HB 1639 adjusts funding for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences' Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill reduces the appropriation from $1,300,000 to $950,780 and changes the fund source to a cash deposit in the State Treasury. This funding directly supports the SANE program, which provides specialized medical care and forensic evidence collection for sexual assault survivors. The bill modifies budget allocations without changing program requirements or eligibility. It became Act 549 on April 10, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.
HB 1077 requires Arkansas correctional facilities to verify the veteran status of incarcerated individuals within 14 days using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data. If a veteran is incarcerated for six months or more, facilities must notify the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs within 45 days of admission and again upon release. The bill also mandates that facilities provide incarcerated veterans with access to apply for VA benefits or veterans treatment court programs. This law directly affects veterans in state or local correctional facilities and the facilities themselves, creating a formal notification process to connect veterans with available support services.
SB 118 amends the legal definition of "audiology" to clarify the scope of practice for audiologists in the state. The bill specifically allows audiologists to order certain medical tests (like bloodwork, cultures, and non-radiographic ear canal exams) solely for evaluating hearing or balance disorders, but explicitly prohibits them from interpreting those test results. It also permits audiologists to order radiographic imaging for ear conditions without interpretation. These changes directly affect licensed audiologists by defining what diagnostic procedures they may initiate within their professional practice. The bill was passed and became law (Act 517) on April 10, 2025.
HB 1658 modifies property tax penalty rules to help military personnel on deployment. It creates a clear exception allowing service members to avoid penalties for late property tax payments during and immediately after deployment. The bill defines "deployment" and requires affected taxpayers to submit a DD Form 214 (proof of service) to their county collector within one year of deployment ending. This directly affects active-duty military members whose property taxes would otherwise incur penalties due to deployment-related absences. The law removes previous requirements for continuous deployment over 60 days and excludes training from the calculation. (Enacted as Act 550 on April 10, 2025)
HB 1301 amends Arkansas' Prior Authorization Transparency Act to clarify rules for healthcare providers and insurers regarding prior authorization requests. It requires insurers to approve at least 80% of prior authorization requests for a specific service to qualify for provider exemptions, and sets a 12-month window for providers to request new evaluations after a denial. The bill also modifies the appeals process, requiring insurers to pay 50% of independent review costs if they successfully overturn a prior authorization denial. These changes aim to increase transparency and reduce unnecessary denials in healthcare coverage decisions.
HB 1124 is a budget appropriation bill that adjusts funding levels for the Department of Finance and Administration's 2025-2026 fiscal year. It reduces specific budget line items, such as lowering a line item from $70,054,842 to $68,627,649 and decreasing other amounts like $1,585,000 to $1,545,000. The bill directly affects state budget allocations for the Department of Finance and Administration's operations and programs. This is a procedural budget adjustment, not a policy change, and it was enacted as Act 542 after passing both legislative chambers.
HB 1095 is an appropriations bill that allocates increased funding to the State Bank Department and State Securities Department within the Department of Commerce for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill specifically amends budget line items to raise funding totals, including increases like $8,935,898 (from $8,468,726) for certain programs and higher allocations for staffing and operations. This funding directly supports these departments' regulatory and oversight functions for banks and securities in the state. As a procedural budget measure, it does not create new laws but provides the financial resources for existing department operations during the 2025-2026 fiscal period.
HB 1638 updates Arkansas state law to include the United States Space Force in all references to the armed forces and uniformed services. It corrects outdated language by replacing "branch" with "regular" in multiple sections and removing obsolete phrases like "United States Marine Corps, United States Space Force" to standardize military service listings. This technical update ensures state legal documents align with the current U.S. military structure, which established the Space Force as a separate service in 2019. The bill does not create new policies or affect military operations - it only modernizes existing statutory language.
HB 1759 extends the deadline for Arkansas taxpayers to assess tangible personal property (like equipment or vehicles) acquired between January 1 and May 31 from 30 to 60 days after acquisition. This change directly affects individuals and businesses purchasing such property during that period, giving them more time to file tax assessments without incurring penalties. The bill amends Arkansas tax law to remove the 10% penalty for late assessment if property is assessed by May 31, with adjustments for weekends or holidays. It applies specifically to property acquired during the first five months of the year, not to all property taxes. The bill became law as Act 551 on April 10, 2025.
SB 227 amends the Freedom of Information Act of 1967, specifically updating provisions related to public meetings. The bill's text provided does not specify the exact nature of these amendments or the concrete policy changes it would implement. It was passed by the legislature on April 7, 2025, and became Act 505 on April 10, 2025. The context lacks details on the specific changes to FOIA or who would be directly affected, so a substantive summary of the policy mechanisms cannot be provided from the given information.
HB 1669, now Act 509, creates the "Keep Kids First Act" to protect adoption and foster care providers who refuse services based on sincerely held religious beliefs. The law prevents discrimination against these providers (such as agencies or workers) when they decline to place children due to religious objections. It specifically adds legal safeguards ensuring providers cannot face penalties or lose licensing for such actions. This law directly affects adoption/foster care providers and the children/parents seeking services, making religiously based refusals legally protected. The bill passed the Arkansas legislature and was signed into law on April 10, 2025.
HB 1798 established the Green Envelope Program and became Act 531 on April 10, 2025. This procedural bill formally created the program's name and framework but does not detail specific policies, implementation methods, or direct beneficiaries. It was passed by both legislative chambers and signed into law without additional substantive provisions outlined in the bill text. The program's operational details are not described in the provided legislative record.
