Rep. Howard Beaty

Maddy summaryThis bill, now Act 1003, enhances protections for minor defendants who are victims of human trafficking. It expands the affirmative defense, allowing minors to argue they committed a nonviolent criminal offense as a direct result of being trafficked. The act also requires courts to consider a juvenile's status as a human trafficking victim when deciding whether to transfer a case to adult court or apply extended juvenile jurisdiction. Additionally, it broadens the definition of human trafficking to include recruiting minors into criminal organizations.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR 11) proposes a constitutional amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. This measure aims to modify Article 2, Section 5, with the specific intent to protect the right to keep and bear arms for individuals. If enacted, it would alter the state's foundational document concerning this right.

Maddy summaryHB 1877 expands criminal offenses related to sexually explicit material depicting a child to include computer-generated images that are indistinguishable from a child. The bill defines "artificial intelligence" and "adversarial testing," which involves evaluating AI systems in a controlled environment. It creates exemptions for law enforcement investigations and for interactive computer services conducting good-faith adversarial testing to prevent AI systems from generating such content. However, these exemptions do not apply if the testing is for personal or exploitative purposes. Additionally, the bill renames the offense of "Possession or use of child sexual abuse material" to "Electronic facilitation of child sexual abuse."

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 summarySenate Bill 640 reconstitutes the State Library Board. It terminates the terms of all current board members on the bill's effective date. The Governor will then appoint seven new members to the board. These new members will draw lots to determine staggered initial terms ranging from one to seven years, with all subsequent appointments serving seven-year terms. The Governor is also required to call the first meeting of the newly appointed board within 30 days.

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 summarySenate Joint Resolution 15 is a constitutional amendment in Arkansas that has been approved by the Governor. This amendment authorizes the state's General Assembly to create economic development districts. These districts are intended to promote economic development throughout the state. They may also undertake activities related to environmental mitigation or reclamation.

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 summaryHCR 1004 is a House Concurrent Resolution that congratulates Game Warden Austin Powell for receiving the Monty Carmikle Officer of the Year Award and the 2024 Robert M. Brantly Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. This resolution recognizes his achievements and service.