SB 294 amends Arkansas election audit laws to require the State Board of Election Commissioners to audit any county that had less than 100% accuracy in a previous election audit. This directly affects county election offices, mandating they undergo an additional audit before the next primary or general election if their prior audit showed accuracy below 100%. The bill adds this requirement to existing procedures, specifying that counties failing the accuracy standard must be selected for audit in the subsequent election cycle. The law, now Act 280, became effective March 12, 2025.
This bill allocates $10.9 million in state funds for Arkansas' Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism's Division of Heritage for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It specifies funding for 105 full-time employees (with defined salary grades and roles) and up to 11 temporary staff to cover salaries, operations, travel, and other administrative expenses. The bill directly affects the Division of Heritage's workforce and budget, enabling its continued operation of heritage programs and services. The bill has been enacted as Act 297.
HB 1544 directs the Office of the Treasurer of State to distribute supplemental funds to counties and municipalities that were previously collected by the state but not yet returned to local governments. This bill allocates existing "state turnback" funds - money the state collected on behalf of local entities but hadn’t yet distributed - to support local budgets. It does not create new funding or change eligibility; it simply ensures timely payment of these existing state-held funds to qualifying local governments. The bill passed in March 2025 and is now Act 299.
HB 1369 establishes a maximum limit on campaign contributions for Arkansas state elections, setting this cap through the Arkansas Ethics Commission rather than the legislature. It directly affects state political candidates, committees, and donors by restricting how much they can contribute to campaigns. The bill amends existing campaign finance laws to implement this commission-set limit and declares an emergency to expedite its implementation. This is a concrete policy change to regulate campaign funding, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
HB 1379 updates who can authorize state employee reimbursements for meals and lodging during official travel. It replaces the previous requirement that only a "State cabinet-level secretary" approve such expenses with a broader list including department directors, chief executive officers, or chief fiscal officers. This change directly affects state employees traveling on official business and their supervisors who process travel expense claims. The bill clarifies that multiple types of state agency officials - not just cabinet secretaries - may now approve these reimbursements. The bill passed in 2025 and became Act 287.
This bill changes how Arkansas collects unpaid court fines, fees, and costs when people miss payments (default). It allows courts to use standard civil collection methods (like wage garnishment) and intercept state income tax refunds for these debts, following specific procedures. It also creates a legal claim on a person's property (real and personal) for unpaid amounts, similar to other civil judgments. These changes directly affect defendants who fail to pay court-ordered financial obligations.
HB 1452 clarifies where medical marijuana use is prohibited, banning vapor inhalation in schools, public transport, and correctional facilities, and smoking in vehicles, near children, or where it could affect others. It specifically prohibits possessing unsealed medical marijuana (not in a dispensary-provided container) in a motor vehicle if it's accessible to the driver and in a form usable for smoking. Violations are classified as Class C misdemeanors. The law directly affects medical marijuana patients and caregivers who use or transport the substance, particularly in vehicle settings or public spaces.
HB 1184 amends the Fair Mortgage Lending Act to protect consumers' privacy during mortgage applications. It specifically prohibits lenders from knowingly using "mortgage trigger lead" information - data that identifies a consumer's mortgage application activity - in violation of the law or the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (as it existed January 1, 2025). The bill directly affects mortgage applicants and lenders, requiring them to handle application data responsibly. Key provisions ban misuse of this sensitive information, strengthening privacy safeguards without altering loan terms or interest rates. The bill became law as Act 263 on March 12, 2025.
HB 1309 requires health insurers in Arkansas to cover screening mammograms and breast ultrasounds without any copayments or deductibles, regardless of whether services are provided on separate dates or multiple times on the same day. It also ensures that diagnostic breast cancer exams (including MRIs) have cost-sharing requirements no worse than those for screening exams. This bill directly affects insured Arkansans seeking breast cancer screenings by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for these specific preventive services. The law amends existing coverage requirements to clarify and strengthen access to early detection services under health benefit plans.
SB 291 extends the deadline for filing election complaint filings with Arkansas' State Board of Election Commissioners. It allows complaints about election violations (including voter registration, absentee ballots, or ballot tabulation) to be submitted up to 49 days after an election, instead of the previous 30-day window. The bill also sets a 182-day timeline for the Board to complete investigations and mandates that complaint records become publicly available 30 days after the Board's final decision. This directly affects voters, candidates, and election monitors who file or respond to election-related complaints.
HB 1146 is an appropriation bill that allocates $26.4 million for the Arkansas Attorney General's Office operations during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It funds regular salaries for 164 staff positions (including attorneys, investigators, and administrative roles), up to 10 temporary "Extra Help" employees, and operating expenses like travel and equipment. The bill also separately allocates $1.07 million for the Medicaid Fraud Division's state and federal operations. This funding directly supports the Attorney General's office in handling legal matters, investigations, and administrative functions across Arkansas. The bill passed both chambers and became Act 296 on March 12, 2025.
SB 251 clarifies that the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism must designate a representative to serve as the executive secretary of the Arkansas Trails Council. The bill amends existing law to specify this appointment process, replacing previous language about the council's structure. This change directly affects the Arkansas Trails Council's internal operations and administrative leadership. As a procedural bill, it focuses solely on organizational structure without altering the council's policy responsibilities or funding.
