HB 1112 is an appropriation bill that allocates $887,908 to the Office of the Treasurer of State for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. These funds, drawn from the City-County Tourist Facilities Aid Fund, are designated for making payments to publicly owned eligible facilities. Specifically, the money will cover facility debt service and operating expenses as authorized by the City-County Tourist Meeting and Entertainment Facilities Assistance Law. This bill provides financial assistance to support local tourist, meeting, and entertainment facilities within cities and counties.
House Bill 1206, now Act 792, allocates funds for the Department of Education's Division of Elementary and Secondary Education for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill increases the financial support for various public school programs and operations. A key provision added through an amendment establishes a new $14.7 million Free Breakfast Program. Overall, the bill increases the total funding for elementary and secondary education to over $3.48 billion.
House Bill 1142, titled the "Reproductive Empowerment and Support Through Optimal Restoration (RESTORE) Act," underwent significant amendment. This amendment primarily revises the bill's language, replacing instances of "restorative reproductive medicine" with "fertility awareness-based methods." It also renumbers various sections and deletes several original lines from the bill. The amended text indicates that the Department is authorized to advance education on reproductive health conditions, subject to the availability of state or federal funding.
House Bill 1768, now Act 815, requires that contracts detailing host fees paid by solid waste landfills to their host communities be put to a vote. This vote must occur at a regularly scheduled meeting of both the city and the county where the landfill is located. These host fee contracts are also subject to a term limit, stating they may not exceed a period of four years.
HB 1458 amends the definition of "credentialing information" provided by the Arkansas State Medical Board to organizations that verify physician qualifications. This bill directly affects the information sharing process between the board and these credentialing organizations. Specifically, it removes the requirement for the board to include the status of a physician's United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) certificate when providing this information. All other types of credentialing data, such as professional training, license status, and malpractice history, continue to be shared.
House Bill 1886 designates the Labrador Retriever as the official canine of the state of Arkansas. This bill establishes a symbolic recognition for the breed within the state.
House Bill 1870 allows the Secretary of State to provide information derived from voter registration lists to federal courts. This measure enables federal courts to receive a "notice" containing voter information, which is typically utilized for purposes such as jury selection. An amendment to the bill clarifies that this notice may include individuals who are registered voters but are ineligible to vote under Arkansas law.
House Bill 1925 (now Act 846) amends the law concerning absentee ballots. It updates the absentee ballot voter statement to include a clear warning about penalties for providing false information under penalty of perjury. The bill generally requires an absentee voter's sworn statement to be witnessed by at least one individual aged 18 or older, who must provide their name, signature, and mailing address. However, this witness requirement does not apply to voters unable to attend polls due to illness, disability, residency in a long-term care facility, religious observance, or active military service outside the county.
House Bill 1850 amends Arkansas law regarding ground ambulance services and their reimbursement by health benefit plans. It clarifies the minimum allowable reimbursement rates for both in-network and out-of-network ambulance providers. Initially, these rates are based on agreements between the ambulance service provider and local government entities. However, starting July 1, 2025, if no such local rates exist, the minimum reimbursement will be the lesser of 325% of the Medicare Ambulance Fee Schedule (Arkansas Rural Rate) or the provider's billed charges. This bill aims to alleviate confusion concerning reimbursement rates for ambulance services.
HB 1853 amends Arkansas law concerning the duties of licensed real estate agents to their clients. It specifically clarifies the obligations that apply in a "dual agency" situation, where a single agent represents both the buyer and the seller in a real estate transaction. Under this bill, clients who consent to dual agency may now contractually waive the agent's primary duty of absolute fidelity. The bill also allows for the contractual limitation of an agent's duty to keep client information confidential in a dual agency relationship, unless disclosure is legally required or authorized by the client. This impacts real estate licensees and their clients by defining the scope of agency duties when an agent works with multiple parties in a single transaction.
HB 1805 amends the definition of "bullying" within Arkansas public school antibullying policies. The revised definition specifies that bullying must involve an actual or perceived power imbalance and be repeated or have a high likelihood of repetition. The bill also establishes a process allowing public schools to investigate alleged bullying incidents under other applicable state or federal laws, rather than the specific antibullying policy, if the conduct also violates those other laws. This aims to prevent multiple, simultaneous investigations into the same alleged incident. The bill directly affects public school students, employees, and school districts in Arkansas.
House Bill 1958 requires public entities to develop and implement a formal policy regarding the authorized use of artificial intelligence. This legislation directly affects government agencies and other public organizations. The purpose of these policies is to define how AI tools can be used within their operations, ensuring clear guidelines for their application.
