HB 1253, now Act 384, adopts the Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Interstate Compact for Arkansas. This law allows licensed emergency medical services (EMS) personnel - such as EMTs and paramedics - from other states that have joined the compact to practice in Arkansas without obtaining a separate Arkansas license. The key mechanism simplifies licensure by recognizing valid out-of-state credentials, reducing administrative barriers for EMS workers crossing state lines. This directly affects Arkansas-based EMS providers and out-of-state professionals seeking to work in the state, streamlining their ability to serve communities.
SB 328 amends Arkansas law to raise the age threshold for "child" in computer crimes from 17 to 18 years old. It changes the legal standard for prosecuting individuals who distribute or view sexually explicit material involving minors, requiring defendants to genuinely believe the depicted person was 18 or older to claim an affirmative defense. The bill also clarifies that courts must determine a depicted person's age using specific methods, such as personal inspection, examination of the material, or expert testimony, to prove the person was under 18. This law directly affects prosecutors, defendants, and courts handling cases involving online sexual exploitation of minors. The bill became law as Act 361 on March 20, 2025.
SB 222 aligns Missouri's Medicaid provider marketing rules with federal standards by requiring direct service providers to follow the federal managed care marketing rules (42 C.F.R. § 438.104) as they existed on January 1, 2025. This affects Medicaid providers who market services to enrollees, ensuring their advertising complies with established federal guidelines. The bill mandates that the state department revise its marketing rules to match these federal requirements. The legislation was passed quickly with an emergency clause, becoming law on March 18, 2025.
SCR 4 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing former Arkansas State Representative and Senator Joyce Elliott during Black History Month for her legislative service. It honors her 23-year career in the Arkansas legislature (2000-2023), her focus on education policy, and her founding of the civic engagement nonprofit Get Loud Arkansas. The resolution has no binding effect - it simply acknowledges her contributions through a formal commendation presented to her. This is a procedural recognition, not a policy change, and was approved by both chambers and the Governor in March 2025.
SB 101 establishes the Physician Assistant Licensure Compact, allowing physician assistants licensed in Arkansas to practice in other participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This directly affects physician assistants seeking to practice across state lines and healthcare facilities in Arkansas and other compact states. The key provision creates a mutual recognition agreement among participating states, streamlining licensure requirements for physician assistants. The bill was enacted as Act 300 on March 18, 2025.
SB 335 appropriates $35 million from the Development and Enhancement Fund to the Arkansas School for the Deaf for capital improvement projects, including facility maintenance, renovation, construction, and repairs. This funding directly affects the Arkansas School for the Deaf, a state-operated institution for deaf students. The bill authorizes the school to use supplemental funds (like grants or donations) alongside state funds to cover project costs, while requiring strict compliance with state fiscal laws. It becomes effective July 1, 2025, to ensure immediate use for essential facility upgrades.
SB 200 (now Act 329) expands Arkansas's sales tax exemption for public schools by including leased textbooks and instructional materials alongside purchased ones. It directly affects Arkansas public school districts, schools receiving state funding, and the state government when distributing materials. The key change modifies tax exemption rules to explicitly cover materials "leased" by qualifying schools or the state, removing a previous distinction that only applied to purchased items. This policy change reduces costs for schools using leased educational resources without altering existing exemptions for other items like extracurricular supplies. The bill became law on March 18, 2025.
SB 298 repeals Arkansas Code § 18-60-510, which previously allowed individuals to challenge a court's final quiet title decision within three years (or anytime after removing disabilities like infancy or mental illness). This change eliminates the ability to contest past quiet title rulings, creating finality in land ownership disputes. It directly affects landowners or claimants who might have sought to overturn a prior court decision establishing clear title to property. The bill, now enacted as Act 320, streamlines property rights by preventing future challenges to settled quiet title actions.
Senate Bill 263 (now Act 330) increases the amount of the homestead property tax credit available to Arkansas homeowners. This policy change directly benefits qualifying homeowners who own and occupy their primary residence, reducing their annual property tax bill. The bill amends the existing tax credit structure to provide a higher dollar amount for eligible taxpayers. It became law after passing the Arkansas legislature and being delivered to the Governor on March 13, 2025. The change represents a concrete adjustment to tax relief for qualified homeowners without altering eligibility requirements.
SB 337 appropriates $800,000 from the state treasury to the Department of Transformation and Shared Services' Building Authority Division for hydronic piping repairs at the state-owned building located at 501 Woodlane. The bill authorizes the department to use this funding for the specific capital improvement project, with disbursement controls requiring compliance with state fiscal laws and prohibiting use of maintenance funds for this purpose. It does not create new policies or affect public programs beyond this targeted infrastructure repair. The funding is intended for a single, defined project at a specific state building.
SB 301 amends Arkansas law to create an enhanced penalty for theft of commercial cargo, directly affecting individuals convicted of stealing goods in transit. The bill defines "cargo" as commercial shipments moving between points (excluding direct-to-consumer goods) and adds a 10-year consecutive prison term for such thefts, requiring prosecutors to notify defendants in writing. It also prohibits earned release credits for the enhanced sentence portion. The General Assembly declared an emergency, citing economic harm to businesses from cargo theft. The bill became law (Act 322) on March 18, 2025, after passing the legislature.
SB 300 creates a new criminal offense in Arkansas for "organized retail theft," targeting individuals who coordinate group thefts of consumer goods (like clothing or electronics) valued at over $1,000 within 120 days. The bill defines specific actions as part of this offense, such as organizing thefts, using devices to bypass security, or using stolen vehicles to facilitate the theft. It classifies the crime as a Class D felony (for $1,001-$5,000 value), Class C felony ($5,001-$25,000), or Class B felony (over $25,000), with penalties increasing based on the total value stolen. This law directly affects those involved in organized retail theft operations and provides clearer legal standards for prosecuting such cases.
