Rep. Lane Jean

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1626, as amended, aimed to prohibit the sale of certain disposable vapor products. The bill's central provision was to ban the sale of disposable vapor products that originate from a "prohibited foreign party," a term defined by referencing an existing legal statute (§ 18-11-802). This measure would have directly impacted retailers selling vapor products and consumers who purchase them. The bill did not pass and died in committee.

Maddy summaryHouse Joint Resolution 1004 (HJR 1004) proposes that the state formally requests the United States Congress to call a Convention of the States. The specific purpose of this convention would be to propose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment would establish term limits for members of the United States Congress, directly affecting those who serve in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Maddy summaryHJR 1015 was a proposed constitutional amendment in Arkansas that aimed to change how judicial candidates appear on the ballot. If approved, it would have required candidates for Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judge, Circuit Judge, and District Judge to declare their political party affiliation or independent status. This declared affiliation or independent status would then be printed on the ballot for voters to see. The stated purpose of the amendment was to ensure transparency regarding judicial candidates' affiliations. This amendment would have taken effect on January 1, 2027, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 1065, titled "TO CREATE THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2025," died in the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation on May 5, 2025, without becoming law. The provided bill text contains no substantive policy language or specific mechanisms; it only includes a list of supporting legislators and procedural details. No concrete policy changes, affected groups, or key provisions are described in the available text. As a bill that stalled in committee with no enacted provisions, it did not implement any inflation-related measures. The title appears to be a placeholder, as no actual inflation reduction policy was outlined in the submitted bill.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1930 aimed to mandate minimum reimbursement levels for healthcare services provided by healthcare insurers. The bill proposed a phased increase in these minimums, starting at 45% in 2026 and reaching 100% by 2030. It would have also required the Insurance Commissioner to consider specific factors, such as an insurer's Risk-Based Capital level and Medical Loss Ratio, when reviewing proposed increases to premium rates or cost sharing for policyholders.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 636, now Act 1017, authorizes the transfer and redistribution of various state funds, primarily affecting state departments, agencies, and institutions. The bill consolidates unobligated monies from several existing funds, such as the General Revenue Allotment Reserve Fund, into a "Restricted Reserve Fund." From this reserve, specific amounts are allocated into designated "Set-Asides" for various purposes. Key allocations include up to $100 million for Medicaid expenses, up to $90 million for the Children's Educational Freedom Account Fund, and a $136 million transfer to the State Captive Insurance Program Trust Fund. The distribution of these funds requires prior approval from the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 637 amends Arkansas's Revenue Stabilization Law, which dictates how state general revenues are distributed. Starting July 1, 2025, the bill directs the Treasurer of State to make monthly transfers of available general revenues to various state funds and accounts. It establishes specific maximum allocation amounts for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and subsequent years, totaling over $6.49 billion. These allocations directly affect funding for numerous state services, including public schools, general education, human services, state government operations, and institutions of higher education.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 568 amends laws concerning taxes on lithium extraction and development, including establishing a sales and use tax exemption for lithium resource development. It also modifies the distribution of severance taxes, specifically detailing how funds collected from salt water are allocated. The bill creates a tiered system where portions of these salt water severance taxes are directed to state general revenues. A significant share is also allocated to county road funds, distributed based on where the tax was generated. This impacts companies involved in lithium development and the funding available for state and local government services.

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.

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.