Rep. Randy Torres

Maddy summaryHB 1423, also known as the "Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding (GUARD) VA Benefits Act," prohibits individuals and entities from receiving compensation for helping veterans with their benefits claims. Specifically, it disallows payment for preparing, presenting, or advising on veterans' benefits matters, unless such compensation is explicitly authorized by federal law (Title 38 U.S.C. § 5904 and 38 C.F.R. § 14.629). The bill also prohibits receiving compensation for referring individuals to these services. Any person receiving authorized compensation must adhere to the same ethical standards as attorneys under Arkansas's Rules of Professional Conduct. Violations of this act are deemed a deceptive trade practice and a Class A misdemeanor.

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 summaryHouse Bill 1698 aims to amend state income tax law concerning employer contributions for an employee's membership in a healthcare sharing ministry or other medical cost-sharing program. The bill clarifies that these employer contributions are treated as an exclusion from an employee's taxable income, meaning employees do not pay state income tax on these specific employer-provided benefits. It also defines a "medical cost-sharing program" as a healthcare funding arrangement where members contribute money to help cover each other's medical expenses.

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 1953 proposes to add a surcharge to telephone and video calls made by inmates in Arkansas. This surcharge would be assessed on calls from both state correctional facilities and county jails. The Department of Corrections would assess a surcharge for state facilities, while county sheriffs would have the option to do so for county jails. The funds collected from these surcharges would be specifically used to offset the costs of security needs associated with inmate communications, such as equipment and operations.

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 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 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.