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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 516 In committee 498 Passed 579 Signed 5,256 Failed 2,557

Bill results

signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1601: TO REQUIRE STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING AND OTHER RESOURCES TO CERTAIN STUDENTS.

HB 1601 (now Act 354) requires all state-supported colleges and universities to provide career counseling and related resources to specific student groups. The law mandates institutions to develop and implement these services as part of their student support programs. It directly affects public higher education institutions and the students enrolled in them, particularly those needing career guidance. The bill focuses on making these resources a standard offering, without specifying exact student criteria or additional funding mechanisms. The measure passed both chambers and was signed into law on March 20, 2025.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates career counseling services at public colleges, enhancing student support programs and access to career resources for specific student groups.90% confidence
Lee Johnson (R) Jim Dotson (R) · 1 co-sponsor
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1575: TO PROHIBIT A PERSON THAT IS EMPLOYED OR HAS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT INTEREST IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT OWNS, OPERATES, REPRESENTS, OR APPLIES FOR A SOLID WASTE LICENSE OR PERMIT FROM SERVING AS A MEMBER ON CERTAIN BOARDS.

HB 1575 prohibits individuals employed by or financially tied to solid waste companies (those owning, operating, or applying for waste permits) from serving on specific state boards. It directly affects board members who work for or have financial interests in the solid waste industry, preventing potential conflicts of interest. The bill creates a clear rule: no one with such ties can serve on designated boards overseeing solid waste regulation. This is a straightforward conflict-of-interest measure, not a new policy on waste management. The law became effective as Act 376 on March 20, 2025.
Robin Lundstrum (R) Josh Bryant (R) · 1 co-sponsor
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1661: TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING STATE DISTRICT COURTS; TO ELIMINATE THE OBLIGATION OF CITIES AND COUNTIES TO PAY THE SALARIES OF STATE DISTRICT COURT JUDGES; AND TO AMEND THE LAWS CONCERNING DISTRICT COURT CLERKS.

HB 1661 shifts the funding responsibility for state district court judges' salaries from cities and counties to the state, eliminating local governments' obligation to pay these salaries. It creates a "county administration of justice fund" that uses court filing fees and costs to maintain funding for county justice programs (like public defenders, prosecutors, and county jails) at levels based on 1994-1995 data, with limited annual adjustments tied to inflation. The bill directly affects all 70 state district courts (as of 2025) and county-level judicial services. It ensures county funding for these programs continues without local salary payments, aligning with Arkansas' transition to a unified state court system.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill maintains county justice program funding (public defenders, jails) via court fees, preventing defunding of essential services while shifting judge salary costs to state.85% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMaintains funding for public defenders and county justice programs at historical levels, ensuring stability in criminal justice operations without defunding.95% confidence
Carol Dalby (R) Alan Clark (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 254: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING RURAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS; TO AMEND THE DEFINITION OF "PROPERTY IN KIND"; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

SB 254 amends Arkansas law to clarify requirements for rural community projects seeking state funding. It expands the definition of "property in kind" to explicitly include labor, equipment, materials, services, and money (beyond just real/personal property). The bill requires communities to contribute one-fourth (25%) of a project's cost through non-tax donations (money or "property in kind"), and prohibits using tax funds for this share. If communities fail to provide this 25%, local governments must cover it using their own funds or "property in kind." This directly affects rural towns and small cities applying for state grants for community projects.
Trey Steimel (R) Missy Irvin (R)
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1579: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING SEX OFFENDER REASSESSMENT; AND TO PROHIBIT AN INCARCERATED PERSON FROM BEING ELIGIBLE FOR RISK LEVEL REASSESSMENT.

HB 1579 amends Arkansas law to prevent incarcerated individuals convicted of sex offenses from requesting a reassessment of their risk level while in prison. The bill specifically adds a provision stating that such reassessment eligibility is only available after a person is released from incarceration. This change directly affects sex offenders currently serving time in state prisons, as they cannot seek a lower risk classification during their sentence. The law modifies existing eligibility rules under Arkansas Code § 12-12-917(h)(1) to require release before any reassessment can occur. The bill became Act 357 on March 20, 2025.
Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill restricts incarcerated sex offenders from risk reassessment during imprisonment, limiting rehabilitation pathways and aligning with 'oppose' indicators (restricts defendant rights in corrections).95% confidence
Jimmy Gazaway (R) Dave Wallace (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 22: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF INSPECTOR GENERAL APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

