SB 529 updates Arkansas' Independent Tax Appeals Commission Act to clarify procedures for taxpayers challenging state tax decisions. It defines "small claims" as disputes under $10,000 (excluding penalties/interest) and requires commissioners to have either legal/accounting credentials or five years of tax experience. The bill mandates the Commission to hire a staff attorney and a tax accountant with manufacturing/business expertise, while also setting commissioner salaries comparable to state district court judges. These changes directly affect taxpayers filing appeals and the Commission's operational structure, clarifying its jurisdiction limits (e.g., excluding constitutional challenges or pending lawsuits).
HB 1641 (now Act 600) makes it a crime to use a tracking device to follow or monitor someone without their consent for the purpose of harassment. It specifically adds using such devices to the list of harassment offenses under Arkansas law, defining a "tracking device" as one that reveals location via electronic signals. The law includes an exception allowing parents or legal guardians to track minors with a tracking device. This directly affects individuals who use location-tracking technology without consent to harass others, while permitting parental monitoring of children. The change clarifies that unauthorized tracking for harassment is now explicitly punishable under existing harassment statutes.
SB 39 allocates funding for Arkansas' Division of Workforce Services for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It establishes a maximum of 137 employees with specific salary grades for roles including IT specialists, legal staff, program managers, and administrative positions. This budget measure directly affects the division's staffing structure but does not create new programs or change service eligibility.
SB 125 allocates state funds for the University of Central Arkansas' 2025-2026 budget, setting maximum salary rates for 125 specific university positions including executive roles (e.g., president, vice-presidents) and IT staff. It directly affects UCA's hiring and compensation structure for these positions during the fiscal year. The bill establishes fixed salary caps for each role, such as $354,537 for the university president and $207,294 for executive project directors. As a funding measure, it does not create new policies but authorizes budgetary allocations for existing positions.
HB 1148, now Act 597, creates the Arkansas Privacy Act with specific provisions for drone imagery. It directly affects law enforcement, emergency medical services, and search/rescue teams by allowing them to capture images using unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for incident command, training, crime scene investigation, and search/rescue operations without triggering privacy restrictions. The bill clarifies that drone use by these agencies for these purposes is exempt from privacy requirements, removing prior ambiguities about "documenting" versus "investigating" crime scenes and adding search/rescue as a permitted use. This focuses on defining when drone surveillance does not require privacy safeguards.
SB 433 (now Act 573) requires all Arkansas state government buildings to display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in a large font, alongside the national motto and accurate representations of both the U.S. and Arkansas state flags. The law mandates specific placement, with the U.S. flag displayed under the national motto and the Arkansas flag(s) included. This procedural bill affects all state government facilities, not specific individuals or policies. The legislation passed in 2025 and became effective after the governor signed it on April 14, 2025.
SB 148, now Act 587, creates a voluntary option for early childhood workers in Arkansas to join the state teacher retirement system. It defines "early childhood workers" as those employed in licensed childcare facilities providing teaching or supervision under specific state laws, including those receiving state or federal funding. The bill establishes a process where a nonprofit fiscal agent can facilitate participation, but it explicitly states no state funds will be used for contributions or matching for these workers. Participation is entirely optional for both workers and facilities, with no new state financial obligations.
SB 448 authorizes local governments in Arkansas to create financing districts that enable property owners to fund energy efficiency, renewable energy, building resilience, and water conservation improvements through special property assessments. These assessments are added to property tax bills or collected privately by third parties, remain tied to the property (not the owner), and do not use public tax revenue or require government repayment. The program applies to commercial, mixed-use, and multifamily residential properties, with financing structured as a non-governmental obligation. This legislation establishes a formal process for local districts to administer such financing under Arkansas law.
SB 505 (now Act 595) modifies Arkansas municipal zoning procedures by requiring an administrative appeal process for certain zoning or district designation changes. It mandates that decisions on these administrative zoning changes can be appealed to a municipality’s planning commission, rather than immediately going to court. This bill directly affects property owners, developers, and municipalities when seeking or challenging zoning modifications. The change streamlines the process for reviewing zoning decisions at the local level, creating a specific administrative step before potential judicial review.
SB 422 amends Arkansas's Brighter Future Fund Plan to allow 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to contribute to education savings accounts for individuals or groups of beneficiaries. The bill requires the State Treasurer to create a system for nonprofits to establish accounts, including obtaining necessary personal information while protecting confidentiality. Nonprofits must provide parents or guardians of minor beneficiaries the option to decline an account. This change expands who can contribute to the existing savings plan, directly affecting nonprofits and the beneficiaries they support.
HB 1737 updates Arkansas' Transmitting Utility Act by adding fiber optic and broadband internet services to the legal definition of "transmitting utility." This change directly affects broadband providers, bringing them under the same regulatory framework as traditional utilities like electricity, gas, and telephone services. The bill modifies the existing definition to explicitly include "the provision of fiber optic communication service, broadband internet service, or similar high-speed data transmission services" as a qualifying activity. This is a procedural adjustment to clarify which entities fall under the state's utility regulations, without creating new obligations or funding mechanisms.
SB 37 is a budget appropriation bill that sets funding and staffing levels for the Arkansas Department of Commerce for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It increases the department's authorized staff count from 30 to 59 positions and raises funding across multiple divisions, such as raising the budget for the Chief Information Officer role from $272,000 to $500,000. The bill specifies maximum employee numbers and salary grades for roles like the Secretary of Commerce, Chief Workforce Officer, and various technical and administrative positions. The amended bill was passed by the legislature and became law as Act 608 on April 14, 2025.
