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.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 1968 requires auto dealers to collect sales tax at the point of sale when selling new or used motor vehicles, trailers, or semitrailers. This means customers would pay the tax during the purchase transaction instead of through a different process. The bill also amends a 1958 law related to sales tax collection for vehicle sales. It directly affects dealers (who must collect the tax) and buyers (who pay the tax at the time of purchase).
Maddy summaryHB 1713, now Act 602, requires ballot titles for citizen-initiated measures to be written at or below a specific grade-level reading standard. This law directly affects voters and initiative proponents by mandating that ballot titles use simple, accessible language to improve public understanding. The key mechanism sets a standardized readability threshold (using a "Grade Level formula" per the amended bill) for all such titles. The bill was passed quickly with an emergency declaration and is now law, aiming to make ballot measures clearer for all voters.
Maddy summarySB 463 requires Arkansas public utilities to obtain approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission before entering settlement agreements that would close or eliminate power plants or transmission assets. The bill directly affects utilities, the Commission, and consumers by mandating that settlements must legally resolve claims, not exceed regulatory costs, and avoid decisions driven by environmental goals rather than law. The Commission must evaluate whether proposed settlements are legally sound, cost-justified for consumers, and based on reasonable legal interpretations before approving or denying them. This creates a new review process to ensure settlements protect consumer interests and comply with state regulations. The bill does not change existing utility operations but adds oversight for specific settlement agreements.
Maddy summaryHB 1645 amends state law to permit microbrewery-restaurants operating as private clubs to advertise their location, events, and menu. This change removes previous restrictions on these specific advertising details for such businesses. The bill directly affects microbrewery-restaurants functioning as private clubs by expanding their permitted marketing content. It does not alter advertising rules for other business types or establishments. The bill was enacted as Act 601 on April 14, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 545 amends Arkansas law to give public universities greater authority over their property, finances, and revenue streams. It allows university boards to purchase existing buildings, reconstruct facilities, and acquire new infrastructure (Section 1), permits them to issue bonds using non-tax revenues from operations (Section 2), and expands their power to set fees for athletic events, facilities, and other campus services (Section 3). The bill directly affects all 6 Arkansas public universities (University of Arkansas, Arkansas State, UCA, Henderson State, Arkansas Tech, Southern Arkansas) and their governing boards. These changes streamline how institutions manage assets and fund operations without altering tuition or state funding.
Maddy summarySB 324 amends county planning board membership rules to add Representative Brooks as a voting member. This change directly affects county planning boards across the state, requiring them to include this specific representative on their boards. The bill passed on April 3, 2025, and became Act 519 on April 10, 2025, making the membership addition official. As a procedural amendment, it modifies board composition without changing planning policies or regulations.
Maddy summaryThis bill (SB 104, now Act 514) amends Arkansas' rules for pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) - companies that negotiate drug prices for health insurance plans. It requires PBMs to follow the actual terms of a patient's underlying health plan when making coverage decisions, preventing them from imposing extra restrictions not in the plan document. The law gives Arkansas' Insurance Commissioner authority to enforce this rule and penalize PBMs that operate outside the plan's terms. This directly protects patients by ensuring they can access medications as defined by their health plan, not by PBM policies. The bill was enacted urgently with an emergency clause on April 7, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 103 (now Act 425) creates the Pharmacy Nondiscrimination Act, requiring pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) to accept any pharmacy or pharmacist willing to meet "relevant and reasonable terms of participation." It directly affects independent pharmacies, pharmacists, and PBMs who contract with insurers. The law defines "reasonable terms" as those consistent with state/federal law, industry standards, and not arbitrarily excluding qualified providers. The bill was enacted quickly after being declared an emergency, becoming law on April 7, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 1550, which was withdrawn by its author on April 3, 2025, would have established rules for expedited security screening services at Arkansas public airports. It defined key terms like "expedited security screening" (allowing passengers to use standard or TSA PreCheck lanes instead of regular screening) and required vendors to have dedicated TSA lanes exclusively for this service. The bill also prohibited airlines from charging passengers extra fees for expedited screening lanes they exclusively provide to their passengers. This legislation would have directly affected public airport operators, vendors offering expedited screenings, and airlines partnering with airports. As it was withdrawn, it did not become law.