Sen. Missy Irvin

Maddy summarySB 142, now Act 122, bans students from possessing or using personal electronic devices (like phones) during the entire school day, directly affecting public school students. The law requires schools to update discipline policies to include specific exemptions: devices issued by the school for educational use, special events (defined by future rules), and devices needed for students with special education plans or concurrent enrollment college courses. It replaces prior rules with these clear exemptions while maintaining the overall "bell to bell" device ban. The bill passed in February 2025 and became law without additional committee action.

Maddy summarySB 59 requires all public schools to provide one free breakfast daily to every student upon request, without checking if they qualify for federally funded free or reduced-price meals. This policy directly affects all public school students in the state, eliminating eligibility barriers for breakfast access. The bill includes an emergency clause, allowing it to take effect immediately upon enactment. It changes school meal procedures by mandating universal breakfast availability as a standard practice, not tied to existing federal program eligibility. The bill became law as Act 123 on February 24, 2025.

Maddy summaryHB 1427, now Act 124, creates Arkansas' "Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act" to improve maternal health through Medicaid reforms. It requires the Arkansas Medicaid Program to reimburse for specific services including depression screening during pregnancy, separate coverage for prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care (such as office visits, blood work, and remote glucose monitoring), and self-measured blood pressure monitoring equipment. The bill also mandates reimbursement for remote ultrasounds, home visits by doulas and community health workers, and establishes presumptive eligibility to immediately enroll pregnant women in Medicaid while their full applications are processed. These provisions directly affect pregnant and postpartum women enrolled in Arkansas Medicaid, aiming to expand access to preventative and specialized care.

Maddy summaryHB 1432 amends the Domestic Abuse Act of 1991 to clarify when courts must dismiss protection order petitions due to lack of jurisdiction. It directly affects courts handling domestic violence protection cases and petitioners seeking orders. The bill specifies that dismissals must occur when a court lacks jurisdiction over the petition, eliminating ambiguity in existing procedures. This is a procedural clarification without creating new rights or penalties, focusing solely on streamlining court processes for protection order petitions.

Maddy summaryHB 1053 would have required Arkansas Medicaid to reimburse healthcare providers for remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal nonstress tests (using FDA-approved digital tools) when performed outside a clinic but meeting standard care. It specified that these services must comply with HIPAA (as of January 1, 2025), use secure data transmission, and follow specific CPT coding (like 5905 for fetal tests). The bill applied to all Medicaid plans (fee-for-service and managed care) and directed the Department of Human Services to seek federal approvals and adopt implementing rules by January 1, 2026. Note: The bill was withdrawn by its author on February 18, 2025, and did not become law.

Maddy summaryHB 1214 amends Arkansas' Long-Term Care Aide Training Act to define who qualifies as a "primary instructor" for training programs. It requires primary instructors to be licensed registered nurses (RNs) with no disciplinary actions, at least two years of general nursing experience (including one year in long-term care within the last 10 years), and annual training on care updates. This directly affects nursing training programs and the RNs who teach them, ensuring instructors meet specific experience and ongoing education standards. The bill focuses on setting clear, measurable qualifications for instructors without creating new programs or altering care delivery.

Maddy summaryThis bill removes a longstanding prohibition that prevented nonprofit, tax-exempt, or governmentally-funded hospitals in Arkansas from operating retail pharmacies. It allows these hospitals to obtain pharmacy permits for selling drugs directly to the public, with specific rules about permit limits (one per hospital plus one for every 100 beds). Hospitals would need to employ a licensed pharmacist-in-charge and must inform patients about their pharmacy choice options under the 340B Drug Pricing Program. The bill also creates new reporting requirements for the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy regarding pharmacy permits and closures.

Maddy summaryHB 1204 (now Act 28) amends Arkansas law to clarify that plaintiffs in medical negligence cases can only recover the actual costs they paid for necessary medical care, treatment, or services - or costs legally owed by them or a third party. It directly affects individuals filing medical malpractice claims and healthcare providers by limiting recoverable damages to amounts actually paid or legally responsible. The key provision changes the standard for medical cost recovery from billed rates to verified payments, preventing recovery of unpaid or inflated charges. This law, enacted on February 11, 2025, provides a clearer financial framework for medical negligence claims in Arkansas.

Maddy summaryHB 1351 aimed to regulate vision benefit managers and amend Arkansas' Vision Care Plan Act and Healthcare Contracting Simplification Act. It would have prohibited insurers from reducing vision benefits solely due to other insurance coverage, defined key terms like "covered materials" and "vision benefit manager," and set rules for provider agreements. The bill specifically targeted how vision care providers (like optometrists) and insurers handle payments for services and materials such as glasses, contacts, and eye exams. However, the bill was withdrawn by its authors on February 4, 2025, and never became law.

Maddy summaryHB 1137 separates the offices of sheriff and tax collector in Searcy County, Arkansas, effective January 1, 2027. Starting with the 2026 general election, Searcy County voters will elect both a sheriff and a tax collector separately, with each taking office on January 1, 2027. The bill requires each officer to post a bond and receive compensation set by the Searcy County Quorum Court within state-prescribed limits. This change directly affects Searcy County residents through their local elections and county governance structure.