Arkansas Bills

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1681: TO ESTABLISH THE WATER AND SEWER TREATMENT FACILITIES GRANT PROGRAM; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

House Bill 1681 establishes the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. This program provides grants to local entities to help fund improvements and upgrades to their water and sewer treatment infrastructure. The grants will be supported by revenues authorized by law. The program is set to expire five years after its effective date, and the administering commission is required to report annually on the status of all awarded grants.

DeAnn Vaught (R) Josh Bryant (R) · 107 co-sponsors

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1734: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING DEATH CERTIFICATES; AND TO CLARIFY THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WHO MAY SIGN A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OF DEATH AND PRONOUNCE DEATH OF A PATIENT.

House Bill 1734 amends the law concerning death certificates and the pronouncement of death. The bill clarifies which medical professionals are authorized to sign a medical certificate of death and officially pronounce a patient deceased. Specifically, it allows medical staff of a hospital to pronounce death when a physician other than an emergency department physician is not immediately available. This measure aims to clarify roles and procedures for confirming death in hospital settings.

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1185: TO ADOPT THE DIETITIAN LICENSURE COMPACT IN ARKANSAS.

House Bill 1185, now Act 799, adopts the Dietitian Licensure Compact within Arkansas. This legislation allows licensed dietitians from Arkansas and other compact member states to practice in each other's jurisdictions without needing to obtain a separate license in each state. This aims to streamline the licensing process for dietitians and expand access to their services across state lines.

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1096: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES - MEDICAID TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PROGRAM APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

House Bill 1096 is an appropriations bill that allocates funds from the Medicaid Tobacco Settlement Program for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. These funds are designated for the Department of Human Services. An amendment to the bill specifies that these appropriations are for the Department's Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services division. This bill ensures financial support for programs and services provided by this division.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1285: TO ESTABLISH AN EXEMPTION PROGRAM FOR AMBULANCE SERVICE'S OPERATORS FOR CERTAIN HEALTHCARE SERVICES.

House Bill 1285, now Act 856, creates a program that allows ambulance services to be exempt from a telemedicine requirement for certain 9-1-1 emergency medical situations. The Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council is responsible for developing a set of protocols for these exempt situations and reviewing them annually. Ambulance services can adopt these approved protocols with their medical director's approval or request the council to approve additional protocols for exemption.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1126: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

House Bill 1126 is an appropriation act that provides funding for the Department of Education's Office of Early Childhood for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It allocates over $15 million in state funds for the office's personal services, operating expenses, and grants, and authorizes a maximum of 177 regular and 13 temporary employees. Additionally, the bill appropriates over $268 million in federal funds and $9 million in state child care grant funds to support early childhood and child care programs. This funding enables the office to carry out its functions related to early childhood education and child care.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1086: AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS COURT OF APPEALS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

House Bill 1086 is an appropriation act for the Arkansas Court of Appeals for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This bill establishes the maximum number of regular employees for various positions within the Court of Appeals, totaling 49 employees. It also sets the maximum annual salary rates, by grade, for these positions, including roles such as Chief Staff Attorney, Law Clerk, and Judicial Administrative Assistant. The bill directly affects the staffing and operational budget of the Arkansas Court of Appeals.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1679: TO AMEND THE REVISED ARKANSAS ANATOMICAL GIFT ACT; TO ALLOW CERTAIN CLASSES OF PERSONS TO REVOKE OR AMEND AN ANATOMICAL GIFT UPON THE DEATH OF THE DONOR; AND TO REQUIRE CERTAIN REPORTING OF PROCUREMENT ORGANIZATIONS.

House Bill 1679 amends the Revised Arkansas Anatomical Gift Act. It allows certain individuals to revoke or modify an anatomical gift after the donor's death, specifically following the irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions. The bill also requires organ procurement organizations to submit certain reports. This legislation affects individuals who have made anatomical gift decisions and the organizations responsible for facilitating these gifts.

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1063: TO AMEND THE ACHIEVING A BETTER LIFE EXPERIENCE PROGRAM ACT; AND TO AMEND THE DEFINITIONS OF "DISABILITY CERTIFICATION" AND "ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL" TO CHANGE DISABILITY ONSET AGE FROM TWENTY-SIX TO FORTY-SIX.

HB 1063 amends the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program Act. This bill expands eligibility for ABLE accounts by changing the definition of "disability certification" and "eligible individual." It raises the maximum age at which a disability must have begun for an individual to qualify for an ABLE account, moving it from 26 to 46 years old. This allows more individuals whose disability onset was later in life to open tax-advantaged savings accounts for qualified disability expenses.

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1079: TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR GENETIC TESTING FOR AN INHERITED GENE MUTATION FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS; AND TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR EVIDENCE-BASED CANCER IMAGING FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.

House Bill 1079, now Act 860, mandates that certain health insurance plans must provide coverage for genetic testing related to inherited gene mutations for eligible individuals. It also requires these plans to cover evidence-based cancer imaging for specific individuals. However, the bill specifies that these coverage requirements do not apply to health benefit plans for state and public school employees or to self-funded governmental plans.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1706: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING ELECTIONS; AND TO PROHIBIT RANKED CHOICE VOTING.

House Bill 1706 amends Arkansas election law to prohibit the use of ranked choice voting for all local, state, and federal elective offices within the state. The bill defines ranked choice voting as a method where voters rank candidates by preference, with ballots tabulated in multiple rounds until one candidate achieves a majority. Any existing or future local ordinances that conflict with this prohibition are voided. This prohibition does not apply to absentee ballots cast by uniformed and overseas citizens under federal law.

signed · Arkansas · House Apr 17, 2025

HB 1491: CONCERNING THE EXCISE TAX ON CERTAIN BEER AND SAKE; TO CREATE AN EXCISE TAX CREDIT FOR CERTAIN BEER AND SAKE PRODUCED USING ARKANSAS RICE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

House Bill 1491 modifies the excise tax on certain beer and sake. The bill establishes a new excise tax credit for producers of beer and sake. To qualify for this credit, the beer and sake must be made using Arkansas rice. This credit allows eligible producers to reduce the amount of excise tax they owe.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results