Rep. Joey Carr

Maddy summarySenate Bill 429, now Act 665, enhances protections for victims of human trafficking in Arkansas. It allows victims of human trafficking to petition for the sealing of prostitution convictions that occurred as a result of their trafficking, regardless of whether they were a minor or an adult at the time of the offense. The bill also mandates that courts issue a no-contact order for defendants charged with offenses under the Human Trafficking Act of 2013. Additionally, it updates state code definitions to include human trafficking offenses in the scope of "victim" and "offense against a victim who is a minor."

Maddy summarySenate Bill 352 prohibits antisemitism in public elementary and secondary schools. It also extends this prohibition to state-supported institutions of higher education. The bill establishes a standard for conduct within these educational environments, directly affecting students, faculty, and staff. This legislation aims to prevent and address antisemitic acts or expressions within these institutions.

Maddy summarySB 530 is a procedural bill that added 21 senators and 37 representatives as cosponsors to the original bill. It did not change the tax credit policy itself, as the title references an existing Arkansas Wood Energy Products and Forest Maintenance Income Tax Credit. The bill's purpose was solely to expand the list of legislators supporting the tax credit legislation. The bill was passed and became Act 701 on April 18, 2025. No substantive policy changes to the tax credit were made by this amendment.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 426 creates the "Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act." This legislation establishes enhanced penalties for individuals identified as illegal aliens. These increased penalties apply specifically when an illegal alien commits serious felonies involving violence.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new system for property insurance for public schools, state-supported higher education institutions, and other state-owned properties. It creates the State Captive Insurance Program and the Office of Property Risk within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services to manage these combined insurance efforts. The act allows the state to create its own captive insurance company and prohibits the use of public adjusting for these property insurance claims. The goal is to create a more stable and sustainable property insurance system for these state entities by consolidating existing programs and ensuring proper property valuation. (SB 481, Act 779)

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1680, now Act 811, restricts certain foreign entities from acquiring interests in land. It prohibits businesses controlled by a "foreign party" from leasing land. The bill also prevents "prohibited foreign parties" from holding an interest in real property or agricultural land under specific circumstances. An amendment clarifies that an individual is not considered a "prohibited foreign party" if they are also a citizen of the United States.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1681 establishes the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. This program provides grants to local entities to help fund improvements and upgrades to their water and sewer treatment infrastructure. The grants will be supported by revenues authorized by law. The program is set to expire five years after its effective date, and the administering commission is required to report annually on the status of all awarded grants.

Maddy summaryHB 1732 aims to increase the income tax deduction available to teachers. This deduction applies to money teachers spend on their classrooms, often referred to as classroom investment. By increasing the allowed deduction, the bill enables teachers to reduce a larger portion of these out-of-pocket expenses from their taxable income. This change directly affects teachers who incur costs for their classrooms.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1939 revises several aspects of teacher evaluations and incentive pay programs in Arkansas. It establishes a deadline for National Board Certified teachers to qualify for certain bonuses and updates the requirements for summative evaluations, allowing for digital formats and flexibility in evidence used. The bill introduces an "annual rating" that districts must perform in years when a full summative evaluation is not conducted, aligning with Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program requirements. Additionally, it modifies eligibility for the Merit Teacher Incentive Fund Program to include outstanding student performance, as determined by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education using student growth data. These changes directly affect public school teachers and school districts across the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1810 amends provisions of the Arkansas Code concerning the Arkansas School for the Blind and the Arkansas School for the Deaf. A key change, introduced by Amendment No. 1, specifies that certain appointments made by the Governor, likely to positions related to these schools, will now require confirmation by the Senate. The bill also includes an emergency clause, allowing it to take effect immediately upon becoming law.