HB 1359 makes minor, technical updates to Arkansas Code Title 19 regarding public finance. It removes outdated references in exemptions for insurance pools (like the Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool) and clarifies how the State Insurance Department Trust Fund can be used, including adding funding for fire department training. The bill does not change existing policies or create new obligations; it only corrects language in the code. It was enacted as Act 175 on February 25, 2025, with no substantive impact on affected entities like insurance guaranty associations or fire departments.
SB 199 reappropiates $69,563 from the Livestock and Poultry Special Revenue Fund to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture for renovating and equipping the necropsy room at its Livestock and Poultry Diagnostic Lab. This funding specifically covers construction, renovation, and equipment for the lab's necropsy facility, effective July 1, 2025. The bill ensures the funds are used solely for this project, with strict controls on disbursement and no diversion of other agency operating funds. It was passed as Act 194 on February 25, 2025.
SB 171 makes minor grammatical corrections to Arkansas Code § 4-56-107(d)(4)(A), which addresses digital currency and financial institution compliance. It changes phrases like "does not require" to "does not prohibit" and "from compliance with" to "from complying with" to fix errors in existing law. The bill directly affects financial institutions by clarifying that they are not prohibited from complying with federal laws like the Right to Financial Privacy Act and Bank Secrecy Act. It contains no new requirements or policy changes - it is purely a technical correction to the wording of an existing provision. The bill does not alter legal obligations or create new rules for businesses or consumers.
HB 1358 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas property laws in Title 18 of the Arkansas Code. It fixes a typo in the felony penalty for foreign-controlled businesses violating land ownership rules (changing "is guilty of a an unclassified felony" to "is guilty of an unclassified felony") and corrects reference errors in definitions related to foreign agricultural land ownership. These changes clarify existing provisions about "significant interest" and "substantial control" without altering the underlying law. The bill affects foreign-owned businesses and landowners subject to current property ownership restrictions, but does not create new requirements or penalties.
HB 1356 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas Code sections related to law enforcement, emergency management, and military affairs. It updates references in existing laws - such as clarifying which offices handle sex offender registry disclosures, refining victim notification system language for criminal justice proceedings, and adding specific requirements for Department of Corrections employees carrying concealed handguns. The bill also corrects definitions in child maltreatment law and fixes an office name reference within the Department of Public Safety. These changes are purely editorial, aligning wording with current practice without creating new policies or obligations.
HB 1418 prohibits local governments in Arkansas from regulating the ownership, transfer, transportation, carrying, or possession of knives or knife-making components. It amends existing state law to explicitly include knives and knife-making parts under the same protections as firearms, preventing cities or counties from creating their own rules on these items. The bill allows state or federal law to still regulate knives, but local ordinances on these matters are now invalid. This law, enacted as Act 161 on February 25, 2025, directly affects local governments by restricting their regulatory authority over knives.
SB 98 allows third-party delivery services (like food apps) to deliver alcohol from participating retail stores, directly affecting alcohol retailers and delivery companies. The bill requires retailers to be open for at least 30 hours weekly for retail sales and creates a $500 annual permit for third-party delivery services. Delivery workers must complete annual training on identifying intoxication, verifying IDs, and understanding Arkansas's wet (alcohol-selling) and dry (alcohol-prohibited) counties. This replaces previous restrictions on alcohol delivery and adds new operational requirements for permit holders.
HB 1151 is a budget bill that allocates $23.2 million in state funds for Arkansas' Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides funding for staffing (including 44 full-time positions), operating expenses, and specific grants - such as $23.2 million for vocational center aid and $1.1 million for special needs student programs - to public school districts. The bill directly affects Arkansas public schools and vocational centers by funding existing CTE services, including career training programs and student support. It does not create new policies but authorizes spending from designated state funds, as confirmed when it became Act 186 on February 25, 2025.
SB 174 makes minor technical corrections to two existing Arkansas environmental law provisions without changing policy. It adds "may" to clarify a tire program's authority to enter agreements (Ark. Code § 8-9-410(d)) and corrects wording about university analysis for nuclear fuel storage (Ark. Code § 8-9-802(4)(A)). These changes fix grammatical errors and clarify references in the Arkansas Code. The bill does not create new requirements or alter existing legal obligations.
SB 116 is a budget appropriation bill that allocates funding for the University of Arkansas System and its divisions for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It establishes maximum salary rates and headcounts for specific administrative, academic, and support positions across the university system, including roles like the President, Vice-Presidents, Archeological Survey staff, and Criminal Justice Institute personnel. The bill directly affects the University of Arkansas System’s operations by setting financial parameters for staffing and salaries. It was enacted into law as Act 193 on February 25, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.
SB 175 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas Code § 11-10-310(f), which governs budget processes for the Division of Workforce Services. It updates outdated reference language (changing "this section" to "this subsection and subsection (e)") to fix errors in the existing code. This is a purely procedural adjustment with no new policy changes, affecting how the Division references budget procedures but not workers or employers. The bill was enacted as Act 168 on February 25, 2025.
HB 1099 appropriates $1,103,617 for the State Board of Election Commissioners' operations and staff salaries for fiscal year 2025-2026, plus $6,340,000 for election expenses and $1,600,000 from nonpartisan filing fees. It authorizes up to 9 regular employees (including a director at Grade GS12) and 20 temporary staff, with specific salary limits and operating expense categories detailed in the bill. The bill also allows unspent election funds to be carried forward to the next fiscal year, requiring written justification and reporting to the Legislative Council. This funding directly supports Arkansas' election administration functions for the 2025-2026 cycle.
