Rep. Stetson Painter

Maddy summaryHB 1077 requires Arkansas correctional facilities to verify the veteran status of incarcerated individuals within 14 days using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data. If a veteran is incarcerated for six months or more, facilities must notify the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs within 45 days of admission and again upon release. The bill also mandates that facilities provide incarcerated veterans with access to apply for VA benefits or veterans treatment court programs. This law directly affects veterans in state or local correctional facilities and the facilities themselves, creating a formal notification process to connect veterans with available support services.

Maddy summaryHB 1638 updates Arkansas state law to include the United States Space Force in all references to the armed forces and uniformed services. It corrects outdated language by replacing "branch" with "regular" in multiple sections and removing obsolete phrases like "United States Marine Corps, United States Space Force" to standardize military service listings. This technical update ensures state legal documents align with the current U.S. military structure, which established the Space Force as a separate service in 2019. The bill does not create new policies or affect military operations - it only modernizes existing statutory language.

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 1561) is a technical amendment to remove all references to "the State of Qatar" from existing state laws. It deletes phrases like "or the State of Qatar" or "from the State of Qatar" from 17 different sections of the code, correcting outdated or erroneous text. The bill does not create new policies, affect any individuals or groups, or change legal requirements. It was passed by both chambers and became law as Act 473 on April 8, 2025, solely to update legal references.

Maddy summarySB 409 prohibits financial services providers from refusing to do business with or terminating relationships with agricultural producers solely based on their status as such. It defines "agricultural producer" to include those growing crops, raising animals, or producing livestock/dairy products. The bill requires Arkansas' Treasurer to publish a list of financial providers found to discriminate against agricultural producers, after giving them 45 days' notice and a 30-day window to prove they are not discriminating. This list will be posted online, with the process involving an ESG Oversight Committee and requiring agricultural producers to consent to sharing financial data if they report discrimination.

Maddy summaryHB 1497 adds the Arkansas Department of the Military to the list of state agencies authorized to withhold tax refunds from taxpayers who owe them money. It also updates the legal definition of "debt" to include specific fines related to certain state laws. This change directly affects taxpayers with outstanding debts to the Department of the Military, allowing the agency to offset those debts against state tax refunds. The bill modifies existing provisions without creating new taxes or programs.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends spousal retirement benefits to spouses of specific city officials upon their death. It applies to city attorneys in first/second-class cities, deputy city clerks in first-class cities, mayors in second-class cities, and treasurers in first-class cities. Eligible spouses married to the official for at least 10 years can receive half the deceased's retirement benefit (either what they were receiving or what they would have received if they died in office), at the city's discretion. Benefits terminate upon the spouse's remarriage. The policy change directly affects these municipal employee roles and their surviving spouses.

Maddy summarySB 317 prohibits Arkansas public institutions of higher education from engaging in specific activities with "prohibited foreign parties." It directly affects universities and colleges receiving state funding by banning them from conducting agricultural research under contract or selling agricultural products (including seeds) with such entities. The bill defines "prohibited foreign parties" but does not specify which entities qualify. This policy change restricts certain financial and research transactions between Arkansas colleges and designated foreign entities, without altering broader academic collaboration rules. The bill passed as Act 351 on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1212 would amend Arkansas law to allow justices of the peace to also serve as city police officers or school resource officers under specific conditions. The bill adds an exception to existing rules that generally prohibit county officials from holding multiple civil offices, permitting justices of the peace to work in these law enforcement roles outside their local district. This change would directly affect current or future justices of the peace who hold or seek such police positions. The provision applies only to roles described in a separate section of state law (§ 6-10-128) and does not apply to new appointments. The bill was introduced in January 2025 but withdrawn by its author in March 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1462 authorizes public water providers in Arkansas to use utility rate revenue and issue bonds to replace lead and certain galvanized customer service lines serving homes and businesses. The bill specifies that water providers must obtain property owner consent before replacing lines on private property and clarifies they won’t assume ownership or maintenance responsibilities for replaced lines unless agreed otherwise. It directly affects water utilities and their customers, enabling them to fund these health-related infrastructure upgrades using existing public finance mechanisms. The bill was introduced on February 12, 2025, but was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 263 (now Act 330) increases the amount of the homestead property tax credit available to Arkansas homeowners. This policy change directly benefits qualifying homeowners who own and occupy their primary residence, reducing their annual property tax bill. The bill amends the existing tax credit structure to provide a higher dollar amount for eligible taxpayers. It became law after passing the Arkansas legislature and being delivered to the Governor on March 13, 2025. The change represents a concrete adjustment to tax relief for qualified homeowners without altering eligibility requirements.