Sen. Ricky Hill

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 514 amends Arkansas law concerning the unlawful possession of a skimmer device. The bill maintains that a first offense for unlawful skimmer possession is a Class C felony. However, it increases the penalties for individuals convicted a second or subsequent time. Repeat offenders will face an unclassified felony charge, including a mandatory fine of up to $20,000 and a mandatory prison sentence of one to ten years.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 512 amends Arkansas law to broaden the definition of robbery. The bill expands the legal criteria for committing robbery to include not only employing or threatening immediate physical force, but also creating a circumstance that would cause a reasonable person to believe the use of physical force is imminent. This change impacts how the crime of robbery is defined and prosecuted, affecting individuals accused of the offense in Arkansas.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 511 creates the new criminal offense of automated teller machine (ATM) impairment in Arkansas. The bill defines an ATM as an electronic device in the state that accepts or dispenses cash for financial transactions. A person commits this offense if they purposely remove an ATM or cause its impairment or interruption of use. This new offense is classified as a Class D felony.

Maddy summaryHB 1456 redefines the State Kidney Disease Commission in Arkansas, transforming it into the State Kidney Disease Commission Advisory Council. This bill reduces the council's membership from ten to seven and shifts the appointment authority for most members from the Governor to the State Board of Health. Key functions, such as administering programs to assist residents with kidney disease and establishing eligibility standards for financial aid, are transferred from the former commission to the Department of Health, which will now consult with the new advisory council.

Maddy summaryHB 1758 amends existing law related to hearing instrument dispensers in Arkansas. The bill specifically modifies the definition of the "practice of dispensing hearing instruments." This updated definition includes conducting and interpreting hearing tests, making recommendations, ordering and selecting suitable instruments, creating earmolds, and providing counseling on the selling, renting, leasing, pricing, delivery, and warranty of hearing instruments. This change clarifies the scope of services provided by licensed hearing instrument dispensers.

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.

Maddy summaryHB 1470 repeals Arkansas Code § 19-11-269, which required state agencies to submit IT procurement plans for review by the Office of Intergovernmental Services before spending over $100,000 on information technology contracts or cooperative IT purchases. This change directly affects state agencies that purchase or contract for IT products or services exceeding $100,000. The bill removes a pre-approval step for these transactions, streamlining the procurement process without creating new requirements. As a procedural repeal, it does not alter IT spending limits or introduce new policy. (This bill became Act 582 on April 14, 2025.)

Maddy summarySB 463 requires Arkansas public utilities to obtain approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission before entering settlement agreements that would close or eliminate power plants or transmission assets. The bill directly affects utilities, the Commission, and consumers by mandating that settlements must legally resolve claims, not exceed regulatory costs, and avoid decisions driven by environmental goals rather than law. The Commission must evaluate whether proposed settlements are legally sound, cost-justified for consumers, and based on reasonable legal interpretations before approving or denying them. This creates a new review process to ensure settlements protect consumer interests and comply with state regulations. The bill does not change existing utility operations but adds oversight for specific settlement agreements.

Maddy summaryHB 1785 amends Arkansas law governing county depository boards by clarifying membership requirements when the county treasurer and collector roles are combined. It specifies that if these positions are merged, the quorum court must select a third board member from other elected county constitutional officers. This change directly affects counties that have combined these two offices, ensuring the board maintains representation from multiple elected officials. The bill passed in April 2025 and became Act 525.