HB 1169 clarifies that individuals with mental health issues caused by medical conditions (such as dementia or other behavioral health impairments from physical illness) can be involuntarily committed under Arkansas law. It amends the legal criteria to explicitly include medical conditions as a basis for commitment, alongside existing standards for danger to self/others. This directly affects people whose mental health deterioration stems from physical health issues, ensuring they meet the same legal requirements as those with psychiatric conditions. The bill requires medical evaluation within 24 hours and maintains existing procedural safeguards for such commitments.
HB 1586 clarifies the diagnosis requirements for autism spectrum disorder under Arkansas' Medicaid waiver. It changes the rule so that a child's diagnosis must be confirmed by two qualified professionals of *different types* (e.g., a psychologist and a pediatrician), not just any two professionals. This directly affects families seeking Medicaid coverage for autism diagnosis services. The bill specifies this requirement using the American Psychiatric Association's diagnostic criteria, ensuring consistent eligibility for waiver benefits.
HB 1628 adds "sexual assault in the second degree" to the list of offenses requiring courts to issue extended post-conviction no-contact orders when requested by prosecutors. This directly affects individuals convicted of sexual assault in the second degree and their victims, who will now automatically receive these protective orders after sentencing. The bill amends Arkansas Code § 5-4-106(b) to include this offense alongside existing violent crimes like murder, rape, and domestic battery. Courts must now issue these no-contact orders for this specific crime, expanding the scope of protections for victims. The change became law as Act 367 on March 20, 2025.
SB 393, now Act 362, amends Arkansas' Sex Offender Registration Act to expand mandatory lifetime registration requirements. It adds six new triggers for lifetime registration, including offenders convicted of rape by forcible compulsion (or similar offenses), those with three or more registration violations, and individuals who committed offenses against victims under 15 years old while aged over 24. The law directly affects sex offenders meeting these specific criteria, requiring them to register for life regardless of sentence length or time since conviction. The bill does not alter registration procedures or penalties but broadens the scope of who must comply with lifetime registration under the 1997 Act.
HB 1291 excludes certain minor league baseball players from being classified as "employees" under Arkansas' Minimum Wage Act. This means minor league players in Arkansas would no longer qualify for the state's minimum wage protections established by the law. The bill directly affects minor league baseball players by removing them from the legal definition of "employee" used in the state's minimum wage law, specifically modifying the scope of Act 5 of 2018. The policy change removes a requirement for teams to pay these players at least the state minimum wage.
HB 1385 requires the Oil and Gas Commission to send written notice to legislators representing districts where certain disposal well permits are proposed. Specifically, the commission must notify each local representative about public hearings for Class II underground injection control disposal well permits, including how to access the application and the hearing details. The notice can be delivered via email and must include the date, time, and location of the hearing. This bill does not change drilling rules but ensures legislators are informed about specific permit applications affecting their districts.
HB 1644 clarifies that retired Arkansas judges can serve as special judges immediately upon retirement, removing any prior waiting period. This amendment to Arkansas Code § 16-10-902 (subsection c) directly affects retired judges seeking special judicial appointments. The bill retroactively applies to January 1, 2025, and declares an emergency due to high demand for special judges amid limited availability. It ensures retired judges can be appointed without delay to address court staffing needs. The law became Act 370 after passage in March 2025.
SB 307, now Act 373, creates the "Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025" to support energy infrastructure investments. It requires the Arkansas Public Service Commission to consider strategic investments in natural gas and electric generation when setting utility rates, allowing companies to recover costs for approved projects. The bill mandates refunds to customers for imprudently incurred costs and sets new requirements for utility infrastructure projects to ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. It directly affects investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in Arkansas by changing how they recover infrastructure costs through rate cases. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite these energy infrastructure developments.
SB 304 allows voters who have moved to a new county to vote in an upcoming election if they update their registration with the new county clerk's office by 4 days before the polls close. It directly affects Arkansans who change counties shortly before an election but haven't completed registration changes in time for the current voting cycle. The bill amends voting rules to permit voting in the new county's precinct if the updated registration is received by the county clerk no later than the fourth day before election day. Voters who miss this 4-day deadline will not be eligible to vote in that specific election.
HB 1603 changes how court payments from criminal defendants are allocated in Arkansas circuit courts. It requires that installment payments first cover court costs, then restitution, and finally fines, as specified in the law. This directly affects defendants paying court fees in installments, ensuring costs and restitution are prioritized before fines. The bill also allows existing local payment methods adopted before 2017 to remain in effect until repealed by local governments. The law became Act 365 on March 20, 2025.
HB 1629 (now Act 368) allows retiring prosecuting attorneys and deputies authorized to carry a firearm during their service to receive their assigned service firearm upon retirement. The bill amends Arkansas Code § 16-21-147(b) to add a provision enabling this award as recognition of service. It directly affects state prosecuting attorneys and deputies who carried firearms in their official duties. The policy change is now law, effective March 20, 2025.
HB 1593 combines reporting requirements for Arkansas' correctional agencies. It mandates that the Board of Corrections, Division of Correction, and Division of Community Correction submit a single biennial report to the Governor and General Assembly, including statistics on inmate discipline, facility use, and racial breakdowns for community corrections. The bill also requires quarterly reports on vacant parole and probation officer positions. These changes consolidate previous reporting duties into one streamlined process. The bill was enacted as Act 358 on March 20, 2025.
