Sen. Kim Hammer

Maddy summarySB 424 requires municipal improvement district boards in Arkansas to allow public comment before decisions at meetings and hold quarterly meetings. Property owners within these districts must receive meeting notices 10-30 days in advance, including agendas, for all meetings. The law applies to all improvement districts in incorporated cities and towns statewide. It aims to increase transparency by mandating regular public communication and notice. This bill became Act 422 on March 31, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 413 requires school board directors in Arkansas to take and submit proof of an oath within 10 days of their election or appointment. The bill mandates that directors provide a certified copy of their signed oath, including the administrator's signature and date, to the county clerk by the deadline specified in the notification. Failure to comply results in disqualification from serving and a holdover period until the oath is properly submitted. This procedural change directly affects all newly elected or appointed school board members across Arkansas school districts.

Maddy summarySB 299, now Act 403, requires a staff member to witness when an administrator assists a resident of a long-term care facility with absentee voting. This applies directly to residents in nursing homes or similar facilities who need help voting by mail. The law mandates that a facility staff member observe the assistance process to ensure proper handling of the absentee ballot. The bill was enacted on March 31, 2025, after passing both legislative chambers.

Maddy summaryHB 1414 updates the schedule of equipment rates used by fire departments when submitting claims for reimbursement. It directly affects fire departments and state agencies processing these claims by adjusting the standardized rates for equipment costs. The bill modifies administrative procedures for claim submissions but does not change eligibility for services or coverage. As a procedural update to existing billing rates, it became law as Act 417 on March 25, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1293 increases death benefit payments to designated beneficiaries or survivors of public employees who die while performing their duties. The bill specifically expands coverage to include state highway employees, adding them to the list of eligible workers previously covered (such as police, firefighters, and coroners). This amendment, enacted as Act 414 on March 25, 2025, directly affects families of these public safety workers by raising the financial support they receive. The change modifies existing state law to provide higher compensation for qualifying deaths in the line of duty.

Maddy summaryHB 1620 requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to pay Arkansas-licensed pharmacies and pharmacists promptly for "clean claims" (claims processed successfully without errors or missing documentation). It directly affects all Arkansas pharmacies and pharmacists who bill PBMs for prescription drugs, ensuring stable cash flow for operations and patient care. Key mechanisms include defining "clean claims" as real-time processed claims with approved payments, setting clear timelines for claim receipt (e.g., electronic claims on transfer date), and prohibiting post-payment audits that delay payments. The law also expands the Pharmacy Audit Bill of Rights to cover Medicaid program audits and clarifies that PBMs cannot use prescription validation requests to withhold payment after a claim is approved.

Maddy summaryHB 1348 expands survivor benefits under Arkansas' public employees' and state police retirement systems to include dependent children who previously lost coverage upon reaching a certain age. The bill directly affects minor children of deceased retirees from these systems by ensuring they continue receiving benefits until age 18 (or 22 if in school), removing prior eligibility cutoffs. Key provisions amend existing statutes to clarify that dependent children qualify for survivor benefits regardless of age, provided they meet dependency requirements. The bill was passed as an emergency measure and became Act 364 on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1347 (now Act 363) allows the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System to pay annuities or retirement benefits directly to a special needs trust established for a retiree with disabilities, rather than to the individual. This change directly affects retired teachers who have set up such trusts to manage their benefits while maintaining eligibility for public assistance programs. The key provision modifies payment procedures to ensure retirement funds can be channeled through these legally established trusts for the retiree’s benefit. The bill does not alter benefit amounts or eligibility rules, only the payment method. It became law on March 20, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 200 (now Act 329) expands Arkansas's sales tax exemption for public schools by including leased textbooks and instructional materials alongside purchased ones. It directly affects Arkansas public school districts, schools receiving state funding, and the state government when distributing materials. The key change modifies tax exemption rules to explicitly cover materials "leased" by qualifying schools or the state, removing a previous distinction that only applied to purchased items. This policy change reduces costs for schools using leased educational resources without altering existing exemptions for other items like extracurricular supplies. The bill became law on March 18, 2025.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 263 (now Act 330) increases the amount of the homestead property tax credit available to Arkansas homeowners. This policy change directly benefits qualifying homeowners who own and occupy their primary residence, reducing their annual property tax bill. The bill amends the existing tax credit structure to provide a higher dollar amount for eligible taxpayers. It became law after passing the Arkansas legislature and being delivered to the Governor on March 13, 2025. The change represents a concrete adjustment to tax relief for qualified homeowners without altering eligibility requirements.