SB 332 is a funding bill that allocates state funds for the existing Sexual Risk Avoidance Education Program within Arkansas' Department of Education for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It specifically appropriates money for this program in public schools, without changing the program's content or requirements. The bill was passed by the legislature and signed into law as Act 536 on April 10, 2025. This is a procedural funding measure for an established educational program, not a policy change.
This bill (SB 104, now Act 514) amends Arkansas' rules for pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) - companies that negotiate drug prices for health insurance plans. It requires PBMs to follow the actual terms of a patient's underlying health plan when making coverage decisions, preventing them from imposing extra restrictions not in the plan document. The law gives Arkansas' Insurance Commissioner authority to enforce this rule and penalize PBMs that operate outside the plan's terms. This directly protects patients by ensuring they can access medications as defined by their health plan, not by PBM policies. The bill was enacted urgently with an emergency clause on April 7, 2025.
SB 323 amends the Horizontal Property Act to allow a multi-unit property ownership system (such as a condominium or townhouse community) to be legally integrated as part of a larger development project. This change directly affects property owners and developers by simplifying the process of including existing horizontal properties within broader developments without requiring separate ownership structures for the entire project. The key provision explicitly adds that a horizontal property regime may be "made part of another development," eliminating bureaucratic barriers for development projects that combine multiple property types. The bill was passed by the legislature on April 7, 2025, and became law as Act 516 on April 10, 2025.
SB 130 adjusts the 2025-2026 budget appropriation for Arkansas State University from $2,267,000 to $2,270,000 by modifying two specific line items in the funding allocation. This technical amendment, approved by the Joint Budget Committee, corrects numerical values in the appropriation bill without changing the university's overall funding structure. The bill directly affects Arkansas State University's fiscal planning for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It became law as Act 534 after passing both chambers and being delivered to the Governor on April 8, 2025.
HB 1744 updates Arkansas' fertilizer regulations by requiring manufacturers and sellers to register products with the State Plant Board before sale (Sections 1, 3). It establishes a $2.40 fee per ton of fertilizer sold, with 62¢ funding the State Plant Board and $1.78 directed to the University of Arkansas for soil testing and research (Section 7). The bill also sets minimum grade requirements for special crop-use fertilizers and clarifies sampling procedures for quality inspections (Sections 2, 5). These changes directly affect fertilizer producers, distributors, and agricultural businesses operating in Arkansas. The law, now Act 530, became effective April 10, 2025.
HB 1545 is an amendment to Arkansas' Military Child School Transitions Act of 2021. It updates the law to explicitly include students with disabilities in school transition support, expands the Purple Star School Program to develop resources for military-connected students, and adjusts excused absence policies for these students. The amendment also removes Section 6 of the original act. These changes directly affect military-connected students in Arkansas schools, particularly those with disabilities, by improving access to transition support and program resources.
This bill allocates $7.02 million in state funds for Arkansas' Educational Television Division (AR PBS) operations during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It specifically covers salaries for 93 permanent staff positions (including directors, engineers, and production roles) and up to 51 temporary "Extra Help" positions for project-based work. The funding supports AR PBS's existing state-operated educational television service, covering personnel costs, operations, and matching funds for educational programming. It does not create new policies or programs but ensures continued funding for the division's current structure.
HB 1081 would repeal a $16.5 million annual funding allocation for professional learning communities in Arkansas public schools, specifically removing Arkansas Code § 6-20-2305(b)(5)(C). This funding was intended to support the development and administration of teacher collaboration programs (professional learning communities) for school districts. The bill, introduced by Rep. B. McKenzie in 2025, was withdrawn by the author on April 9, 2025, before moving to a committee vote. It directly affected public school districts and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, which would have administered the funds.
HB 1825 allows Arkansas public high schools to require students to earn one credit in a computer science or computer science-related career and technical education course to graduate. This policy change applies to all public high school students in Arkansas, though schools may choose whether to implement this requirement. The bill amends graduation standards to include this option and directs the state to identify qualifying courses for schools that adopt the requirement. It does not mandate the requirement statewide but provides schools with the option to add this computer science credit to graduation criteria.
HB 1636 would phase out Arkansas' soft drink tax by gradually eliminating it based on sales tax collections from soft drink sales. The bill proposed replacing the current tax with a system tied directly to existing sales tax data, ensuring a smooth transition. This change would directly affect soft drink retailers (who collect the tax) and consumers (who pay it). The legislation aimed to replace an outdated tax structure with one aligned to current sales tax reporting practices.
This bill would require pediatricians to screen children aged 3 and older for Type 1 diabetes during annual well-child visits using blood sugar tests and other necessary methods (like antibody testing if family history is present). It would mandate that Arkansas Medicaid and all private health insurance plans cover these screenings, effective January 1, 2026. The bill directly affects pediatricians (who must conduct screenings), children receiving routine care, and health insurers (who must provide coverage). It aims to address delayed diagnosis by making early screening a standard part of pediatric care.
SB 264 establishes the Arkansas Primary Care Payment Improvement Working Group, a 9-member committee to study and recommend improvements to primary care payment systems. The group includes state health officials, an insurance commissioner representative, health improvement center staff, and appointed primary care physicians, nurses, and pediatricians from legislative leaders. It does not change existing laws or payments but creates a formal process for stakeholders to analyze and propose payment system reforms. This procedural bill directly affects primary care providers and health insurers by creating a structured forum for their input. The working group was formally created when the bill became Act 483 on April 9, 2025.
