HB 1668, titled the "Vulnerable Youth Protection Act," would have authorized minors (or their legal representatives) to file private civil lawsuits seeking damages for being subjected to "social transitioning" or medical procedures like castration, sterilization, or mutilation without consent. Key provisions included extending the statute of limitations to 20 years, prohibiting class actions, and requiring enforcement exclusively through individual lawsuits rather than state action. The bill was introduced in Arkansas' 2025 legislative session but was withdrawn by its author on April 1, 2025, and never became law.
HB 1554, titled "The Assisted Reproductive Technology Reporting Act," would have required fertility clinics to submit anonymized statistical data on assisted reproductive technology procedures to the state health department. The bill specifically directed that reports include only aggregated, non-identifiable statistics - such as procedure types and outcomes - without any personally identifiable information about patients or providers. It aimed to create standardized data collection for public health tracking, affecting all clinics performing these procedures within the state. The bill was amended to clarify data privacy requirements and withdrawn by its author in April 2025, with no further legislative action taken.
HB 1297 was an amendment to clarify which healthcare insurance plans are subject to existing regulations. It defined "health benefit plan" to explicitly include indemnity and managed care plans while removing specific plan types (like disease-specific or long-term-care-only plans) from the definition. The bill did not create new AI or algorithm regulations despite its title - it only adjusted technical definitions for insurance oversight. The amendment was adopted but the bill was withdrawn by the author on April 1, 2025, before further action. This was a procedural change to insurance plan definitions, not a substantive policy on AI.
HB 1836 (2025) would require all Arkansas public entities (like city councils, school boards, and county commissions) to record public meetings in video format with sound and post the recordings online within 24 hours. It mandates recordings be kept for one year and accessible upon request, with exemptions for executive sessions, volunteer fire departments, and cities of the second class until July 1, 2020. The bill applies to all "open public meetings" but does not cover meetings held by entities without websites (which would need to use social media). The bill was filed on March 18, 2025, referred to committee, and withdrawn by the author on March 31, 2025, so it is no longer active.
HB 1511 would have prohibited recipients of an Attorney General subpoena from disclosing the subpoena's existence or the related investigation to anyone except their attorney, with limited exceptions. This rule would have directly affected individuals or organizations receiving such subpoenas during investigations. The bill added this confidentiality requirement to Arkansas law, allowing disclosure only with the Attorney General's written permission. However, the bill was withdrawn by its author on March 20, 2025, and did not become law.
HB 1240 would have expanded Arkansas' State and Public School Life and Health Insurance Program to cover certain volunteer firefighters. Specifically, it defined "volunteer firefighter" as someone earning under $5,000 annually from their fire department and added them to the program's eligibility list. Volunteer firefighters would have been responsible for paying premiums, either through monthly bank drafts or with partial/full payment assistance from their fire department. The bill aimed to provide health and life insurance coverage to this group, who previously weren't included under the program. (Note: The bill was withdrawn by its author on March 19, 2025.)
HB 1212 would amend Arkansas law to allow justices of the peace to also serve as city police officers or school resource officers under specific conditions. The bill adds an exception to existing rules that generally prohibit county officials from holding multiple civil offices, permitting justices of the peace to work in these law enforcement roles outside their local district. This change would directly affect current or future justices of the peace who hold or seek such police positions. The provision applies only to roles described in a separate section of state law (§ 6-10-128) and does not apply to new appointments. The bill was introduced in January 2025 but withdrawn by its author in March 2025.
HB 1140 aimed to define which healthcare providers are responsible for delivering concussion education to student athletes in schools. The bill sought to clarify that specific medical professionals (like physicians or certified nurse practitioners) must provide this education, directly affecting student athletes, school staff, and healthcare providers. However, the bill was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025, before becoming law, so it did not implement any policy changes. As a definition-focused bill, it did not establish new requirements or funding but was intended to standardize who qualifies for this educational role.
HB 1462 authorizes public water providers in Arkansas to use utility rate revenue and issue bonds to replace lead and certain galvanized customer service lines serving homes and businesses. The bill specifies that water providers must obtain property owner consent before replacing lines on private property and clarifies they won’t assume ownership or maintenance responsibilities for replaced lines unless agreed otherwise. It directly affects water utilities and their customers, enabling them to fund these health-related infrastructure upgrades using existing public finance mechanisms. The bill was introduced on February 12, 2025, but was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025.
HB 1051 amends Arkansas public school start date requirements by adding an emergency clause to require schools to establish annual calendars earlier. The bill states that timely calendar decisions are vital for teacher/administrator contracts and school operations, declaring an immediate need to clarify statutory requirements. It would have allowed the law to take effect upon governor approval or veto override, bypassing standard implementation timelines. Note: The bill was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025, and did not become law.
HB 1480 proposed to expand the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program by updating the definition of "approved institution of higher education" to include vocational-technical schools, technical institutes, and specific training programs like the Arkansas Fire Training Academy. The bill required vocational-technical schools and technical institutes to be bonded and insured to qualify for the scholarship program. This change would have directly affected students seeking scholarships at these newly included institutions, particularly those pursuing certificate-based training. The bill was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025, before moving forward.
HJR 1020 proposed adding a "Victim’s Bill of Rights" to the Arkansas Constitution, granting specific protections for victims of violent and sexual crimes. If approved by voters, it would guarantee rights such as being informed about court proceedings, refusing disclosure of personal information (like home addresses), being heard at key stages (plea negotiations, sentencing), and receiving restitution payments before court fines. The amendment was withdrawn by its authors on March 18, 2025, and is no longer active. It would have directly affected individuals harmed by violent or sexual offenses, their legal representatives, and surviving family members in specified circumstances.
