HB 1452 clarifies where medical marijuana use is prohibited, banning vapor inhalation in schools, public transport, and correctional facilities, and smoking in vehicles, near children, or where it could affect others. It specifically prohibits possessing unsealed medical marijuana (not in a dispensary-provided container) in a motor vehicle if it's accessible to the driver and in a form usable for smoking. Violations are classified as Class C misdemeanors. The law directly affects medical marijuana patients and caregivers who use or transport the substance, particularly in vehicle settings or public spaces.
HB 1184 amends the Fair Mortgage Lending Act to protect consumers' privacy during mortgage applications. It specifically prohibits lenders from knowingly using "mortgage trigger lead" information - data that identifies a consumer's mortgage application activity - in violation of the law or the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (as it existed January 1, 2025). The bill directly affects mortgage applicants and lenders, requiring them to handle application data responsibly. Key provisions ban misuse of this sensitive information, strengthening privacy safeguards without altering loan terms or interest rates. The bill became law as Act 263 on March 12, 2025.
HB 1309 requires health insurers in Arkansas to cover screening mammograms and breast ultrasounds without any copayments or deductibles, regardless of whether services are provided on separate dates or multiple times on the same day. It also ensures that diagnostic breast cancer exams (including MRIs) have cost-sharing requirements no worse than those for screening exams. This bill directly affects insured Arkansans seeking breast cancer screenings by eliminating out-of-pocket costs for these specific preventive services. The law amends existing coverage requirements to clarify and strengthen access to early detection services under health benefit plans.
SB 291 extends the deadline for filing election complaint filings with Arkansas' State Board of Election Commissioners. It allows complaints about election violations (including voter registration, absentee ballots, or ballot tabulation) to be submitted up to 49 days after an election, instead of the previous 30-day window. The bill also sets a 182-day timeline for the Board to complete investigations and mandates that complaint records become publicly available 30 days after the Board's final decision. This directly affects voters, candidates, and election monitors who file or respond to election-related complaints.
HB 1146 is an appropriation bill that allocates $26.4 million for the Arkansas Attorney General's Office operations during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It funds regular salaries for 164 staff positions (including attorneys, investigators, and administrative roles), up to 10 temporary "Extra Help" employees, and operating expenses like travel and equipment. The bill also separately allocates $1.07 million for the Medicaid Fraud Division's state and federal operations. This funding directly supports the Attorney General's office in handling legal matters, investigations, and administrative functions across Arkansas. The bill passed both chambers and became Act 296 on March 12, 2025.
SB 251 clarifies that the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism must designate a representative to serve as the executive secretary of the Arkansas Trails Council. The bill amends existing law to specify this appointment process, replacing previous language about the council's structure. This change directly affects the Arkansas Trails Council's internal operations and administrative leadership. As a procedural bill, it focuses solely on organizational structure without altering the council's policy responsibilities or funding.
Senate Bill 188 (now Act 272) requires sponsors of statewide initiative and referendum petitions in Arkansas to publicly post specific details on the Secretary of State’s website within five business days of gathering signatures. Sponsors must provide the full proposed measure text, official ballot description, and popular name, all certified by the Attorney General. The Secretary of State must keep this information online unless the petition fails to qualify, the sponsor requests removal, or a court removes the measure from the ballot. This law directly affects petition sponsors and aims to increase transparency about proposed ballot measures.
Arkansas Senate Bill 295 (now Act 281) amends election funding law to allow local election authorities to pay certified election monitors as an approved election expense. The bill specifically adds "compensation for certified election monitors of the State Board of Election Commissioners" to the list of allowable costs under Arkansas Code § 7-4-123(a). This change directly affects election administrators and certified monitors by providing a new funding mechanism for their compensation. The bill was enacted on March 12, 2025, after passing both chambers and being delivered to the Governor. It represents a procedural adjustment to election expense rules without altering voting procedures or eligibility.
HB 1499 amends Arkansas law governing the sale of public property by clarifying which state agencies must follow the updated procedures. It removes specific entities - including the State Highway Commission, Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission, State Parks Commission, and institutions of higher education - from the list of exemptions, requiring them to adhere to the new sale process. This change directly affects state boards and commissions managing public assets when disposing of property. The bill became law as Act 288 on March 12, 2025, streamlining public property sales for covered agencies.
HB 1568 amends state law to require a postmortem examination for any death appearing to be caused by drug, alcohol, or poison toxicity. This directly affects medical examiners, law enforcement, and coroners handling death investigations in these specific cases. The bill expands existing requirements by explicitly including "apparent" toxicity from these substances as a trigger for mandatory examinations. It modifies current procedures to ensure standardized investigations when substance involvement is suspected, without creating new requirements beyond this scope. The law became effective as Act 289 on March 12, 2025.
SB 308 removes outdated references to write-in candidates from state law. It does not change how write-in voting works or affect voters who choose write-in candidates. The bill is a technical correction to modernize statutory language, not a substantive policy change. This bill passed on March 11, 2025, and became law as Act 284.
SB 210 requires anyone signing an initiative or referendum petition in Arkansas to read the petition's summary (ballot title) aloud in the presence of a canvasser, or have it read to them by the canvasser. This applies directly to petition signers and canvassers who collect signatures. The bill adds a new requirement to the canvasser's affidavit verifying that signers read the summary in their presence, and creates a misdemeanor offense for canvassers who accept signatures without this verification. The bill declares an emergency to ensure it takes effect before the 2026 election, citing the need to strengthen integrity in the citizen-initiative process.
