Rep. DeAnn Vaught

Maddy summarySenate Bill 290 prohibits state agencies from instituting new moratoria, or temporary bans, on issuing permits within watersheds and other bodies of water. This means that future permit applications for activities in these areas cannot be broadly paused. The bill clarifies that it does not affect any moratoria that were already established by rule before its effective date. It also directs the Department of Agriculture to temporarily use existing rules for liquid animal waste management systems until the department adopts its own final regulations.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 450 (SB 450) requires the Arkansas Department of Education to incorporate a discussion of human fetal growth and development into its academic standards. This provision will be implemented during the regular academic standards revision cycle, affecting the curriculum taught to public school students. The bill specifies that this discussion must include a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation. This visual aid will depict the process of fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development during each week of pregnancy until birth.

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 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 summaryHouse Bill 1719 amends the rules for how maternity leave days are counted by schools that offer such leave. It changes the reference from "school year" to "contract year" when determining the total number of approved maternity leave days. The bill also clarifies that if a day approved as maternity leave for an eligible individual falls on an otherwise unpaid contract day, that day will still qualify for paid maternity leave. This directly affects school employees who are eligible for paid maternity leave.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1523 codifies the existing Arkansas Amber Alert and Silver Alert systems. It also establishes the new Missing Endangered Adult Advisory System, designed to help locate missing adults with specific mental, cognitive, intellectual, developmental, or other physical or emotional disabilities who do not qualify for a Silver Alert. The Division of the Arkansas State Police will coordinate this system, setting activation procedures and ensuring safeguards for privacy and appropriate use. This new alert system will not be activated for individuals determined to be suicidal.

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 summaryHouse Bill 1186, now Act 960, establishes the Pain Relief Parity Act in Arkansas. This legislation mandates "pain relief parity" within the Arkansas Medicaid program. It requires Medicaid to provide coverage for certain pain relief treatments. The parity applies specifically to pain relief administered when there is no therapeutic equivalent available. This bill directly affects individuals enrolled in Arkansas Medicaid who require access to these pain management options.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 313, as amended, concerns forensic mental health evaluations and treatment within the legal system. It establishes procedures for prosecutors and defense counsel to request mental health evaluations for defendants, allowing for ex parte or in camera hearings when privileged information is involved. The bill details the court's authority to order the administration of medication to incarcerated defendants to maintain their fitness to proceed, outlining specific conditions based on whether the defendant poses a danger. Additionally, time spent in the department's physical custody under these provisions counts towards credit for time served.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 375 creates the new offense of "capital rape" in Arkansas, targeting individuals who commit sexual offenses against victims aged thirteen (13) years or younger under specific aggravated circumstances. This offense is defined by actions such as causing or threatening serious physical injury, committing certain other felonies concurrently, using a deadly weapon, or having prior convictions for similar offenses. For offenders aged eighteen (18) or older, the penalties include death or life imprisonment without parole, while offenders younger than eighteen (18) face life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after twenty (20) years. The bill also ensures that prosecution for capital rape can be commenced at any time.