HB 1823, known as the "Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Nonconsensual Edits Act of 2025," aimed to establish a new legal framework in Arkansas to protect individuals from the nonconsensual use of their intimate visual depictions. It would have created a civil right of action, allowing individuals to sue those who disclose their intimate visual depictions without consent, or who create, possess with intent to disclose, or distribute "digital forgeries" depicting them without their consent. A "digital forgery" is defined as an intimate visual depiction created using technology like artificial intelligence to appear authentic. Affected individuals could seek financial damages, attorney's fees, and court orders to stop the display or disclosure of these images, with provisions for privacy protection during legal proceedings.
HB 1699 proposed to expand the state's existing sales tax holiday. If enacted, it would have allowed consumers to purchase firearm safety devices and firearm storage devices without paying sales tax during the designated holiday period. This measure aimed to make these specific items, intended for secure firearm storage, temporarily more affordable for individuals.
House Bill 1871 amends Arkansas law regarding defendants who repeatedly violate the terms of their probation or suspended sentence. The bill mandates that if a defendant has their probation or suspended sentence revoked at least three times, a subsequent violation would require the court to sentence them to incarceration. This period of confinement must be at least equal to the original term of imprisonment for the offense. This change directly affects defendants with multiple probation or suspended sentence violations by limiting judicial discretion in those specific cases.
House Resolution 1119 was a procedural measure requesting authorization for Senator King to pursue Senate Joint Resolution 6 (SJR 6) as a third proposed constitutional amendment. This resolution aimed to grant permission, as required by legislative rules, for the General Assembly to consider SJR 6 for referral to state electors.
House Bill 1188 sought to amend the retirement eligibility requirements for certain public safety personnel in Arkansas, including police officers, firefighters, public safety members, and sheriffs, across various state retirement systems. For public safety employees and sheriffs under the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System, it proposed a phased reduction in the required years of credited service for retirement. Specifically, members could retire with 27 years of service after December 31, 2025, decreasing to 26 years after December 31, 2026, and 25 years on or after January 1, 2028. The bill also intended to modify the minimum retirement age for sheriffs with specific service histories and amend requirements for other systems like the Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System.
HB 1536, as amended, proposed to withhold 25% of state transportation funding from school districts. This measure would apply to districts that do not require passenger restraint systems, such as seatbelts, in their school buses under certain conditions. The bill's direct effect would be on school districts, linking a portion of their state transportation funds to their policy regarding seatbelt requirements on school buses.
HB 1648 proposed to amend Arkansas law to grant arrest authority to qualified members of municipal fire department bomb squads. This authority would allow them to make arrests for explosives-related incidents or offenses, or when assisting a law enforcement agency. To be eligible, a bomb squad member would need to complete a specific law enforcement officer training course approved by the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. The bill also sought to include these qualified bomb squad members in the definition of "certified law enforcement officer."
HB 1773 sought to amend the laws concerning financial contributions to ballot question committees and legislative question committees. The bill would have set a $100 limit on cash contributions accepted by these committees and a $50 limit on cash expenditures made by them or individuals to influence ballot or legislative questions. It also prohibited contributions from certain political action committees and foreign entities. Most notably, the bill would have required the Arkansas Ethics Commission to establish and adjust the maximum contribution limits that committees can accept from individuals, political parties, and approved political action committees for each election.
HR 1117 is a House Resolution that recognizes former Representative Ben McGee for his service to his community and the State of Arkansas. It highlights his pioneering roles, including being the first African American to represent his district since Reconstruction and the first African American elected to the Marion School District board.
House Bill 1659 proposed to amend Arkansas's Uniform Commercial Code to clarify the priority among security interests and entitlement holders regarding financial assets held by securities intermediaries. The bill specified that if a securities intermediary lacks sufficient assets, the claims of entitlement holders (investors) generally have priority over those of the intermediary's creditors with a security interest. However, a creditor's claim would gain priority if that creditor had "control" over the financial asset. It also included a provision for certain disputes arising from contracts on or after January 1, 2026, to be litigated in Arkansas.
House Bill 1469, known as the "Broadband Expansion and Efficiency Act," aimed to create a sales and use tax exemption for machinery and equipment used by companies providing broadband communications services in Arkansas. This bill would have directly affected telecommunications, video programming, and internet access providers by exempting their purchases of specific infrastructure components like wires, cables, fiber, antennas, routers, and software from state sales taxes. The exemption was intended to encourage investment in broadband infrastructure by reducing costs for these service providers, though it specifically excluded personal consumer electronics and consumer-grade modems/Wi-Fi routers.
House Bill 1415, as amended, requires municipal and county law enforcement officers to respond to requests from fire officials. The purpose of their response is to help determine if a fire investigation is needed. This bill directly affects local fire officials and law enforcement agencies by establishing a mandatory response protocol for initial fire assessments.
