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Arkansas Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress
All 8,915 Active 18 In committee 7,296 Passed 567 Signed 5,255 Failed 2,679
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 608: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING RUNOFF ELECTIONS FOR COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL OFFICERS.

Senate Bill 608 amends the laws governing runoff elections for county and municipal officers in Arkansas. For municipal offices, the bill requires a runoff if no candidate receives a majority of votes, or if a candidate with a plurality of 40% or more does not also hold at least a 20% lead over the second-place candidate. If required, the runoff election between the top two candidates occurs four weeks after the general election. This legislation directly affects candidates running for these offices and the voters in those jurisdictions. It also updates the process for declaring a winner if a leading candidate withdraws before the election results are certified.
Mark Johnson (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 637: TO AMEND THE REVENUE STABILIZATION LAW; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

Senate Bill 637 amends Arkansas's Revenue Stabilization Law, which dictates how state general revenues are distributed. Starting July 1, 2025, the bill directs the Treasurer of State to make monthly transfers of available general revenues to various state funds and accounts. It establishes specific maximum allocation amounts for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and subsequent years, totaling over $6.49 billion. These allocations directly affect funding for numerous state services, including public schools, general education, human services, state government operations, and institutions of higher education.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $6.49B to state funds including public services, directly advancing budget distribution per Revenue Stabilization Law95% confidence
Jonathan Dismang (R) Lane Jean (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 458: TO REQUIRE A COURT TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF FACTORS SUCH AS TRAUMA AND INVOLVEMENT WITH THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM ON A PERSON WHO COMMITTED A CRIME AS A MINOR DURING A TRANSFER OR SENTENCING HEARING.

Senate Bill 458 requires courts to consider specific factors when making decisions about individuals who committed crimes as minors. It mandates that judges take into account the impact of factors such as trauma and prior involvement with the child welfare system. These considerations apply during transfer hearings, which determine if a case moves to adult court, or during sentencing hearings. This bill aims to integrate an understanding of these background factors into the judicial process for these individuals.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates courts to consider trauma and child welfare history for minors, promoting rehabilitative sentencing over punitive measures in juvenile cases.95% confidence
Greg Leding (D) Nicole Clowney (D)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 554: TO CREATE THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.

Senate Bill 554 creates the Behavioral Health Loan Forgiveness Program, administered by the Department of Human Services. This program offers student loan payments to mental health professionals and licensed alcoholism and drug abuse counselors. To participate, individuals must commit to serving a minimum of three years full-time in designated "behaviorally underserved communities" in Arkansas. Upon completion of each year of service, participants receive an annual disbursement towards their eligible loans, up to a maximum of three years. Failure to fulfill the service obligation requires repayment of funds received with interest.
Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates loan forgiveness for mental health professionals to increase access in underserved communities, directly advancing behavioral health services.95% confidence
Jeremy Wooldridge (R) Clarke Tucker (D)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 431: TO AMEND THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ACT OF 2013; TO ELIMINATE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES; TO CREATE SAFE HARBORS FOR VICTIMS; AND TO PROHIBIT CERTAIN SEXUALLY EXPLICIT PRODUCTS THAT RESEMBLE A CHILD.

SB 431 amends the Human Trafficking Act of 2013 to enhance protections for victims and address related offenses. The bill eliminates the statute of limitations for certain offenses when the individual was a victim of trafficking and committed the offense as a direct result of that trafficking. It also establishes "safe harbors" for victims and prohibits certain sexually explicit products that resemble a child.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeEliminates statute of limitations for trafficking victims and creates safe harbors, enhancing victim protections and aligning with criminal justice reform indicators.95% confidence
Scott Richardson (R) Josh Bryant (R) · 1 co-sponsor
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 575: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING INSTALLMENT FEES COLLECTED IN CIRCUIT AND DISTRICT COURTS; TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DRIVER'S LICENSE REINSTATEMENT FEES; AND TO CREATE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM TASK FORCE.

