Rep. DeAnn Vaught

Maddy summaryHB 1756, now Act 803, allows a parent, legal guardian, or a person standing in loco parentis to a student to document and maintain the community service hours that student obtains. This bill directly affects students who perform community service and their families, granting parents or guardians the authority to track these hours.

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 summaryHB 1649 appropriates $50,000,000 to the Department of Agriculture - Arkansas Natural Resources Commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026. These funds are specifically designated for grants to improve water and sewer treatment facilities. The grants will be paid from the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program Fund. This measure aims to support the development and maintenance of essential public infrastructure, directly affecting communities needing facility upgrades. The disbursement of these funds must comply with existing state procurement and fiscal control laws.

Maddy summaryHB 1187 authorizes a new pathway for Marriage and Family Therapists to obtain a professional license. This bill establishes licensure by endorsement, allowing therapists who are already licensed in another jurisdiction to be licensed in this state. This mechanism streamlines the process for qualified professionals seeking to practice within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1799, now Act 685, amends the permissible methods for reporting under the Child Maltreatment Act. This bill affects individuals who report suspected child maltreatment by modifying the accepted procedures for submitting such reports. The provided text, however, is an amendment adding a cosponsor and does not detail the specific changes to these reporting methods.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1782, now Act 642, prohibits the sale, transfer, or furnishing of over-the-counter diet pills to individuals who are under eighteen years of age. This means that retailers and other parties are not permitted to provide these specific products to minors. The law directly affects sellers of these pills and individuals under 18 seeking to purchase them.

Maddy summaryAct 624 generally prohibits Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) from holding retail pharmacy permits in the state, directly affecting PBMs, retail pharmacies, and their patients. The Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy will identify existing retail pharmacies affiliated with PBMs and notify them of this prohibition by January 1, 2026. Affected pharmacies must then notify their patients and prescribing healthcare providers that they can no longer dispense retail drugs after this date. However, an exception allows for temporary "limited use permits" for PBM-affiliated pharmacies if a rare, orphan, or limited distribution drug is otherwise unavailable to patients in the market. This exception for limited use permits is set to expire on September 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1962 would ban Arkansas schools from serving or selling ultra-processed foods during regular school hours. It defines "ultra-processed food" as items containing specific additives like yellow dyes 5 and 6, red dyes 3 and 40, or titanium dioxide. The ban applies to all public schools, charter schools, and private schools in Arkansas, but does not restrict food brought by parents or guardians. Schools would need to comply with this rule for foods produced after January 1, 2028. The bill aims to promote healthier school meals by focusing on nutrient-dense options.

Maddy summaryHB 1747, the "Babies at School Act," would allow school employees in Arkansas to bring infants under six months old to work. It directly affects school staff who are parents or guardians of infants, defining "infant" as biological, adopted, step, or foster children under six months. Schools would need to establish policies covering workspace safety, employee performance standards, and appropriate environments for infants during school hours. The bill does not apply to children aged six months or older. Note: This bill was withdrawn by its author on April 15, 2025, and is not law.

Maddy summaryHB 1821 creates a single State Captive Insurance Program to replace fragmented property insurance systems for public schools, state-supported colleges/universities, and state-owned properties in Arkansas. It combines these entities under one program, prohibits the use of public adjusting firms (which the bill states increased premiums), and requires independent reappraisals of higher education properties to ensure proper valuation. The bill also establishes the Office of Property Risk within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services to manage the program and mandates coordination among state agencies for a smooth transition. These changes aim to stabilize insurance costs and improve market competitiveness for these public entities.