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Arkansas Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress
All 8,915 Active 407 In committee 389 Passed 567 Signed 5,255 Failed 2,679

Bill results

signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1123: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION - MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. COMMISSION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

HB 1123 is an appropriations bill that funds the Arkansas Department of Education's Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It authorizes $383,978 for four permanent staff positions (including an Executive Director at GS-14 level) and operational expenses, plus $91,123 for up to four temporary staff and related costs, totaling $475,101. The bill directly affects the commission’s staffing and daily operations, specifying exact salary grades, employee counts, and budget line items. It does not create new policies but allocates existing state funds to support the commission’s existing functions. The bill became Act 86 on February 13, 2025, after passing both chambers.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill authorizes $475,101 in state appropriations for commission staffing and operations, directly funding a state program through budget allocation.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1201: AN ACT FOR THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

HB 1201 is an appropriation bill that allocates funding for the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It directly affects ARDOT employees by establishing maximum salary rates for 47 specific positions, including leadership roles (e.g., Director at $276,967) and technical staff (e.g., Engineers at $157,454). The bill sets annual salary limits for all ARDOT personnel authorized under this funding, specifying exact pay scales for each position category. It does not create new programs or policy changes but ensures salaries comply with the established budget framework for the fiscal year. The bill was enacted as Act 87 on February 13, 2025.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates specific funding for ARDOT salaries, directly supporting state transportation budget allocation and fiscal management for essential infrastructure operations.92% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationAllocates funding and sets salaries for ARDOT, directly supporting transportation infrastructure operations and personnel management.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1406: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF THE MILITARY REAPPROPRIATION.

HB 1406 reallocates unused funds from previous appropriations to specific military construction and renovation projects for the Arkansas Department of the Military. It directs $2.2 million for a Readiness Center at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, $6.5 million for the Professional Education Center repair, and additional sums for facilities at Camp Joseph T. Robinson and Fort Chaffee, including ranges, water storage, and armory maintenance. These funds, originally set aside for capital improvements, are now reappropriated to complete ongoing projects without new budget authority. The bill affects Arkansas National Guard facilities and operations at these two military bases, effective July 1, 2025.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReallocates unused appropriations to military projects, promoting fiscal responsibility by utilizing existing funds without new tax revenue or spending increases.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1396: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS - DIVISION OF CORRECTION REAPPROPRIATION.

HB 1396 reallocates unused funds from previous appropriations to the Arkansas Department of Corrections for specific facility projects. It directs over $74.8 million for prison expansion, $458,496 for female work release operations in Pine Bluff, and smaller sums for facility maintenance, armory construction, water treatment upgrades, and prison industry/farm projects. All funds must be used by July 1, 2025, to cover existing project costs without affecting general operations budgets. This procedural bill ensures existing budgeted resources are properly redirected to correctional facility needs.
Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill allocates $74.8M for prison expansion, a core indicator of increasing incarceration capacity per guidelines, with no rehabilitation or reform elements mentioned.85% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1393: AN ACT FOR THE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION REAPPROPRIATION.

HB 1393 redirects unspent funds from previous appropriations to specific Arkansas public colleges for facility projects and maintenance. It allocates $2.65 million for a Precision Machining Facility at Arkansas Northeastern College, $2.33 million for nursing building renovations at Arkansas State University-Beebe, and $3 million for a solar array at Arkansas State University-Newport, among other projects. The bill reapproporates balances from Act 80 of 2024 (which originally funded these projects) to cover remaining costs for construction, technology upgrades, critical maintenance, and equipment repairs. This legislation affects five Arkansas State University campuses and was enacted as Act 92 on February 13, 2025.
Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects $8M unspent funds to higher education infrastructure projects (facility construction/renovations at public colleges), directly funding educational facilities.95% confidence ✓ EnergySupports EnergyAllocates $3M for solar array at Arkansas State University-Newport, directly funding renewable energy infrastructure per bill summary.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1395: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, HERITAGE, AND TOURISM - STATE PARKS AND TOURISM DIVISIONS REAPPROPRIATION.

HB 1395 reallocates $16.52 million in leftover capital improvement funds from the Arkansas Natural and Cultural Resources Grant Fund to the Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism's State Parks and Tourism Divisions. The funds are specifically designated for acquiring, managing, or preserving state-owned lands, historic sites, buildings, and cultural objects. The bill prohibits using these funds for maintenance or operations (which are covered by separate budgets) and requires compliance with state purchasing and fiscal laws. It directly affects state parks, tourism infrastructure, and historic preservation efforts by providing dedicated funding for land and site stewardship.
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1236: TO ALLOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE TO BE RELEASED FROM HIS OR HER CONTRACT BY A CERTAIN DATE UPON HIS OR HER WRITTEN REQUEST; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.

