Rep. Johnny Rye

Maddy summaryHB 1592, the "Arkansas Alzheimer’s and Dementia Public Health Act," establishes a framework for the state to address Alzheimer's disease and related dementias as a public health priority. It mandates the Department of Human Services and the Department of Health to collaborate on a state plan, expand public health campaigns, and integrate cognitive health education into existing programs. This includes educating healthcare providers on early detection and care planning, and launching public awareness campaigns about risk reduction and early warning signs. The bill also requires enhanced data collection and analysis, the creation of a publicly accessible data dashboard, and seeking funding to support these efforts.

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 summaryThis bill, SB 397, protects the personal information of railroad crew members involved in fatal incidents. It mandates that public records concerning railroad fatalities must be maintained in a way that keeps the personal details of the involved crew confidential. This protection applies to custodians of these records, preventing general public access to that specific information. However, the confidentiality requirement does not apply to federal agencies like the United States National Transportation Safety Board or the Department of Transportation when they are investigating railroad accidents or incidents.

Maddy summaryHB 1877 expands criminal offenses related to sexually explicit material depicting a child to include computer-generated images that are indistinguishable from a child. The bill defines "artificial intelligence" and "adversarial testing," which involves evaluating AI systems in a controlled environment. It creates exemptions for law enforcement investigations and for interactive computer services conducting good-faith adversarial testing to prevent AI systems from generating such content. However, these exemptions do not apply if the testing is for personal or exploitative purposes. Additionally, the bill renames the offense of "Possession or use of child sexual abuse material" to "Electronic facilitation of child sexual abuse."

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1682, known as the "Arkansas Good Neighbor Act," clarifies and expands liability protections for entities and individuals involved in donating and distributing food. The bill grants civil and criminal immunity to good faith donors, gleaners (those who harvest donated crops), and nonprofit organizations, even if the donated food does not meet consumer safety standards or is not readily marketable due to appearance or surplus. To qualify for this protection, donors must inform the receiving organization, and the organization must inform recipients, about the food's condition to the best of their knowledge. This immunity does not apply in cases of gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. The act aims to encourage food donations by reducing liability concerns for those who help provide food to the public through charitable channels.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 375 creates the new offense of "capital rape" in Arkansas, targeting individuals who commit sexual offenses against victims aged thirteen (13) years or younger under specific aggravated circumstances. This offense is defined by actions such as causing or threatening serious physical injury, committing certain other felonies concurrently, using a deadly weapon, or having prior convictions for similar offenses. For offenders aged eighteen (18) or older, the penalties include death or life imprisonment without parole, while offenders younger than eighteen (18) face life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twenty (20) years. The bill also ensures that prosecution for capital rape can be commenced at any time.

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.