SB 22 is a budget appropriation bill for Arkansas' Department of Inspector General for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It increases funding from $1.37 million to $3.36 million and adds 16 new positions, including five Internal Auditors at GS-08 level and other audit/financial roles. The bill directly affects the Inspector General department's staffing and operational capacity by authorizing specific new hires and higher budget allocations. This is purely a funding measure with no policy changes, as it adjusts existing budget line items without creating new laws.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases funding from $1.37M to $3.36M for Inspector General department, directly authorizing higher budget allocations and new hires for fiscal oversight and accountability.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 38: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH -LICENSING AND REGULATION BOARDS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

This bill directs the Arkansas State Medical Board to annually transfer $500,000 from its unused funds to the Department of Education's Graduate Medical Education Fund. The funds are specifically designated to support expansion of medical residency programs in Arkansas. It directly affects medical residency training positions by providing new funding for these programs. The transfer begins immediately upon the bill's effective date and continues annually.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesTransfers $500k annually from unused medical board funds to fund medical residency expansion, directly supporting public education program funding within state budget appropriations.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates $500k annually from Medical Board funds to expand medical residency programs, directly funding healthcare workforce development and training.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1563: TO ADD A FELONY OFFENSE THAT FALLS UNDER THE DEFINITION OF RESTRICTED RELEASE FELONY WITH RESPECT TO RELEASE ELIGIBILITY AND PROCEDURES FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2025.

HB 1563 adds "knowingly exposing another person to fentanyl in the first degree" (under Arkansas Code § 5-13-214(b)) as a felony offense that qualifies as a "restricted release felony" for release eligibility and procedures. This means individuals convicted of this specific fentanyl exposure offense, committed on or after January 1, 2025, will be ineligible for certain early release programs under Arkansas law. The bill directly affects people convicted of this new offense by restricting their release options. The change applies only to offenses occurring after the specified date, and the bill became law as Act 356 on March 20, 2025.
Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeAdds fentanyl exposure as restricted release felony, denying early release eligibility, reducing defendant rights under criminal justice procedures.95% confidence
Jimmy Gazaway (R) Ben Gilmore (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 333: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF - POLICE STATION FACILITY CONSTRUCTION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

SB 333 (now Act 381) allocates state funds for constructing a police station at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill directly provides the necessary funding for this specific facility project on the UAPB campus. It is a procedural appropriation measure with no policy changes, solely authorizing budget allocation for the construction. The bill was enacted on March 20, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.
Stephanie Flowers (D)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Mar 20, 2025

SB 270: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE FILING PERIODS OF CERTAIN NONPARTISAN SCHOOL BOARD AND MUNICIPAL CANDIDATES.

SB 270 amends Arkansas law to standardize filing periods for nonpartisan candidates running for school boards and municipal offices. It requires all such candidates to file petitions or statements during a consistent one-week window - beginning at noon and ending at noon - exactly 90 days before the election. This applies to school board candidates (under §6-14-111), independent municipal candidates (§14-42-206), and city manager/administrator form candidates (§§14-47-110, 14-48-109). The change replaces previous varying deadlines with a single, uniform 90-day filing period across these election types.
Steve Crowell (R) Jeremy Wooldridge (R)
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1548: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DIVISION OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS; AND TO ABOLISH THE DATA AND TRANSPARENCY PANEL.

HB 1548 amends state law governing the Division of Information Systems and abolishes the Data and Transparency Panel. The bill eliminates the panel's role in overseeing state data transparency and transfers its responsibilities to the Division of Information Systems. This change streamlines state IT governance by removing a separate oversight body and integrating its functions into the existing division. The bill became law as Act 375 on March 20, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.
Stephen Meeks (R) Josh Bryant (R)
signed · Arkansas · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 1643: TO ALLOW A CURRENT OR FORMER EMPLOYER TO DISCLOSE SUBSTANTIATED ALLEGATIONS OF SEXUAL ABUSE OR HARASSMENT BY THE CURRENT FOR FORMER EMPLOYEE TO A PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER UPON WRITTEN CONSENT.

HB 1643 amends Arkansas law to allow current or former employers to share confirmed reports of sexual abuse or harassment by an employee with a prospective employer, but only after the employee provides written consent. This directly affects current and former employees (who must consent) and prospective employers (who may receive this information). The key provision adds "a substantiated allegation of sexual abuse or harassment" to the list of employment details employers may disclose, alongside standard information like job duties and separation reasons. The law requires explicit written permission from the employee before such sensitive information can be shared, aiming to balance employer transparency with individual privacy rights.
Carol Dalby (R) Missy Irvin (R)
Showing 1,705 to 1,716 of 8,915 bills
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