Rep. Matt Duffield

Maddy summaryHB 1861 would criminalize operating illegal online casinos or sports betting by classifying it as a felony. It proposes creating the "Interactive Gaming Act" to establish a regulatory framework for legal internet gaming, specifically including name, image, and likeness (NILL) games like fantasy sports and casino-style games. The bill also aims to regulate these activities under the new act while explicitly covering games already authorized under Arkansas' Scholarship Lottery Act. The bill declared an emergency to expedite its passage but was withdrawn by the author on April 7, 2025, and referred to the Judiciary Committee for interim study.

Maddy summaryHB 1558 creates two new licenses for property management professionals in Arkansas: a Property Management Broker license and a Property Management Associate license. This bill amends the existing real estate licensing law to establish these specific categories, directly affecting individuals and businesses seeking to manage residential or commercial properties. The law requires applicants to meet defined education, experience, and examination standards for each license type. It does not change existing real estate broker or salesperson licenses but adds these new pathways for property management roles. The bill became law as Act 392 on March 25, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 307, now Act 373, creates the "Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025" to support energy infrastructure investments. It requires the Arkansas Public Service Commission to consider strategic investments in natural gas and electric generation when setting utility rates, allowing companies to recover costs for approved projects. The bill mandates refunds to customers for imprudently incurred costs and sets new requirements for utility infrastructure projects to ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. It directly affects investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in Arkansas by changing how they recover infrastructure costs through rate cases. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite these energy infrastructure developments.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 263 (now Act 330) increases the amount of the homestead property tax credit available to Arkansas homeowners. This policy change directly benefits qualifying homeowners who own and occupy their primary residence, reducing their annual property tax bill. The bill amends the existing tax credit structure to provide a higher dollar amount for eligible taxpayers. It became law after passing the Arkansas legislature and being delivered to the Governor on March 13, 2025. The change represents a concrete adjustment to tax relief for qualified homeowners without altering eligibility requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 1634 establishes the Arkansas Sports Raffle Act, allowing Arkansas public colleges and universities and their approved nonprofit affiliates to conduct raffles tied to official athletic games. These raffles can be sold digitally or in person, with proceeds limited to supporting student-athletes (e.g., scholarships, publicity rights), athletic programs, and facility improvements - never for staff compensation. The law prohibits sales to minors, caps transactions at $250, and requires public prize announcements. It amends gambling laws to exempt these sports-linked raffles from standard restrictions, effective as Act 305.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds nitrogen gas as an additional method of execution for individuals sentenced to death in Arkansas, alongside the existing lethal injection option. It requires prison officials to notify death row inmates of the chosen execution method (nitrogen gas or lethal injection) at least seven days in advance. The bill also includes confidentiality provisions preventing public disclosure of execution protocols, drug sources, and personnel involved under Arkansas' public records laws. This change applies to all future capital punishment cases in Arkansas, following its passage into law as Act 302.

Maddy summaryHB 1319, which was withdrawn by its author on March 17, 2025, would have created a state sales tax exemption for disabled veterans, their unremarried spouses, and surviving spouses of disabled veterans in Arkansas. The bill would have allowed these individuals to exclude up to $5,000 annually in sales tax on tangible personal property and certain digital products purchased at physical stores within the state. To claim the exemption, veterans would have needed an identification card from the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, while surviving spouses would have required certification from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption would not apply to local sales taxes or the compensating use tax.

Maddy summaryHB 1250 would have created an annual sales tax holiday in Arkansas for specific disaster-preparedness items, exempting them from sales tax during the first weekend of November. The bill defined four categories of exempt items: fastening supplies (like tarps and ropes), food-related supplies (such as bottled water and ice), general supplies (including batteries and generators), and safety items (like smoke detectors and first-aid kits). This exemption would have directly affected Arkansas residents purchasing these items during the designated tax-free period. The bill was introduced on January 27, 2025, but was withdrawn by the author on March 5, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1117 requires public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools to provide firearm safety instruction that includes "neutral viewpoints" on all topics, specifically mandating coverage of "the prevention of accidental firearm injury." The law directly affects all K-12 public schools in the state by altering how firearm safety education must be delivered. Key provisions include banning one-sided instruction and requiring balanced content on firearm safety, including accidental injury prevention. This bill became law as Act 229 on March 4, 2025, after passing the legislature. It focuses on the content of school curricula, not funding or enforcement mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 1049 (now Act 238) amends Arkansas criminal law to establish a new offense for "unlawful squattering." The bill makes it a criminal violation for a person to occupy property without the owner's permission, specifically targeting individuals who enter or remain on property after being asked to leave. This directly affects individuals occupying vacant or abandoned properties without legal right, such as vacant homes or land. The key provision creates a specific criminal charge (likely a misdemeanor) for this conduct, distinct from general trespass laws, and specifies that the offense applies after the owner or their agent has issued a verbal or written demand to vacate.