Senate Bill 575, as amended, modifies laws related to driver's license reinstatement fees and establishes a Justice System Task Force. It repeals specific state code sections that classify certain driver's license reinstatement fees as special revenue, thus changing their financial categorization. The bill also expands the proposed Justice System Task Force from ten to thirteen members, incorporating representatives from judicial councils and local government associations. These provisions are scheduled to become effective on July 1, 2026.
Carol Dalby (R) Clarke Tucker (D)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 346: AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS SENATE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

Senate Bill 346 is an appropriations act that establishes the budget and staffing levels for the Arkansas Senate for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill sets the maximum number of employees for various staff positions, such as the Director of Senate and Legislative Assistants, totaling 19 positions, along with their corresponding salary grades. It appropriates $1,500,000 to cover the operational expenses of the Arkansas Senate for that fiscal year. This legislation directly affects the staffing and financial resources available to the Arkansas Senate.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill appropriates $1.5M for Arkansas Senate operations, directly funding government budget as required by appropriations legislation.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 591: TO PROHIBIT RACE-SELECTION ABORTION IN THIS STATE; AND TO CREATE THE RACE DISCRIMINATION BY ABORTION PROHIBITION ACT.

SB 591, also known as the Race Discrimination by Abortion Prohibition Act, prohibits abortions in Arkansas if the decision is based on the race of the unborn child or the pregnant woman. The bill establishes a legal framework to prevent such race-selection abortions within the state. This legislation directly affects individuals seeking abortions and medical professionals providing abortion services in Arkansas.
Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts access to abortion services (a healthcare service) by prohibiting race-based abortions, directly limiting patient access per bill's prohibition.95% confidence
Clint Penzo (R) Karilyn Brown (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 568: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE TAXES APPLICABLE TO LITHIUM EXTRACTION AND DEVELOPMENT; TO PROVIDE A SALES AND USE TAX EXEMPTION FOR LITHIUM RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE SEVERANCE TAX ON LITHIUM.

Senate Bill 568 amends laws concerning taxes on lithium extraction and development, including establishing a sales and use tax exemption for lithium resource development. It also modifies the distribution of severance taxes, specifically detailing how funds collected from salt water are allocated. The bill creates a tiered system where portions of these salt water severance taxes are directed to state general revenues. A significant share is also allocated to county road funds, distributed based on where the tax was generated. This impacts companies involved in lithium development and the funding available for state and local government services.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill provides sales/use tax exemption for lithium development and modifies severance tax distribution to state general revenues and county roads, directly addressing tax policy and fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyTax exemption for lithium resource development directly promotes renewable energy infrastructure, as lithium is critical for batteries in clean energy storage and EVs.92% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill allocates severance tax funds to county road funds, directly funding transportation infrastructure maintenance and development.85% confidence
Steve Crowell (R) Lane Jean (R) · 6 co-sponsors
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 457: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE RELEASE FROM PAROLE OR POST-RELEASE SUPERVISION OF CERTAIN PERSONS WHO COMMITTED CRIMES WHEN THEY WERE UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN.

Based on the provided information, Senate Bill 457, now Act 1001, amends the law concerning the release from parole or post-release supervision. This bill specifically impacts individuals who committed crimes when they were under the age of eighteen. The provided text only includes an amendment adding a cosponsor, so specific details about the mechanisms or provisions of the law change are not available.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAmends release procedures for juvenile offenders, aligning with reform goals to reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation of individuals who committed crimes as minors.95% confidence
Ashley Hudson (D) Greg Leding (D)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 638: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE COLLECTION OF SALES AND USE TAX ON THE SALE OF A NEW OR USED MOTORBOAT; AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE DIRECT PAYMENT OF SALES AND USE TAX ON A MOTORBOAT SOLD BY A MOTORBOAT DEALER.

Senate Bill 638, now Act 1019, amends the law concerning the collection of sales and use tax on new or used motorboat sales in Arkansas. The bill shifts the responsibility for collecting these taxes from motorboat dealers directly to the consumer. Buyers will now pay the applicable sales or use tax to the Department of Finance and Administration when applying for a certificate of number (registration) for their motorboat. This applies to motorboats purchased from both in-state and out-of-state dealers. The act also clarifies tax calculations for trade-ins and defines the presumed value for used motorboats.
Lee Johnson (R) Justin Boyd (R) · 1 co-sponsor
signed · Arkansas · Senate Apr 23, 2025

SB 93: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

SB 93 is an appropriation act that allocates funds for the Department of Education for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It sets the budget for various departmental operations and programs. A key provision appropriates an additional $1,000,000 for grants to local school districts. These grants are specifically designated for asthma training and treatment programs, including equipment, school personnel training, and the monitoring of asthma cases within public schools. This bill directly affects the Department of Education, local school districts, and students who may benefit from enhanced asthma care in schools.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $1M additional funding for school asthma programs, increasing education budget allocation for public health services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $1M for asthma training grants in schools, directly funding student health programs within educational settings.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $1M for school asthma programs including medical equipment and personnel training, directly funding healthcare services for students.95% confidence
Showing 157 to 168 of 5,255 bills
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