Rep. Keith Brooks

Maddy summaryThis bill (HB 1561) is a technical amendment to remove all references to "the State of Qatar" from existing state laws. It deletes phrases like "or the State of Qatar" or "from the State of Qatar" from 17 different sections of the code, correcting outdated or erroneous text. The bill does not create new policies, affect any individuals or groups, or change legal requirements. It was passed by both chambers and became law as Act 473 on April 8, 2025, solely to update legal references.

Maddy summaryHR 1092 is a symbolic House resolution recognizing the Bryant High School Hornets boys' basketball team as the Class 6A state champions for 2025. It directly affects the team, their coach, and school staff by formally honoring their championship victory in a non-binding resolution. The bill contains no new policy provisions or funding; it simply expresses legislative recognition of the team's achievement and includes a provision to present a copy of the resolution to the head coach. This is a procedural resolution with no legal effect beyond symbolic acknowledgment.

Maddy summaryThis House Resolution (HR 1089) officially recognizes the Benton High School Panthers boys' basketball team as the Class 5A state champions for their 2024-2025 season. It commemorates their first state championship victory - a narrow 58-57 win over Maumelle in the March 14, 2025, final - with specific acknowledgment of their 31-3 season record, back-to-back conference titles, and individual honors for players like Terrion Burgess (Most Valuable Player) and Harrison Pickett (Division 1 scholarship signee). As a ceremonial resolution, it does not create new laws or affect policy; it solely serves to honor the team’s achievement through formal legislative recognition. The resolution was adopted by the Arkansas House of Representatives on April 2, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 409 prohibits financial services providers from refusing to do business with or terminating relationships with agricultural producers solely based on their status as such. It defines "agricultural producer" to include those growing crops, raising animals, or producing livestock/dairy products. The bill requires Arkansas' Treasurer to publish a list of financial providers found to discriminate against agricultural producers, after giving them 45 days' notice and a 30-day window to prove they are not discriminating. This list will be posted online, with the process involving an ESG Oversight Committee and requiring agricultural producers to consent to sharing financial data if they report discrimination.

Maddy summarySB 317 prohibits Arkansas public institutions of higher education from engaging in specific activities with "prohibited foreign parties." It directly affects universities and colleges receiving state funding by banning them from conducting agricultural research under contract or selling agricultural products (including seeds) with such entities. The bill defines "prohibited foreign parties" but does not specify which entities qualify. This policy change restricts certain financial and research transactions between Arkansas colleges and designated foreign entities, without altering broader academic collaboration rules. The bill passed as Act 351 on March 20, 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 summarySB 222 aligns Missouri's Medicaid provider marketing rules with federal standards by requiring direct service providers to follow the federal managed care marketing rules (42 C.F.R. § 438.104) as they existed on January 1, 2025. This affects Medicaid providers who market services to enrollees, ensuring their advertising complies with established federal guidelines. The bill mandates that the state department revise its marketing rules to match these federal requirements. The legislation was passed quickly with an emergency clause, becoming law on March 18, 2025.

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 summarySB 246, the Arkansas Access Act, prohibits Arkansas public schools from granting excused absences for political protests. It allows excused absences for student participation in social or public policy advocacy or efforts to influence legislation, but only with written consent from a parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Schools must annually report to the state education division the number of such absences requested, granted, and the stated purpose of each absence. The bill directly affects public school districts and charter schools in Arkansas, along with students and their families.