Sen. Jamie Scott

Maddy summarySenate Bill 555 amends Arkansas law regarding the offense of video voyeurism. The bill extends the statute of limitations, allowing prosecution for video voyeurism within one year after the victim discovers the offense. It clarifies that a romantic relationship with the victim is not a defense against a video voyeurism charge. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "domestic abuse" to include video voyeurism, enabling victims to seek orders of protection.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 535 creates a sales and use tax exemption specifically for the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts Foundation. This means that these two organizations will not be required to pay sales tax on their purchases of physical goods, digital products, or services. The bill amends existing state code to add this new exemption. This change aims to reduce the tax burden on the museum and its associated foundation.

Maddy summaryHCR 1010 requests a study to identify ways to improve the state's juvenile justice system for youth. This bill aims to examine potential enhancements for how the system serves young people.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1681 establishes the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. This program provides grants to local entities to help fund improvements and upgrades to their water and sewer treatment infrastructure. The grants will be supported by revenues authorized by law. The program is set to expire five years after its effective date, and the administering commission is required to report annually on the status of all awarded grants.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1855 transfers the authority for recommending adjustments to fire protection district boundaries from the State Forestry Commission to the Department of Agriculture. This bill allows the Department of Agriculture to recommend boundary changes to county courts for districts that overlap, abut areas without fire service, or are contiguous. Various fire protection organizations, including volunteer departments, can request these recommendations under specific conditions. The process involves the Department making a recommendation, the requesting district filing a petition with the county court, public notice, and a final decision by the county court to accept, reject, or modify the proposed boundary adjustment.

Maddy summaryThe provided context for HB 1657 only shows cosponsor additions and procedural status (it became Act 709 on April 16, 2025), not the bill's substantive policy content. The title references an "income tax credit" for wood energy products and forest maintenance, but the text does not explain how the credit is amended or who it affects. Without the actual policy provisions or bill text describing changes to the tax credit, a factual summary of its mechanisms or impact cannot be generated. To provide a meaningful summary, the bill's specific policy language would be required.

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 summaryHouse Bill 1712 establishes the Social Work Licensure Compact in Arkansas, which directly affects licensed social workers and individuals seeking social work services. This compact allows social workers licensed in one member state to practice in other member states without needing to obtain separate licenses for each state, using a "Multistate Authorization to Practice." The bill aims to improve public access to social work services, reduce burdensome licensing requirements for professionals, and address workforce shortages by increasing the mobility of social workers. It also establishes a Compact Commission to facilitate information sharing regarding licensure and disciplinary actions among member states, ensuring accountability and supporting the use of telehealth services.

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 summaryHouse Bill 1333, now Act 627, mandates that health insurance plans must provide coverage for breastfeeding and lactation consultant services. This bill directly affects individuals who utilize these services by ensuring their insurance covers the costs. It requires health insurance providers to include this specific coverage in their plans. An amendment clarified that these services must be provided by a certified healthcare provider.