Rep. Andrew Collins

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1012 aimed to expand eligibility for family planning services within the Arkansas Medicaid program. The bill would have required the state's Medicaid program to extend coverage to certain individuals who might not currently qualify for these services. Its primary mechanism was to mandate this expansion of eligibility for family planning.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1880 proposes amendments to Arkansas's Human Life Protection Act and Unborn Child Protection Act. The bill seeks to add new exceptions to the state's abortion prohibitions, allowing the procedure in cases of pregnancies resulting from incest or rape, provided a report has been filed with law enforcement. It also includes an exception for fetal abnormalities incompatible with life. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "medical emergency" to include circumstances where an abortion is necessary to preserve the health of a pregnant woman, not just her life.

Maddy summaryHB 1717 creates the Arkansas Children and Teens' Online Privacy Protection Act, which aims to safeguard the online privacy of children and teens in Arkansas. The act establishes rules for online service operators regarding the collection, use, and deletion of personal information, including provisions for audio file retention and allowing teens or their parents to request data deletion. Enforcement of these provisions falls exclusively to the Attorney General, and the act explicitly states that it does not provide for a private right of action for violations.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1951 establishes authorized domain extensions for websites belonging to higher education institutions and government entities. The bill was amended to clarify specific provisions within these rules. This includes bringing collegiate athletics programs under the scope of entities covered by the domain regulations. Additionally, the amendment designates the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board as the specific state authority responsible for overseeing these higher education domain rules.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1017 amends the law regarding paid maternity leave for public school employees. It requires the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to pay for the incurred costs of approved paid maternity leave. The bill specifies that an employee is not eligible for an additional twelve weeks of paid maternity leave for a child's adoption if they previously received twelve weeks of leave for the initial foster placement of the same child. This ensures a consistent leave benefit for a child joining a family, regardless of a change in legal status from foster care to adoption.

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 summaryHB 1627 amends existing laws related to property tax relief in Arkansas. It requires county governments to provide notice to taxpayers about specific property tax relief options available under state law. This bill directly affects property owners by ensuring they are informed of potential tax relief, and it affects county administrations by mandating this notification process.

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 summaryHB 1732 aims to increase the income tax deduction available to teachers. This deduction applies to money teachers spend on their classrooms, often referred to as classroom investment. By increasing the allowed deduction, the bill enables teachers to reduce a larger portion of these out-of-pocket expenses from their taxable income. This change directly affects teachers who incur costs for their classrooms.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HB 1833, amends the law concerning admissions at the University of Arkansas College of Medicine. The provided text, Amendment No. 1, modifies specific conditions related to the number of qualified applicants. It specifies that certain admission provisions apply only if fewer than twenty-five applicants from a congressional district, or fewer than twenty-five Arkansas residents, meet published admissions standards and accept an offer. This directly affects prospective medical students and the College of Medicine's admissions process by setting thresholds for geographic and residency-based considerations.