Rep. Lee Johnson

Maddy summarySenate Bill 508 amends the frequency of stipend payments for certain appointed members of the Public School Employee Health Benefit Advisory Commission and the State Employee Health Benefit Advisory Commission. The bill specifies that appointed members who are not active employees will receive a stipend of $100 for each meeting they attend. This stipend is paid on a monthly basis, in addition to reimbursement for mileage.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 435 creates a new criminal offense in Arkansas called aggravated assault upon a healthcare worker. The bill broadly defines "healthcare worker" to include various roles, such as physicians, nurses, paramedics, and administrative or support staff, across diverse healthcare settings. This offense occurs when a person purposely causes a healthcare worker, while on duty, to come into contact with bodily fluids like saliva, blood, or urine, demonstrating extreme indifference to the worker's safety and hygiene. Aggravated assault upon a healthcare worker is classified as a Class D felony.

Maddy summarySB 527 amends the Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Act of 2021, impacting individuals enrolled in the program and participating health insurers. The bill changes the age for exemption from work requirements to over 59 years and clarifies compliance information for the Arkansas Medicaid Program. It establishes a process for suspending coverage for individuals who do not cooperate with work requirements, allowing them to regain active coverage if they demonstrate an intention to comply. Additionally, the bill reduces the required medical-loss ratio for health insurers in the program from 90% to 85%.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 535 creates a sales and use tax exemption specifically for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation. This means that these two organizations will not be required to pay sales tax on their purchases of physical goods, digital products, or services. The bill amends existing state code to add this new exemption. This change aims to reduce the tax burden on the museum and its associated foundation.

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 summaryHouse Bill 1185, now Act 799, adopts the Dietitian Licensure Compact within Arkansas. This legislation allows licensed dietitians from Arkansas and other compact member states to practice in each other's jurisdictions without needing to obtain a separate license in each state. This aims to streamline the licensing process for dietitians and expand access to their services across state lines.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1285, now Act 856, creates a program that allows ambulance services to be exempt from a telemedicine requirement for certain 9-1-1 emergency medical situations. The Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council is responsible for developing a set of protocols for these exempt situations and reviewing them annually. Ambulance services can adopt these approved protocols with their medical director's approval or request the council to approve additional protocols for exemption.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1429, as amended, aims to increase accessibility and maintain quality standards for facilities providing mammography services. It specifically addresses diagnostic evaluations performed remotely or via telemedicine for patients. Under the bill, patients must sign a waiver acknowledging any limitations of a remote diagnostic evaluation. Facilities are also required to provide patients with the results of their diagnostic evaluation before they leave the facility.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1585 creates a new exception to the licensing requirements for home healthcare services in Arkansas. It exempts entities that exclusively provide therapy services in a home setting. This exception applies specifically when the therapy services are not reimbursed by Medicare Part A. The bill amends existing state code to add this new category to the list of entities not required to hold a home healthcare service license.