HB 1236 allows public school employees in Tennessee to terminate their employment contracts early by submitting a written request by May 15 (or the preceding Friday if May 15 falls on a weekend). The bill directly affects current public school employees seeking to leave their positions before the end of the school year. Key provisions require written requests to be submitted by the specified deadline, with automatic extension if the date falls on a weekend. The bill was passed as Act 53 on February 13, 2025, and includes an emergency declaration to expedite implementation. This change streamlines the process for employees to exit contracts without waiting until the end of the school year.
Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAllows public school employees to terminate contracts early via written request, protecting workers' right to exit employment without penalty before school year end.85% confidence
Breanne Davis (R) Joey Carr (R)
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1397: AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY REAPPROPRIATION.

HB 1397 reappropriates $207,318,105 in unused funds from a prior 2024 appropriation to complete the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory facility. This bill directly affects the Department of Public Safety’s State Crime Laboratory by providing existing state funds for construction without requiring new legislative funding. The key provision allows the agency to use remaining capital improvement funds from Act 85 of 2024, with disbursement rules requiring compliance with state fiscal controls. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause to prevent delays in the project.
Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeReappropriates $207M to complete State Crime Laboratory, directly funding forensic infrastructure critical to criminal justice operations.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · House Feb 13, 2025

HB 1098: AN ACT FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT FOR SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION DISABILITY DETERMINATION APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

HB 1098 appropriates $77.8 million for Arkansas' State Department for Social Security Administration Disability Determination (DDSSA) for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill authorizes 594 full-time staff positions across medical, administrative, and technical roles, plus up to 20 temporary "Extra Help" employees. It funds salaries, operating expenses, and specific costs like data processing and travel, with strict limits on new positions beyond the authorized 594. This is a routine budget measure to support disability determination operations, directly affecting the DDSSA's staffing and budgeting for federal disability benefit processing.
Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $77.8M for essential disability determination services, funding staff and operations per fiscal needs, aligning with program funding indicators under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds disability determination services via $77.8M appropriation, supporting healthcare access for disabled individuals through administrative capacity.95% confidence
signed · Arkansas · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 16: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM AT A TRAIN; AND TO INCREASE THE FINE THAT MAY BE IMPOSED FOR THE DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM AT A TRAIN OR FOR THROWING OTHER OBJECTS AT A TRAIN.

SB 16 increases penalties for discharging firearms or throwing objects like stones at trains or railroad cars. It directly affects individuals who intentionally fire guns or throw projectiles at trains, which is currently a Class A misdemeanor. The bill raises the maximum fine for these offenses from $250 to a higher amount (though the exact new maximum isn't specified in the text), while keeping the current minimum fine of $25. This amendment strengthens existing penalties without changing the offense classification or adding new requirements.
Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBill increases fines for firearm discharge at trains, strengthening penalties without reform measures; aligns with expanding criminalization and harsher sentencing.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationIncreases penalties for threats to train safety, directly enhancing rail transportation safety standards as per classification indicators.95% confidence
Ryan Rose (R) Justin Boyd (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 15: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING NEGLIGENT DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS WHILE HUNTING DEER; AND TO REPEAL § 15-43-205.

SB 15 repeals Arkansas' existing law (§ 15-43-205) that imposed fines ($100-$1,000) or jail time (30 days-6 months) for deer hunters who negligently discharge firearms, endangering others. This bill removes the specific penalties for negligent firearm discharges during deer hunting. It directly affects deer hunters in Arkansas who would have faced these penalties under the repealed law. The bill does not create new rules or penalties - it solely eliminates the previous legal consequence. The repeal became effective when the bill was signed into law as Act 26 on February 12, 2025.
Howard Beaty (R) Justin Boyd (R)
signed · Arkansas · Senate Feb 12, 2025

SB 46: TO REFLECT A MERGER BETWEEN THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AND EAST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE BY CHANGING THE NAME OF EAST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS EAST ARKANSAS COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

SB 46 changes the official name of East Arkansas Community College to "University of Arkansas East Arkansas Community College" to reflect an existing merger between the University of Arkansas and the college. The bill repeals outdated statutory provisions related to a previous merger involving Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute. This procedural update aligns the institution's legal name with its current operational status and state funding allocations, which already reference the new name. The change affects only administrative records and does not alter funding, programs, or governance structures.
Steve Hollowell (R) Ron Caldwell (R) · 2 co-sponsors
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