Rep. Rebecca Burkes

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1116, known as the Remote and Mobile Work Modernization and Competitiveness Act, aimed to create new regulations for remote and mobile employment. It sought to provide income tax and withholding exemptions for specific remote and mobile employees and nonresidents. The bill intended to reduce tax burdens for these workers, encouraging a more competitive environment for remote work.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1791 aimed to clarify that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) do not hold jurisdiction or power within the state of Arkansas. It sought to prevent the state and its political subdivisions, including counties and school districts, from enforcing or implementing any requirements or mandates issued by these international organizations. The bill specifically prohibited using such mandates as a basis for actions like imposing requirements for masks, vaccinations, or medical testing that conflict with Arkansas law. Additionally, it aimed to prevent the use of WHO or UN mandates to gather public or private information about Arkansas citizens or residents.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1066 aims to increase the standard deduction available to taxpayers. This legislative change would directly affect individuals and potentially impact their taxable income. By raising the standard deduction, the bill proposes to reduce the portion of income subject to state taxes for those who choose not to itemize deductions.

Maddy summaryHJR 1015 was a proposed constitutional amendment in Arkansas that aimed to change how judicial candidates appear on the ballot. If approved, it would have required candidates for Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judge, Circuit Judge, and District Judge to declare their political party affiliation or independent status. This declared affiliation or independent status would then be printed on the ballot for voters to see. The stated purpose of the amendment was to ensure transparency regarding judicial candidates' affiliations. This amendment would have taken effect on January 1, 2027, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 1065, titled "TO CREATE THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2025," died in the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation on May 5, 2025, without becoming law. The provided bill text contains no substantive policy language or specific mechanisms; it only includes a list of supporting legislators and procedural details. No concrete policy changes, affected groups, or key provisions are described in the available text. As a bill that stalled in committee with no enacted provisions, it did not implement any inflation-related measures. The title appears to be a placeholder, as no actual inflation reduction policy was outlined in the submitted bill.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1936 proposed changes to how municipal elections are conducted in Arkansas. For cities with a mayor-council form of government, the bill would have required county party committees to conduct party primaries for municipal offices. This would only be bypassed if the city council passed a resolution for nonpartisan elections by August 31st of the year before the election, with such a resolution lasting two years. Additionally, the bill clarified that elections for directors in city manager forms of government and for mayors and directors in city administrator forms of government are nonpartisan. It also specified election methods (ward or at-large) and residency requirements for these officials.

Maddy summaryHB 1565 would amend Arkansas law regarding county property assessors' duties. The bill requires county assessors who maintain online databases for property records to allow property owners to opt out of having their information posted there. To opt out, a property owner must submit a written request to the county assessor. This directly affects property owners in Arkansas who desire to remove their information from public online databases and county assessors who manage these records.

Maddy summaryHB 1662, titled "TO PROHIBIT LOBBYING FOR A COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY," aimed to prevent individuals or organizations from lobbying on behalf of certain foreign entities. The provided text is an amendment to the bill, which made minor changes to specific wording and references within the original text. Without the full original bill text, the specific definitions of "covered foreign entity" or the detailed mechanisms and scope of the prohibition are not available.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR 11) proposes a constitutional amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. This measure aims to modify Article 2, Section 5, with the specific intent to protect the right to keep and bear arms for individuals. If enacted, it would alter the state's foundational document concerning this right.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 5 (SCR 5) is a resolution that expresses the Arkansas General Assembly's continued encouragement for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. The resolution commends the Institute's progress, acknowledges its fundraising efforts, and encourages further private fundraising and collaboration among state entities to support this goal. This legislative action aims to facilitate the establishment of an NCI-designated cancer center in Arkansas, which could expand access to advanced cancer treatments, clinical trials, and research for Arkansans.