HB 1348 expands survivor benefits under Arkansas' public employees' and state police retirement systems to include dependent children who previously lost coverage upon reaching a certain age. The bill directly affects minor children of deceased retirees from these systems by ensuring they continue receiving benefits until age 18 (or 22 if in school), removing prior eligibility cutoffs. Key provisions amend existing statutes to clarify that dependent children qualify for survivor benefits regardless of age, provided they meet dependency requirements. The bill was passed as an emergency measure and became Act 364 on March 20, 2025.
HB 1689 requires all public high schools in Arkansas to grant military recruiters equal access to campus facilities and student engagement opportunities as other groups like employers or colleges. It mandates that schools allow military recruiters to interact with students in grades 10-12 during regular school hours, at public events, or outside school hours - without extra restrictions beyond those applied to other organizations. The bill also extends this requirement to state-supported career academies and postsecondary institutions, ensuring military recruiters can share educational and career opportunities on the same terms as other entities. Schools must inform students about these opportunities through electronic means or class sessions, and the Arkansas National Guard will monitor compliance. This law directly affects students, schools, and military recruiters by standardizing access to campus recruitment activities.
HB 1583 (now Act 348) requires Arkansas' Department of Human Services to seek a waiver or expand an existing Medicaid waiver program. This enables Medicaid beneficiaries with acquired brain injuries to access home and community-based services tailored to their needs. The law directly affects Arkansans enrolled in Arkansas Medicaid who have acquired brain injuries and require non-institutional care. It changes how services are delivered by directing the state to use waiver mechanisms rather than creating new coverage.
SB 242 is a technical amendment to existing law governing loans involving state bank stock. It changes the language from "A renewal" to "Each renewal" in the relevant statute to clarify that multiple loan renewals are permitted under the same terms. This minor adjustment affects how financial institutions interpret renewal procedures for these specific loans but does not change any substantive requirements or create new obligations. The bill was enacted as Act 344 on March 20, 2025.
HB 1347 (now Act 363) allows the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System to pay annuities or retirement benefits directly to a special needs trust established for a retiree with disabilities, rather than to the individual. This change directly affects retired teachers who have set up such trusts to manage their benefits while maintaining eligibility for public assistance programs. The key provision modifies payment procedures to ensure retirement funds can be channeled through these legally established trusts for the retiree’s benefit. The bill does not alter benefit amounts or eligibility rules, only the payment method. It became law on March 20, 2025.
SB 336 allocates approximately $150 million in state and federal funds for capital improvements to Arkansas Department of Health facilities. It specifically funds projects including a $6.99 million steam plant conversion at the Main Campus, an $820,000 generator replacement at the Public Health Lab, and major upgrades to the main health facility totaling $144 million (split between $114 million from state treasury and $30 million from other sources). Additional smaller projects include $505,330 for Freeway Suite 305, $594,651 for parking repairs, and $250,000 for lab switchboard modifications. The bill directs these funds exclusively for physical infrastructure repairs and modernization, with no policy changes beyond the specified funding allocations.
HB 1595 amends multiple sections of Arkansas' insurance code and repeals the Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool Act (Subchapter 5 of Chapter 79). The bill updates rules for workers' compensation insurance plans (requiring Arkansas-based administration and commissioner approval of delegated functions), clarifies attorney bond requirements for reciprocal insurers, extends hospital examination cycles from 3 to 5 years, and revises service-of-process rules for insurers. It directly affects insurers, workers' compensation administrators, and former participants in the repealed health insurance pool, which previously provided coverage for "uninsurable" Arkansans and those eligible for federal tax credits. The repeal removes the state's alternative health insurance market, shifting focus to updated regulatory frameworks under the Insurance Commissioner.
HB 1610 is a technical amendment to Arkansas' Human Life Protection Act and Unborn Child Protection Act, clarifying existing medical exception language. It removes redundant phrases like "in the judgment of the physician" and replaces them with simpler terms such as "judgment" throughout the statutes. This change streamlines how medical professionals can cite exceptions for abortions when the mother's health is at risk, directly affecting healthcare providers and patients navigating the current abortion restrictions. The bill, now Act 387, became law on March 20, 2025, without altering the core prohibitions on abortion.
HB 1601 (now Act 354) requires all state-supported colleges and universities to provide career counseling and related resources to specific student groups. The law mandates institutions to develop and implement these services as part of their student support programs. It directly affects public higher education institutions and the students enrolled in them, particularly those needing career guidance. The bill focuses on making these resources a standard offering, without specifying exact student criteria or additional funding mechanisms. The measure passed both chambers and was signed into law on March 20, 2025.
HB 1575 prohibits individuals employed by or financially tied to solid waste companies (those owning, operating, or applying for waste permits) from serving on specific state boards. It directly affects board members who work for or have financial interests in the solid waste industry, preventing potential conflicts of interest. The bill creates a clear rule: no one with such ties can serve on designated boards overseeing solid waste regulation. This is a straightforward conflict-of-interest measure, not a new policy on waste management. The law became effective as Act 376 on March 20, 2025.
HB 1661 shifts the funding responsibility for state district court judges' salaries from cities and counties to the state, eliminating local governments' obligation to pay these salaries. It creates a "county administration of justice fund" that uses court filing fees and costs to maintain funding for county justice programs (like public defenders, prosecutors, and county jails) at levels based on 1994-1995 data, with limited annual adjustments tied to inflation. The bill directly affects all 70 state district courts (as of 2025) and county-level judicial services. It ensures county funding for these programs continues without local salary payments, aligning with Arkansas' transition to a unified state court system.
SB 254 amends Arkansas law to clarify requirements for rural community projects seeking state funding. It expands the definition of "property in kind" to explicitly include labor, equipment, materials, services, and money (beyond just real/personal property). The bill requires communities to contribute one-fourth (25%) of a project's cost through non-tax donations (money or "property in kind"), and prohibits using tax funds for this share. If communities fail to provide this 25%, local governments must cover it using their own funds or "property in kind." This directly affects rural towns and small cities applying for state grants for community projects.
