Rep. Fran Cavenaugh

Maddy summaryHB 1238 allows homeowners (mortgagors) to recover reasonable attorney fees if a court invalidates a foreclosure sale due to a lender's (mortgagee's) failure to follow Arkansas foreclosure procedures. It directly affects homeowners facing foreclosure and lenders who may face fee recovery claims. The bill creates a new provision (Ark. Code § 18-50-118) permitting fee recovery when a foreclosure sale is set aside for procedural errors, but excludes cases where the homeowner and lender resolved the debt, bankruptcy was filed, or the lender relied in good faith on title insurance or other property records. This law changes the financial consequences for lenders who don't strictly follow foreclosure rules.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds nitrogen gas as an additional method of execution for individuals sentenced to death in Arkansas, alongside the existing lethal injection option. It requires prison officials to notify death row inmates of the chosen execution method (nitrogen gas or lethal injection) at least seven days in advance. The bill also includes confidentiality provisions preventing public disclosure of execution protocols, drug sources, and personnel involved under Arkansas' public records laws. This change applies to all future capital punishment cases in Arkansas, following its passage into law as Act 302.

Maddy summaryHB 1581 amends Arkansas law to include "trafficking of persons" (under § 5-18-103) and "grooming a minor for future sex trafficking" (under § 5-18-106) in the legal definition of "sex offense" for victim rights purposes. This change directly affects victims of human trafficking and minor grooming, granting them the same legal protections and rights as victims of other defined sex offenses. The bill adds these specific crimes to the existing list in Arkansas Code § 16-90-1101(6), ensuring they qualify for victim services and support under the state's rights framework. It does not create new penalties but expands eligibility for victim protections. The bill was enacted as Act 316 on March 18, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 246, the Arkansas Access Act, prohibits Arkansas public schools from granting excused absences for political protests. It allows excused absences for student participation in social or public policy advocacy or efforts to influence legislation, but only with written consent from a parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Schools must annually report to the state education division the number of such absences requested, granted, and the stated purpose of each absence. The bill directly affects public school districts and charter schools in Arkansas, along with students and their families.

Maddy summaryHB 1512, now Act 341, prohibits Arkansas public schools and charter schools from granting excused absences for "political protest." It allows excused absences for student "social or public policy advocacy" or "influencing legislation" only with parental consent. Schools must annually report the number of such absences and their purposes to the education division. The law directly affects public school students, parents, and school administrators by changing absence policies for non-academic activities.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (HR 1069) formally recognizes Women’s History Month in March 2025 and International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025, through the Arkansas House of Representatives. It also specifically acknowledges the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas for its work improving economic mobility for women and girls in the state. The resolution has no binding policy requirements - it is a symbolic gesture of recognition, not a law creating new programs or funding. It was adopted by the Arkansas House on March 11, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1194 directs the placement of a commemorative monument on Arkansas' state Capitol grounds to recognize and appreciate the integration of Hoxie Public Schools in 1957. This procedural bill does not create new policies or affect specific groups; it solely authorizes a physical monument to honor this historical event. The bill passed and became Act 251 in March 2025, with no additional funding or requirements specified.

Maddy summaryHB 1520 would have required Arkansas' Department of Finance and Administration to respond to written legal opinion requests within 90 days for new opinions or 45 days for renewals (if no legal changes occurred). It directly affected the Department of Finance and Administration, setting strict deadlines for issuing or renewing legal advice as required by law. The bill aimed to streamline administrative processes but was withdrawn by its author on March 4, 2025, before becoming law. This was a procedural bill focused on internal agency timelines, not substantive policy changes.

Maddy summaryHB 1049 (now Act 238) amends Arkansas criminal law to establish a new offense for "unlawful squattering." The bill makes it a criminal violation for a person to occupy property without the owner's permission, specifically targeting individuals who enter or remain on property after being asked to leave. This directly affects individuals occupying vacant or abandoned properties without legal right, such as vacant homes or land. The key provision creates a specific criminal charge (likely a misdemeanor) for this conduct, distinct from general trespass laws, and specifies that the offense applies after the owner or their agent has issued a verbal or written demand to vacate.

Maddy summaryHB 1521 aimed to repeal specific tax incentives in Arkansas that were deemed unused, underused, or unfunded, including programs for research at colleges and universities (Arkansas Code § 15-3-110), Centers for Applied Technology (§§ 15-3-130-135), public roads improvements, and equipment donations to educational institutions. The bill targeted provisions requiring state funding for research projects, technology development, and incentive programs that had not been actively utilized or lacked allocated resources. It was introduced on February 18, 2025, referred to the Revenue & Taxation committee, but withdrawn by the author on March 4, 2025, before further action. This repeal effort focused solely on eliminating existing, inactive tax provisions without creating new policies or affecting current taxpayers.