HB 1152 allocates $3.06 million for staffing and operations of Arkansas' Department of Education Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, including specific positions for 32 regular staff and up to 5 temporary employees. It also appropriates $215.34 million for school facility grants to public school districts, covering programs like academic facilities partnerships and catastrophic repairs. The bill directly affects the state education department and public school districts receiving facility funding. This is a funding measure (not a policy change), setting budget limits for the division’s operations and school support programs.
HB 1090 appropriates $25.6 million for the Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) within the Department of Commerce for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funding covers salaries for 55 full-time employees, operational expenses, data processing, and specific programs including $15 million for federal housing initiatives and $2.3 million for emergency shelter services targeting homelessness. It directly affects ADFA staff and agencies administering state and federal housing/grant programs, with no new policy changes - only funding for existing operations. The bill was enacted as Act 537 on April 10, 2025.
HB 1785 amends Arkansas law governing county depository boards by clarifying membership requirements when the county treasurer and collector roles are combined. It specifies that if these positions are merged, the quorum court must select a third board member from other elected county constitutional officers. This change directly affects counties that have combined these two offices, ensuring the board maintains representation from multiple elected officials. The bill passed in April 2025 and became Act 525.
HB 1097 appropriates $11.7 million for the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) to cover salaries, operations, and expenses for its Utilities and Tax Divisions during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It specifies staffing levels, including 91 regular employees and up to six temporary workers, across roles like utility auditors, legal staff, and financial analysts. The funding supports the PSC's core functions, such as regulating utilities, processing rate cases, and handling tax-related oversight. This budget measure directly affects PSC employees and the agencies it regulates, with no policy changes beyond funding allocation.
This bill updates Arkansas' seed certification rules to clarify penalties for false claims and streamline certification processes. It specifies fines ($25-$500 per offense) for falsely advertising certified seed, misusing labels, or making false statements to the State Plant Board. Growers and sellers must follow strict quality standards to obtain certification, with fees covering inspection costs and promoting certified seed. Certified seed must display proper labels, and fees collected for promotion are distributed to seed industry associations. The law directly affects Arkansas seed producers, sellers, and the State Plant Board's certification program.
SB 132 (Act 535) is a procedural budget amendment that updates how state funds are designated for paying approved claims. It replaces the reference to the "Miscellaneous Agencies Fund Account" with a specific "cash fund deposited in the State Treasury as determined by the Chief Fiscal Officer." This change affects state agencies processing claims by clarifying the fund source for payments, without creating new policies or altering eligibility. The bill was passed quickly with an emergency clause and became law on April 10, 2025.
Senate Bill 320 amends multiple Arkansas statutes to update references to the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, specifically citing sections §9-27-301 et seq. and §9-35-101 et seq. The bill clarifies how the juvenile code applies to cases involving underage alcohol possession, custody transfers, and juvenile delinquency proceedings. It ensures consistent legal references across statutes without changing substantive law. This affects juvenile courts, law enforcement, and child welfare agencies when handling cases under the juvenile code.
HB 1176 appropriates $4.38 million for Arkansas' Department of Public Safety - Division of Emergency Management for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill funds 112 regular staff positions (including directors, emergency planners, and administrative roles) and up to 28 temporary "extra help" employees, covering salaries, operations, and training. It allocates $2.77 million for regular salaries under state operations and $538,725 for federal program salaries. This funding directly supports the division's day-to-day functions, including emergency planning, grants management, and federal grant compliance, without creating new policies or affecting the public.
HB 1772, now Act 529, prohibits Arkansas local governments (counties, cities, etc.) from banning vegetable gardens on residential properties. It defines a "vegetable garden" broadly to include plots growing vegetables, herbs, fruits, or edible plants for personal use or noncommercial sharing. While localities may still regulate specific aspects like water use during droughts, fertilizer, invasive species control, or reasonable garden size/location (e.g., backyard placement), they cannot outright prohibit such gardens. This law directly affects homeowners and renters cultivating edible plants on their property across Arkansas.
HB 1300 amends the Prior Authorization Transparency Act to increase clarity for healthcare providers and patients regarding insurance prior authorization requirements. It requires health insurers to publish aggregated online lists of step therapy rules, service location restrictions, benefit category limits, excluded services, and post-service review requirements - using standardized billing codes. Insurers must also provide healthcare providers 60 days' written notice of any changes to these published policies, down from 90 days. The bill directly affects insurance companies, healthcare providers, and patients navigating coverage approvals for medical services.
HB 1724 changes Arkansas school board election rules to give districts more flexibility. It requires school districts to adopt their own annual election date (replacing a fixed date) and notify county election officials 100 days before candidate filing. The bill also updates how school board boundaries change (due to annexation or membership requirements) and adjusts term expiration dates for elected members. Additionally, it revises runoff election rules and changes filing deadlines and election start times to noon. These changes directly affect all Arkansas public school districts and voters participating in local school board elections.
HB 1927 amends the effective date of specific sections (15 and 20) in another bill (Acts 2025, No. 408) to take effect immediately upon passage, rather than waiting for the usual July 1 start date. This change directly affects the Arkansas Secretary of State's office, ensuring its funding remains uninterrupted for essential services like election administration and business entity registration. The bill declares an emergency to prevent a funding lapse at the end of the current fiscal year, which would disrupt these critical government operations. It is a procedural adjustment focused solely on timing, not new policy.
