Rep. Wayne Long

Maddy summaryHB 1909, known as the "Public Services Only for Citizens Act," requires state agencies and political subdivisions to verify the United States citizenship and Arkansas residency of applicants aged 18 and older for federal, state, and local public benefits. Applicants must attest to their citizenship status under penalty of perjury. The bill outlines specific documents, such as birth certificates or utility bills, that can be used for verification. If an applicant is found not to be a U.S. citizen, their benefits are terminated, and the state can recover any received benefits, with potential prosecution for theft of public benefits. State agencies must also report annually on the results of these verification requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1409, known as the "Electric Reliability Act," aims to ensure a stable supply of electricity for Arkansas residents and businesses. The bill prohibits the Arkansas Public Service Commission (APSC) from approving the retirement of electric generation facilities (such as those using hydroelectric, coal, natural gas, or nuclear fuel) unless an equal or greater amount of new "firm power" is available to replace it on the electric grid. "Firm power" is defined as dispatchable, reliable power generation with more than 24 hours of battery storage. Additionally, the APSC must consider closures in other states when assessing replacement power needs and seek waivers or pursue litigation if federal regulations force facility closures.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1481, known as the Anti-ATF Commandeering Act, aims to restrict state and local public employees and elected officials in Arkansas. It prohibits them from providing material aid or support for enforcing federal firearms laws, including attempting to enforce such laws or referring federal firearms violations to the U.S. Government. Public employees found to have referred federal firearms violations would face termination of employment. The bill clarifies that it does not prevent the enforcement of state firearms laws or the use of federal information for enforcing state laws.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1908, titled the "Proof of Residency for Public Assistance Act," aimed to amend Arkansas law regarding public assistance. The bill proposed requiring adult applicants for public assistance to provide proof that they reside in the state. State agencies or political subdivisions administering public assistance would be tasked with verifying an applicant's residency. Acceptable forms of proof could include a utility bill, bank statement, Arkansas driver's license, or state-issued identification card, generally dated within six months of the application.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1884 aimed to update the laws concerning the marking and counting of paper ballots in Arkansas elections. It proposed that all hand-counted paper ballots include a unique watermark or ultraviolet ink seal for enhanced security in each election cycle. The bill also mandated that hand counts be completed within 24 hours of polls closing and at least 24 hours before the certification deadline; otherwise, machine tabulated results would be certified. It further outlined security protocols for any breaks during the hand-counting process, requiring ballots to be sealed and guarded, and specified minimum poll worker staffing.

Maddy summaryHB 1078 proposes to amend Arkansas law to establish runoff elections for candidates running for the state Senate and House of Representatives. The bill would require a special runoff election if no candidate secures a majority of the votes in the initial election. For these runoff elections, all polling sites designated for the preceding general election within the candidates' district would be used. This directly affects voters and individuals seeking to represent their districts in the General Assembly.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1216, known as the Free Market Zones Act, aimed to provide specific tax exemptions for businesses. The bill proposed to exempt businesses that locate in an opportunity zone on or after the act's effective date from certain state taxes. These businesses would be relieved from paying the state income tax, corporate franchise tax, and the elective pass-through entity tax.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1791 aimed to clarify that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) do not hold jurisdiction or power within the state of Arkansas. It sought to prevent the state and its political subdivisions, including counties and school districts, from enforcing or implementing any requirements or mandates issued by these international organizations. The bill specifically prohibited using such mandates as a basis for actions like imposing requirements for masks, vaccinations, or medical testing that conflict with Arkansas law. Additionally, it aimed to prevent the use of WHO or UN mandates to gather public or private information about Arkansas citizens or residents.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1422, titled the "Only Citizens Vote Act," aimed to modify voter identification requirements in Arkansas. The bill proposed to exclude certain driver's licenses and photo identification cards issued to non-citizens from being accepted as valid forms of voter identification. It mandated training for election officials on how to recognize and refuse these specific non-citizen documents for voting purposes. Additionally, the bill required the Department of Finance and Administration to provide monthly reports to the Secretary of State, listing individuals holding these particular non-citizen driver's licenses or identification cards.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1795, titled the "Fertility Clinic Licensure Act," would create a new licensing requirement for medical facilities and healthcare professionals in Arkansas that collect or preserve human embryos for fertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). These facilities would need to obtain a separate annual license and pay a $1,000 fee. The bill also mandates that fertility clinics report specific non-personally identifiable data to the Department of Health, with a $50,000 fine for non-compliance. The Department of Health would then compile this information into annual public reports available on its website and to legislative committees.