Rep. Carol Dalby

Maddy summarySenate Bill 535 creates a sales and use tax exemption specifically for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation. This means that these two organizations will not be required to pay sales tax on their purchases of physical goods, digital products, or services. The bill amends existing state code to add this new exemption. This change aims to reduce the tax burden on the museum and its associated foundation.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1895 amends Arkansas law concerning who can practice law to expand an existing exception. It allows for-profit corporations and voluntary associations to employ in-house attorneys to represent not only their own immediate affairs and litigation but also those of their "affiliates." An affiliate is defined as a related entity, such as a subsidiary, parent, or sibling company, connected through shareholdings, membership interests, or other means of control. This bill enables a broader range of legal services to be provided by in-house counsel within a corporate family structure.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1838 amends Arkansas laws concerning probate actions, adoption, and guardianship. The bill modifies requirements for consent in adoptions, including adding a consent requirement for the spouse of a minor being adopted and clarifying how adults and their spouses provide consent at adoption hearings. It also expands the types of relatives for whom a parent may not need independent legal representation in an adoption. Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions for "emergency guardianship" and "guardianship" within the context of incapacitated persons.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1835 updates and clarifies the laws governing specialty court programs in Arkansas, such as drug, mental health, veterans, and DWI/BWI courts. It expands the official definition of these programs and establishes comprehensive guidelines for their evaluation and approval by the Supreme Court. The bill requires the Specialty Court Program Advisory Committee to evaluate programs based on nationally recognized standards and ensure effective practices that reduce recidivism. It also modifies the process for record sealing upon successful completion of certain specialty court programs and outlines procedures for transferring participants between specialty court judges.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1839 amends the procedures in Arkansas for legally declaring a missing person dead. It allows an interested party to petition the probate court for this declaration, particularly if a person has been missing for over five years or due to the nature of their absence. Petitioners must provide a detailed affidavit describing the circumstances of absence and search efforts, and give specific notice to close relatives and those with significant financial interests. The bill establishes a court hearing to evaluate evidence, setting a rebuttable presumption of death if a person has been missing for five or more years, or requiring clear and convincing evidence if missing for less time.

Maddy summaryHB 1829 amends the Domestic Abuse Act of 1991 to allow remote testimony (via video or phone) during hearings for individuals involved in domestic abuse cases. This change directly affects survivors and witnesses who may face safety risks or logistical barriers attending in-person hearings. The bill also adds oversight requirements for a domestic violence intervention program to ensure accountability. The legislation focuses on improving access to justice while maintaining procedural safeguards for domestic abuse proceedings.

Maddy summaryHB 1821 creates a single State Captive Insurance Program to replace fragmented property insurance systems for public schools, state-supported colleges/universities, and state-owned properties in Arkansas. It combines these entities under one program, prohibits the use of public adjusting firms (which the bill states increased premiums), and requires independent reappraisals of higher education properties to ensure proper valuation. The bill also establishes the Office of Property Risk within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services to manage the program and mandates coordination among state agencies for a smooth transition. These changes aim to stabilize insurance costs and improve market competitiveness for these public entities.

Maddy summarySB 545 amends Arkansas law to give public universities greater authority over their property, finances, and revenue streams. It allows university boards to purchase existing buildings, reconstruct facilities, and acquire new infrastructure (Section 1), permits them to issue bonds using non-tax revenues from operations (Section 2), and expands their power to set fees for athletic events, facilities, and other campus services (Section 3). The bill directly affects all 6 Arkansas public universities (University of Arkansas, Arkansas State, UCA, Henderson State, Arkansas Tech, Southern Arkansas) and their governing boards. These changes streamline how institutions manage assets and fund operations without altering tuition or state funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1802 creates a state-funded Talent Recruitment Grant Program to incentivize individuals to relocate to Arkansas. The program provides grants to municipalities and qualifying nonprofits (e.g., for economic development) to offer relocation incentives to individuals who either hold remote jobs paying at least $55,000 annually or accept full-time in-state employment. Grants up to $500,000 per applicant require recipients to cover 20% of program costs and meet 50% of their target relocation goals before receiving final payment. Recipients must report quarterly on participant income, tax impacts, and economic outcomes to ensure accountability.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 29, 2025, as Vietnam War Veterans Day and March 2025 as Vietnam Era Veterans Month in Arkansas. It formally recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of Vietnam War veterans through state-level ceremonial observance. The resolution does not create new laws, programs, or benefits - it serves solely as a symbolic gesture of appreciation. It affects Arkansas residents by establishing official dates for state-level recognition of veterans' service.