Sen. Clarke Tucker

Maddy summaryHB 1527 allows guardians managing a ward's estate (such as a minor or incapacitated adult) to invest funds in the Arkansas Brighter Future Fund Plan without needing court approval. This bill amends Arkansas law to explicitly add this state-created retirement savings plan as a permissible investment option for guardians. The change simplifies financial management for guardians by removing the prior requirement for judicial permission when using this specific investment vehicle.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 188 (now Act 272) requires sponsors of statewide initiative and referendum petitions in Arkansas to publicly post specific details on the Secretary of State’s website within five business days of gathering signatures. Sponsors must provide the full proposed measure text, official ballot description, and popular name, all certified by the Attorney General. The Secretary of State must keep this information online unless the petition fails to qualify, the sponsor requests removal, or a court removes the measure from the ballot. This law directly affects petition sponsors and aims to increase transparency about proposed ballot measures.

Maddy summaryHB 1082 would create Arkansas' first law specifically protecting children and teens' online privacy. It directly affects websites, apps, and online services that target minors or knowingly collect their personal information. The bill prohibits these operators from sharing children's data with third parties for targeted advertising to minors and requires them to disclose how they collect, use, and share personal data. Key provisions include banning the use of children's personal information for targeted ads and mandating clear privacy disclosures about data practices to parents or guardians.

Maddy summaryHB 1083, the Arkansas Kids Online Safety Act, defines "covered internet services" to protect minors online by excluding certain platforms from its scope. The bill exempts services that solely route internet traffic and interactive gaming platforms complying with federal children's privacy laws (COPPA) as of January 1, 2025. It directly affects internet service providers and digital platforms operating in Arkansas, requiring them to adhere to the defined safety framework for minors. Key provisions clarify which services fall under the law, focusing on protecting children while excluding specific exempted technologies. The bill was withdrawn by its author on March 11, 2025, before final passage.

Maddy summarySB 169 corrects grammatical and punctuation errors in Arkansas Constitution Amendment 51, which governs voter registration rules. It specifically revises sections about voter registration forms (requiring clearer statements on eligibility, penalties for false applications, and confidentiality), voter eligibility requirements (clarifying felony conviction rules), and registration cancellation procedures (updating the list of reasons like address changes or death). The bill makes no policy changes - it only fixes wording in existing constitutional language to improve clarity and consistency. This technical update directly affects voters, election officials, and third-party registration organizations by ensuring registration forms and rules are accurately reflected in the constitution.

Maddy summaryHB 1357 is a technical correction bill that amends minor wording in Arkansas Code Title 16, which covers court procedures and practices. It specifically revises a phrase in the code to clarify language about who may be subject to certain court procedures. This bill does not create new laws or affect any individuals or groups; it only fixes a grammatical or structural error in existing legal text. As a purely procedural amendment, it has no substantive impact on court operations or citizens' rights.

Maddy summaryHB 1363 makes technical corrections to Arkansas Code Title 25, primarily updating outdated references and clarifying state entity names. It removes obsolete provisions (like a 2004 website privacy policy deadline and repealed boards such as the "Arkansas State Board of Registration for Foresters"), clarifies cybersecurity office references (e.g., standardizing "State Cyber Security Office"), and fixes inconsistent language in government relocation and operations rules. The bill directly affects state government code and administrative procedures but does not create new policies or impact citizens. It streamlines existing law by removing outdated language and ensuring consistent terminology for state entities.

Maddy summaryHB 1364 makes technical corrections to Arkansas' transportation code (Title 27) by removing outdated language and updating references. It revises sections concerning deaf person license decals, disabled veteran parking definitions, antique vehicle plate requirements, and obsolete traffic law references. The bill specifically repeals obsolete definitions (like "disabled veteran - World War I") and outdated provisions (such as speed limit reporting exceptions for chauffeurs). It does not create new policies or change existing transportation rules, but aligns the code with current law by removing references to repealed statutes.

Maddy summarySB 172 makes technical corrections to Arkansas' education code by removing obsolete provisions and fixing errors. It repeals outdated sections like the 2024 meeting deadline for education cooperatives (§6-13-1006(c)) and the expired Smart Core Incentive Program (§6-15-215), which ended in 2020. The bill also corrects grammatical errors in sections about computer science courses (§6-16-152) and updates references to include open-enrollment charter schools in teacher compensation rules (§6-17-2403). These changes ensure the code accurately reflects current law without altering existing programs or funding.

Maddy summaryHB 1362 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas retirement and pension laws without changing policy. It updates the title of the executive director position in the Arkansas Public Employees’ Retirement System (Section 1), removes an obsolete 2004 rule adoption deadline (Section 2), and deletes a duplicated vacation pay provision (Section 3). These changes clarify existing language and eliminate redundancies in Title 24 of the Arkansas Code. The bill affects the administrative structure of retirement systems but does not alter benefits, eligibility, or funding. The General Assembly confirmed these are purely technical updates, not substantive policy changes.