Rep. Cameron Cooper

Maddy summarySenate Bill 426 creates the "Defense Against Criminal Illegals Act." This legislation establishes enhanced penalties for individuals identified as illegal aliens. These increased penalties apply specifically when an illegal alien commits serious felonies involving violence.

Maddy summaryThis bill clarifies the requirements for a property tax exemption offered to disabled veterans, their surviving spouses, and minor dependent children. It requires recipients to notify the county collector if their eligibility status, property description, ownership, use, or occupancy changes, or if they change their homestead. Additionally, if an exemption is determined to be erroneously granted, the county collector must remove it and may levy up to three years of unpaid property taxes, along with any applicable penalties, interest, and costs.

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 1679 amends the Revised Arkansas Anatomical Gift Act. It allows certain individuals to revoke or modify an anatomical gift after the donor's death, specifically following the irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions. The bill also requires organ procurement organizations to submit certain reports. This legislation affects individuals who have made anatomical gift decisions and the organizations responsible for facilitating these gifts.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1678 aims to amend the Abortion-Inducing Drugs Safety Act by increasing criminal penalties and clarifying civil penalties. An amendment to the bill expands who can pursue civil action for violations to include any state resident who receives a shipment of abortion-inducing drugs for illegal purposes. It also specifies that civil damages will not be awarded if the pregnancy resulted from the plaintiff's criminal conduct. Additionally, the amendment establishes that a violation is considered a deceptive and unconscionable act, and allows courts to award attorney's fees to defendants if a plaintiff's suit is found to be frivolous and brought in bad faith.

Maddy summaryThe provided context for HB 1657 only shows cosponsor additions and procedural status (it became Act 709 on April 16, 2025), not the bill's substantive policy content. The title references an "income tax credit" for wood energy products and forest maintenance, but the text does not explain how the credit is amended or who it affects. Without the actual policy provisions or bill text describing changes to the tax credit, a factual summary of its mechanisms or impact cannot be generated. To provide a meaningful summary, the bill's specific policy language would be required.

Maddy summaryHB 1740 exempts specific agricultural data from public disclosure under Arkansas' Freedom of Information Act. It protects veterinary inspection certificates and personal information linked to animal identification tags held by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. This directly affects farmers and ranchers who provide this information to the Department, as it prevents public access to these records through FOIA requests. The law changes how certain farm-related data is handled, making it non-public without altering broader agricultural regulations.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 29, 2025, as Vietnam War Veterans Day and March 2025 as Vietnam Era Veterans Month in Arkansas. It formally recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of Vietnam War veterans through state-level ceremonial observance. The resolution does not create new laws, programs, or benefits - it serves solely as a symbolic gesture of appreciation. It affects Arkansas residents by establishing official dates for state-level recognition of veterans' service.

Maddy summaryHB 1636 would phase out Arkansas' soft drink tax by gradually eliminating it based on sales tax collections from soft drink sales. The bill proposed replacing the current tax with a system tied directly to existing sales tax data, ensuring a smooth transition. This change would directly affect soft drink retailers (who collect the tax) and consumers (who pay it). The legislation aimed to replace an outdated tax structure with one aligned to current sales tax reporting practices.