Rep. Aaron Pilkington

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1723 amends the Tobacco Settlement Proceeds Act to establish a new grant program for school-based health centers. This program, administered by the Arkansas Minority Health Commission, will allocate $500,000 annually from existing tobacco settlement funds. The grants are specifically intended to fund school-based health centers exclusively in "minority-majority school districts," defined as districts where racial or ethnic minorities constitute the majority population. The bill directs the commission to establish rules and distribution methods similar to existing state school-based health center grant programs.

Maddy summaryHouse Joint Resolution 1004 (HJR 1004) proposes that the state formally requests the United States Congress to call a Convention of the States. The specific purpose of this convention would be to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment would establish term limits for members of the United States Congress, directly affecting those who serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1408 aimed to allow qualifying patients and their designated caregivers in Arkansas to use specific pre-tax savings accounts for purchasing medical marijuana. The bill would permit the use of a flexible spending account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA) for these purchases. It defined these accounts according to existing federal guidelines. This change would have provided an additional payment method for individuals authorized to use medical marijuana under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016.

Maddy summaryHB 1473, through an adopted amendment, revises the enforcement provisions for laws concerning health-related cash discount cards. This change clarifies who can take legal action if these laws are violated. Under the amendment, both the Attorney General and any injured person, firm, private or public corporation, or trade association can file a lawsuit to stop violations and recover damages.

Maddy summaryHB 1270 establishes a five-year Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care Pilot Program for children under 21 with medically complex conditions. The Department of Human Services will administer this nonresidential medical care program in three densely populated counties. It aims to expand access to cost-effective, community-based care and reduce hospitalizations by utilizing a federal Medicaid waiver to cover these services as an alternative to home health or private duty nursing. The program also focuses on providing caregiver training and support, with annual evaluations to assess health outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and the feasibility of a permanent statewide program.

Maddy summaryHB 1770, known as the "Pregnancy Parking Act," would have allowed pregnant women in Arkansas to obtain a temporary special parking certificate. This certificate would grant access to parking spaces reserved for persons with disabilities. To qualify, a woman would need a licensed physician's confirmation of pregnancy and would apply through the Office of Motor Vehicle. The certificate would be valid for one year following the date the woman gives birth, and the special parking privilege would only apply when the permit holder is present in the vehicle.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1443, known as the "Second Amendment Financial Privacy Act," aims to protect the financial privacy of customers purchasing firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories. The bill prohibits financial institutions and payment networks from implementing practices that assign specific "firearms codes" to payment card transactions. These codes could identify a merchant as a firearms retailer or indicate that a transaction involves firearms or related items. The legislation also restricts the disclosure of such protected financial information for purposes other than processing the payment transaction, directly affecting financial institutions, payment networks, and their customers in the state.

Maddy summaryHJR 1013 proposes a constitutional amendment in Arkansas to change how certain elected vacancies are filled. If approved by voters, it would grant the Governor the authority to appoint individuals to fill vacancies in offices such as United States Senator, United States Representative, and all elective state, district, circuit, and township offices. This proposed change would not apply to vacancies for Lieutenant Governor or members of the General Assembly. If adopted, the amendment would become effective on January 1, 2027.

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.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1066 aims to increase the standard deduction available to taxpayers. This legislative change would directly affect individuals and potentially impact their taxable income. By raising the standard deduction, the bill proposes to reduce the portion of income subject to state taxes for those who choose not to itemize deductions.