Maddy summaryHouse Bill 2001, known as the "Arkansas Towing and Recovery Reform and Efficiency Act of 2025," revises laws governing towing and recovery services and the state's Towing and Recovery Board. It alters the composition of the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board, affecting how members from the towing industry, law enforcement, insurance, trucking, consumers, and emergency services are represented. The bill also amends possessory lien laws, specifying that such liens do not extend to cargo or the contents of a personal vehicle if the owner pays a partial fee of the towing and storage invoice. This allows owners to retrieve cargo by paying up to 20% of the invoice or personal vehicle contents by paying up to 5%, provided they assure future financial responsibility for the full amount.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill, now Act 739, modifies Arkansas law concerning the investment of state funds managed by the State Treasury. It revises the specific types of securities and bank deposits the Treasurer of State can invest in, including reducing the requirement for corporate obligations to be rated by one nationally recognized statistical rating organization instead of two. The act also clarifies that the competitive procedures for purchasing and selling securities should prioritize optimal price and value without favoring any broker. Finally, it specifies the timing for distributing earned interest from these investments to state agencies, boards, and commissions.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 553 amends the Arkansas Municipal Accounting Law, primarily affecting municipal treasurers and other individuals handling financial duties. It mandates that all municipal treasurers complete eight hours of training provided by the Arkansas Municipal League and Arkansas Legislative Audit, with new treasurers completing it within 180 days of taking office. The bill also allows municipalities to assign specific accounting duties, excluding fund collection, to another trained employee or a private qualified entity if the treasurer doesn't comply or requests it, and updates procedures for addressing non-compliance.
Maddy summarySB 580 amends existing Arkansas law concerning financing for rural fire protection districts. This bill extends the maximum repayment period for loans that these districts use to purchase vehicles and equipment. Specifically, it increases the loan term limit from three years to five years. This change provides rural fire protection districts with more flexibility in financing essential equipment.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 584 amends Arkansas law regarding local initiative and referendum petitions, which allow citizens to propose or challenge county and municipal ordinances. The bill requires sponsors of local petitions to file information about paid canvassers with the county clerk before they collect signatures. It also expands the list of prohibited actions for canvassers and sponsors, making certain fraudulent practices in signature collection a Class A misdemeanor. Additionally, the bill mandates that sponsors submit the original draft of local petitions to the county clerk for review and approval of the ballot title and popular name before circulation. Finally, it allows county clerks to refuse to count signatures collected by canvassers who violate state laws during the petition process.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 551 amends the law regarding canvassing for local option election petitions, directly affecting individuals who sign these petitions and those who collect signatures (canvassers). The bill requires petition signers to read or have the ballot title read to them and mandates canvassers to verify a potential signer's identity using photo identification before collecting a signature. Canvassers must also disclose that petition fraud is a criminal offense and must be at least 18 years old. It expands the actions considered a Class A misdemeanor for individuals involved in petition collection and allows county clerks to reject signatures collected by canvassers who violate these new provisions or other related laws.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 552 clarifies the definition of "principal office" for corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) operating in Arkansas. It specifies that a principal office is primarily the location of a company's principal executive offices, as designated in their annual franchise tax report. If a company does not have such an office, it may designate the address of its registered agent as the principal office. In such cases, the company must also provide the Arkansas Secretary of State with the physical address of a named officer, director, member, or manager.
Maddy summarySenate Bill 544 amends the Arkansas Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure Act, primarily affecting Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) and pharmacies in Arkansas. The bill requires PBMs to provide pharmacies with specific network identification numbers to assist in contract negotiations and establishes clear notice requirements for "opt-out contracts." It prohibits PBMs from offering "take it or leave it" contract terms that violate state law and mandates Arkansas-specific compliance for national contracts. The legislation also grants the Insurance Commissioner expanded enforcement powers, including placing PBMs on probation or suspending specific networks for non-compliance.
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 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.