Rep. Les Warren

Maddy summaryHB 1338 was a bill introduced in the Arkansas General Assembly with the purpose of amending the law concerning credited service. This change would have directly affected members of the Arkansas State Highway Employees' Retirement System. The provided text indicates the bill's intent to modify existing law but does not detail the specific changes or mechanisms for doing so. The bill ultimately died in the House Committee.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 522 amends existing laws concerning the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (ASMSA). Specifically, it modifies regulations related to the tuition and fees paid by students who are enrolled in ASMSA's online programs. The bill directly affects ASMSA and its online students by changing the legal framework governing their financial obligations. The provided text indicates the law is amended, but does not detail the specific changes to the tuition and fee structure.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 352 prohibits antisemitism in public elementary and secondary schools. It also extends this prohibition to state-supported institutions of higher education. The bill establishes a standard for conduct within these educational environments, directly affecting students, faculty, and staff. This legislation aims to prevent and address antisemitic acts or expressions within these institutions.

Maddy summarySB 530 is a procedural bill that added 21 senators and 37 representatives as cosponsors to the original bill. It did not change the tax credit policy itself, as the title references an existing Arkansas Wood Energy Products and Forest Maintenance Income Tax Credit. The bill's purpose was solely to expand the list of legislators supporting the tax credit legislation. The bill was passed and became Act 701 on April 18, 2025. No substantive policy changes to the tax credit were made by this amendment.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new system for property insurance for public schools, state-supported higher education institutions, and other state-owned properties. It creates the State Captive Insurance Program and the Office of Property Risk within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services to manage these combined insurance efforts. The act allows the state to create its own captive insurance company and prohibits the use of public adjusting for these property insurance claims. The goal is to create a more stable and sustainable property insurance system for these state entities by consolidating existing programs and ensuring proper property valuation. (SB 481, Act 779)

Maddy summarySB 406 requires county recorders to verify identification information before recording a deed to real estate. If a deed is presented in person, the grantor or their representative must show a valid photo identification or driver's license. For deeds submitted by mail, the grantor must include a photocopy of their valid photo identification. This process directly affects individuals and entities transferring property and county recording offices, though certain government entities are exempt from these verification requirements.

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 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.