Rep. Brit McKenzie

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1529 creates a new criminal offense and a civil cause of action related to "deepfake visual material." It makes it illegal to unlawfully create or distribute such material, directly affecting individuals involved in these actions. Additionally, the bill allows individuals who are victims of unlawfully created deepfake visual material to file a lawsuit to seek compensation. This legislation provides both criminal penalties and a civil remedy for the misuse of deepfake technology.

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 1874 modifies how specific professional development funding is used for public school teachers in Arkansas. It reallocates funding that exceeds the standard maximum amount awarded to individual schools, which is an additional $16.5 million. This excess funding, previously designated for general professional learning communities, will now be used by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to implement the LEARNS Act. The Division can distribute these funds through grants to eligible entities. This change directs a portion of professional development resources towards statewide educational initiatives outlined in the LEARNS Act.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1896, known as the "Junk Fee Eliminating Act of 2025," abolishes the Information Network of Arkansas (INA). All of INA's authority, duties, records, and personnel are transferred to the Division of Information Systems. This legislation directly affects state agencies and local governments that previously relied on INA for services, such as processing criminal history information and collecting court-ordered fines electronically. A key provision removes INA's previous authorization to charge transaction fees for electronic court fine payments, effectively eliminating that specific charge.

Maddy summaryHB 1476, now Act 675, amends the Direct Shipment of Vinous Liquor Act and establishes a Wine Direct Shipper License. This legislation allows for the direct shipment of wine, setting an annual limit of up to twenty-four nine-liter cases per customer. The bill also adjusts the fees associated with this license and clarifies enforcement provisions. Violations of the act can result in immediate license suspension and the seizure of illegal wine shipments by the division in coordination with law enforcement. This affects wine direct shippers, consumers purchasing wine directly, and regulatory bodies overseeing wine sales.

Maddy summaryHB 1445 prohibits local governments in Arkansas from banning or effectively preventing short-term rentals (defined as properties rented for 30 days or less). It allows localities to require a $50 annual registration for such rentals with a 15-day review period, but bans restrictions that block property owners from operating them. Local governments may suspend operations for violations (max 30 days for repeated offenses, 12 months for serious harm), but cannot regulate rental platforms or target specific uses like retail or adult businesses. The bill classifies short-term rentals as residential for zoning purposes and was withdrawn by its author on April 15, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 505 (now Act 595) modifies Arkansas municipal zoning procedures by requiring an administrative appeal process for certain zoning or district designation changes. It mandates that decisions on these administrative zoning changes can be appealed to a municipality’s planning commission, rather than immediately going to court. This bill directly affects property owners, developers, and municipalities when seeking or challenging zoning modifications. The change streamlines the process for reviewing zoning decisions at the local level, creating a specific administrative step before potential judicial review.

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 1724 changes Arkansas school board election rules to give districts more flexibility. It requires school districts to adopt their own annual election date (replacing a fixed date) and notify county election officials 100 days before candidate filing. The bill also updates how school board boundaries change (due to annexation or membership requirements) and adjusts term expiration dates for elected members. Additionally, it revises runoff election rules and changes filing deadlines and election start times to noon. These changes directly affect all Arkansas public school districts and voters participating in local school board elections.

Maddy summaryHB 1081 would repeal a $16.5 million annual funding allocation for professional learning communities in Arkansas public schools, specifically removing Arkansas Code § 6-20-2305(b)(5)(C). This funding was intended to support the development and administration of teacher collaboration programs (professional learning communities) for school districts. The bill, introduced by Rep. B. McKenzie in 2025, was withdrawn by the author on April 9, 2025, before moving to a committee vote. It directly affected public school districts and the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, which would have administered the funds.