty pageant in which contestants compete for scholarships, awarded by the operator, as well for the opportunity of being Arkansas’ representative and contestant in an annual nationwide talent and beauty pageant with which the operator is affiliated.
The following organizations are required to register with the Department but are exempt from the bonding requirement:
- A bona fide civic club in existence for at least one (1) year
- A non-profit organization
- A religious organization or church
- A local government entity or school
- Any organization auxiliary to or affiliated with such local governmental entities or schools, including but not limited to, county fair boards, and school booster clubs
Each registered operator shall, at the time of registration, file and have approved by the Department of Finance and Administration, a bond in which the candidate for registration shall be the principal obligator in the amount of ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00). Such bond shall be payable to the State of Arkansas for the use of the Director and any person who may have a cause of action against the obligor on the bond for any losses caused by a failure to conduct a beauty pageant.
Each registration shall expire on December 31st of each year.
Applicable Statutes: AR Code Ann. §§17-21-101 et seq.
