Sen. Kim Hammer

Maddy summarySenate Bill 204 proposes to exempt certain financial gains from state gross income for tax purposes. This exemption would apply to taxpayers whose property is acquired by a government or entity under the right of eminent domain or the threat of condemnation. Essentially, any profit a property owner makes from such a forced sale would not be considered taxable income under this bill.

Maddy summarySenate Resolution 13 (SR 13) is a commemorative resolution that officially recognizes and congratulates the Bryant Hornets football team for winning the Class 7A state championship. Upon adoption by the Senate, a copy of the resolution is provided to Head Coach Quad Sanders.

Maddy summarySB 482 aimed to repeal the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act. This act allowed students attending public school districts classified as "Level 5 - Intensive support" or "F" rated public schools to transfer to higher-performing public schools or districts. If enacted, the bill would have eliminated this specific transfer option for those students. The bill also intended to amend other laws concerning student transfers between public schools and school districts, and the Public School Choice Act of 2015.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 531 would have allowed municipalities to contract with property owners outside their city limits to provide municipal services. These agreements could be established if the property owner agreed to follow the municipality's land and development regulations, or if they agreed to voluntarily annex into the city when their property became contiguous. If an annexation agreement was made, the requirement had to be clearly defined, and the municipality could initiate annexation proceedings if the owner failed to annex within one year of the property becoming contiguous. Such agreements would apply to all future owners of the property.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1868 proposed to require insurance companies to pay a service fee directly to fire departments for their firefighting services. This fee would apply when a fire department responds to a fire involving insured property within its district. The bill specified that the fee should be "fair and reasonable" and based on the "time on scene," which is defined as the documented time a fire department spends at a structure fire, accident, or motor vehicle fire from arrival to clearance. This legislation sought to create a new financial mechanism for fire departments to be compensated by insurers for emergency responses to insured incidents.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1415, as amended, requires municipal and county law enforcement officers to respond to requests from fire officials. The purpose of their response is to help determine if a fire investigation is needed. This bill directly affects local fire officials and law enforcement agencies by establishing a mandatory response protocol for initial fire assessments.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 546, enacted as Act 935, revises the law concerning a trust fund contribution fee associated with water permits. This legislation directly affects nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment works, which are private or commercial facilities handling domestic sewage. A key provision within the bill modifies the criteria for these permits, specifying that any "other viable alternative" considered must also be "cost-effective."

Maddy summarySenate Bill 491 (Act 956) requires vendors contracting with the Employee Benefits Division to submit their data for verification by an independent audit. This measure aims to ensure the accuracy of information provided by these vendors. The bill establishes a civil penalty for any vendor found to have submitted inaccurate data. It also includes an emergency clause, allowing the act to take effect immediately upon becoming law.

Maddy summarySB 444 amends the Medical Ethics and Diversity Act. It clarifies that abortions performed in accordance with existing Arkansas Human Life Protection and Unborn Child Protection Acts are not violations of the act. The bill also specifies that emergency medical care services required by federal law (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd), when performed in line with Arkansas's abortion laws, are not considered violations. Additionally, it expands non-discrimination protections to include medical researchers, physicians, and directly participating healthcare providers who disclose information about legal violations in medical research or healthcare services. This impacts healthcare professionals and facilities in Arkansas.

Maddy summaryHB 1837 amends Arkansas law concerning matters referred to voters, specifically ballot measures. The bill updates the requirements for financial disclosures related to these measures. It also bans foreign funding for ballot measures in the state. These changes modify portions of the Arkansas Code that originated from Initiated Act 1 of 1996.