HB 1451 clarifies that home-schooled students, as defined by Arkansas law, qualify for the Concurrent Challenge Scholarship Program. The bill specifically amends the program’s definition of "student" to include home-schooled learners and sets a total funding cap of $250,000 for all scholarships distributed to students in grades 9 through 12. This change directly affects home-schooled students seeking financial support for concurrent enrollment in college courses while in high school. The legislation, now Act 353, ensures these students meet the eligibility criteria under the existing program framework.
SB 219 repeals the expiration date (July 1, 2025) for Arkansas' medical marijuana special privilege tax law, preventing the tax from automatically ending. The bill directly affects medical marijuana businesses and state revenue by ensuring the tax continues without needing new legislation. Key provisions include removing the sunset clause in the 2017 law and declaring an emergency to guarantee uninterrupted tax collection. The emergency clause states the tax must continue for public health and safety, making the law effective immediately upon the Governor's approval or override. This preserves the existing tax structure without altering its rates or scope.
SB 317 prohibits Arkansas public institutions of higher education from engaging in specific activities with "prohibited foreign parties." It directly affects universities and colleges receiving state funding by banning them from conducting agricultural research under contract or selling agricultural products (including seeds) with such entities. The bill defines "prohibited foreign parties" but does not specify which entities qualify. This policy change restricts certain financial and research transactions between Arkansas colleges and designated foreign entities, without altering broader academic collaboration rules. The bill passed as Act 351 on March 20, 2025.
This bill appropriates $572,911 for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to cover salaries and operating expenses. It establishes specific staffing limits: 1 Chief of Staff/Legal Counsel ($104,500), 1 Communications/Policy Director ($77,000), 2 Security Officers ($75,000 each), and 1 Executive Assistant ($44,000). The funds are allocated for personnel, travel, and administrative costs to support the office's operations, as required by state budget laws. This procedural bill directly affects the Lieutenant Governor's office and its budgetary planning.
HB 1169 clarifies that individuals with mental health issues caused by medical conditions (such as dementia or other behavioral health impairments from physical illness) can be involuntarily committed under Arkansas law. It amends the legal criteria to explicitly include medical conditions as a basis for commitment, alongside existing standards for danger to self/others. This directly affects people whose mental health deterioration stems from physical health issues, ensuring they meet the same legal requirements as those with psychiatric conditions. The bill requires medical evaluation within 24 hours and maintains existing procedural safeguards for such commitments.
HB 1586 clarifies the diagnosis requirements for autism spectrum disorder under Arkansas' Medicaid waiver. It changes the rule so that a child's diagnosis must be confirmed by two qualified professionals of *different types* (e.g., a psychologist and a pediatrician), not just any two professionals. This directly affects families seeking Medicaid coverage for autism diagnosis services. The bill specifies this requirement using the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic criteria, ensuring consistent eligibility for waiver benefits.
HB 1628 adds "sexual assault in the second degree" to the list of offenses requiring courts to issue extended post-conviction no-contact orders when requested by prosecutors. This directly affects individuals convicted of sexual assault in the second degree and their victims, who will now automatically receive these protective orders after sentencing. The bill amends Arkansas Code § 5-4-106(b) to include this offense alongside existing violent crimes like murder, rape, and domestic battery. Courts must now issue these no-contact orders for this specific crime, expanding the scope of protections for victims. The change became law as Act 367 on March 20, 2025.
SB 393, now Act 362, amends Arkansas' Sex Offender Registration Act to expand mandatory lifetime registration requirements. It adds six new triggers for lifetime registration, including offenders convicted of rape by forcible compulsion (or similar offenses), those with three or more registration violations, and individuals who committed offenses against victims under 15 years old while aged over 24. The law directly affects sex offenders meeting these specific criteria, requiring them to register for life regardless of sentence length or time since conviction. The bill does not alter registration procedures or penalties but broadens the scope of who must comply with lifetime registration under the 1997 Act.
HB 1291 excludes certain minor league baseball players from being classified as "employees" under Arkansas' Minimum Wage Act. This means minor league players in Arkansas would no longer qualify for the state's minimum wage protections established by the law. The bill directly affects minor league baseball players by removing them from the legal definition of "employee" used in the state's minimum wage law, specifically modifying the scope of Act 5 of 2018. The policy change removes a requirement for teams to pay these players at least the state minimum wage.
HB 1385 requires the Oil and Gas Commission to send written notice to legislators representing districts where certain disposal well permits are proposed. Specifically, the commission must notify each local representative about public hearings for Class II underground injection control disposal well permits, including how to access the application and the hearing details. The notice can be delivered via email and must include the date, time, and location of the hearing. This bill does not change drilling rules but ensures legislators are informed about specific permit applications affecting their districts.
HB 1644 clarifies that retired Arkansas judges can serve as special judges immediately upon retirement, removing any prior waiting period. This amendment to Arkansas Code § 16-10-902 (subsection c) directly affects retired judges seeking special judicial appointments. The bill retroactively applies to January 1, 2025, and declares an emergency due to high demand for special judges amid limited availability. It ensures retired judges can be appointed without delay to address court staffing needs. The law became Act 370 after passage in March 2025.
SB 307, now Act 373, creates the "Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025" to support energy infrastructure investments. It requires the Arkansas Public Service Commission to consider strategic investments in natural gas and electric generation when setting utility rates, allowing companies to recover costs for approved projects. The bill mandates refunds to customers for imprudently incurred costs and sets new requirements for utility infrastructure projects to ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. It directly affects investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in Arkansas by changing how they recover infrastructure costs through rate cases. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite these energy infrastructure developments.
