Rep. Mindy McAlindon

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1243, now Act 994, aims to increase transparency in campaign finance reporting and protect election integrity. The bill amends existing campaign finance law by shifting the responsibility for receiving campaign contribution and expenditure reports from county clerks to the Secretary of State. It also adjusts the deadline for filing monthly financial reports, requiring them to be submitted no later than twenty days after the end of each month. These changes affect political campaigns and candidates by modifying where and when their financial disclosures must be filed.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 596 establishes a state energy policy and regulates the retirement of dispatchable electric generation facilities in Arkansas. It specifically applies to facilities that are 100 megawatts or larger and located within the state. However, the bill does not apply to the retirement or repowering of such facilities if already agreed upon through a settlement or legal proceeding before the bill's effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1877 expands criminal offenses related to sexually explicit material depicting a child to include computer-generated images that are indistinguishable from a child. The bill defines "artificial intelligence" and "adversarial testing," which involves evaluating AI systems in a controlled environment. It creates exemptions for law enforcement investigations and for interactive computer services conducting good-faith adversarial testing to prevent AI systems from generating such content. However, these exemptions do not apply if the testing is for personal or exploitative purposes. Additionally, the bill renames the offense of "Possession or use of child sexual abuse material" to "Electronic facilitation of child sexual abuse."

Maddy summaryHB 1685, known as the Grocery Tax Relief Act, exempts groceries from state sales and use taxes. This legislation amends existing state law regarding sales and use taxes levied on food and food ingredients. The bill directly affects consumers by removing the state sales tax typically applied to their grocery purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 1837 amends Arkansas law concerning matters referred to voters, specifically ballot measures. The bill updates the requirements for financial disclosures related to these measures. It also bans foreign funding for ballot measures in the state. These changes modify portions of the Arkansas Code that originated from Initiated Act 1 of 1996.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1974, also known as the E-Verify Requirement Act, prohibits state government departments, boards, bureaus, political subdivisions, and agencies from employing individuals who are not authorized to work. The bill mandates these state entities to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. This ensures that only legally authorized individuals are hired by state government bodies. The provisions of this act are set to become effective on January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 1604, now Act 943, amends existing laws regarding contracts made by state agencies in Arkansas. The bill specifically prohibits state agencies from using public funds to purchase promotional items that are manufactured in China. This measure aims to regulate the types of products state agencies can acquire using taxpayer money. These new provisions apply to contracts executed on or after the act's effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1352 (now Act 937) is a technical amendment to a bill that primarily changes a single word in the legislation - replacing "and" with "or" on page 6, line 31. It does not introduce new policies, alter substantive requirements, or directly affect any specific groups or entities. The bill was passed by the Arkansas Senate with Amendment No. 1 and signed into law on April 21, 2025. As a minor procedural correction, it has no meaningful impact on how the law operates or who it governs.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1683 prohibits governmental entities from purchasing electric vehicles or components manufactured using forced labor. It requires suppliers to provide information in good faith regarding their manufacturing processes. The bill also establishes that any governmental employee who knowingly violates this prohibition will be personally liable for a civil penalty of $5,000. This measure aims to prevent state funds from supporting industries that utilize forced labor in their supply chains.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 313, as amended, concerns forensic mental health evaluations and treatment within the legal system. It establishes procedures for prosecutors and defense counsel to request mental health evaluations for defendants, allowing for ex parte or in camera hearings when privileged information is involved. The bill details the court's authority to order the administration of medication to incarcerated defendants to maintain their fitness to proceed, outlining specific conditions based on whether the defendant poses a danger. Additionally, time spent in the department's physical custody under these provisions counts towards credit for time served.