Rep. Keith Brooks

Maddy summaryHB 1685, known as the Grocery Tax Relief Act, exempts groceries from state sales and use taxes. This legislation amends existing state law regarding sales and use taxes levied on food and food ingredients. The bill directly affects consumers by removing the state sales tax typically applied to their grocery purchases.

Maddy summaryHB 1604, now Act 943, amends existing laws regarding contracts made by state agencies in Arkansas. The bill specifically prohibits state agencies from using public funds to purchase promotional items that are manufactured in China. This measure aims to regulate the types of products state agencies can acquire using taxpayer money. These new provisions apply to contracts executed on or after the act's effective date.

Maddy summaryHB 1866, also known as "Eli's Law," requires all public schools to install audio recording devices. These devices must be placed in every locker room and dressing room located on the public school campus. This bill directly affects public schools by mandating the installation of this specific equipment across their facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1352 (now Act 937) is a technical amendment to a bill that primarily changes a single word in the legislation - replacing "and" with "or" on page 6, line 31. It does not introduce new policies, alter substantive requirements, or directly affect any specific groups or entities. The bill was passed by the Arkansas Senate with Amendment No. 1 and signed into law on April 21, 2025. As a minor procedural correction, it has no meaningful impact on how the law operates or who it governs.

Maddy summaryHB 1682, known as the "Arkansas Good Neighbor Act," clarifies and expands liability protections for entities and individuals involved in donating and distributing food. The bill grants civil and criminal immunity to good faith donors, gleaners (those who harvest donated crops), and nonprofit organizations, even if the donated food does not meet consumer safety standards or is not readily marketable due to appearance or surplus. To qualify for this protection, donors must inform the receiving organization, and the organization must inform recipients, about the food's condition to the best of their knowledge. This immunity does not apply in cases of gross negligence, recklessness, or intentional misconduct. The act aims to encourage food donations by reducing liability concerns for those who help provide food to the public through charitable channels.

Maddy summaryHB 1312 aims to amend the financial allocations for public schools by modifying funding amounts established under the Public School Funding Act of 2003. This directly affects public schools and their operations. The provided text is an amendment to HB 1312, which removes Section 6 in its entirety and renumbers Section 7 to Section 6 within the bill. The specific details of how the funding amounts are changed are not available in the provided context.

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 summarySB 402, now Act 725, prohibits public school districts and educational service cooperatives from requiring or taking certain actions related to employee organizations and professional associations. The specific actions that are prohibited are not detailed in the provided bill text, which is an amendment. This amendment primarily expanded the scope of the bill to include educational service cooperatives in addition to public school districts.

Maddy summarySB 470 establishes new requirements for adults overseeing statewide student assessments for students in virtual school settings. For students in kindergarten through eighth grade taking these assessments virtually, an approved adult, such as a parent or guardian, must be physically present with the student for the entire duration of the test. For students in grades nine through twelve taking virtual assessments, an approved adult must attest prior to the assessment that both they and the student will adhere to all testing security protocols. This bill affects public schools operating primarily as virtual schools and their students taking statewide assessments.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 604 amends Arkansas's Course Choice Program, which allows students in grades 6-12 to take individual courses from various providers. The bill expands student eligibility to include those attending public schools rated "C", "D", or "F" who need to take a required graduation course. Conversely, public schools or open-enrollment charter schools with a "D" or "F" rating are no longer eligible to offer courses through the program. The legislation also enhances oversight for course providers, requiring the State Board of Education to implement new authorization, review, and performance monitoring standards. Additionally, test scores from students participating in the program will now be included in their resident public school's annual performance report.