Maddy summarySB 307, now Act 373, creates the "Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025" to support energy infrastructure investments. It requires the Arkansas Public Service Commission to consider strategic investments in natural gas and electric generation when setting utility rates, allowing companies to recover costs for approved projects. The bill mandates refunds to customers for imprudently incurred costs and sets new requirements for utility infrastructure projects to ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. It directly affects investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in Arkansas by changing how they recover infrastructure costs through rate cases. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite these energy infrastructure developments.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryHB 1051 amends Arkansas public school start date requirements by adding an emergency clause to require schools to establish annual calendars earlier. The bill states that timely calendar decisions are vital for teacher/administrator contracts and school operations, declaring an immediate need to clarify statutory requirements. It would have allowed the law to take effect upon governor approval or veto override, bypassing standard implementation timelines. Note: The bill was withdrawn by its author on March 18, 2025, and did not become law.
Maddy summarySB 222 aligns Missouri's Medicaid provider marketing rules with federal standards by requiring direct service providers to follow the federal managed care marketing rules (42 C.F.R. § 438.104) as they existed on January 1, 2025. This affects Medicaid providers who market services to enrollees, ensuring their advertising complies with established federal guidelines. The bill mandates that the state department revise its marketing rules to match these federal requirements. The legislation was passed quickly with an emergency clause, becoming 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.
Maddy summaryHB 1581 amends Arkansas law to include "trafficking of persons" (under § 5-18-103) and "grooming a minor for future sex trafficking" (under § 5-18-106) in the legal definition of "sex offense" for victim rights purposes. This change directly affects victims of human trafficking and minor grooming, granting them the same legal protections and rights as victims of other defined sex offenses. The bill adds these specific crimes to the existing list in Arkansas Code § 16-90-1101(6), ensuring they qualify for victim services and support under the state's rights framework. It does not create new penalties but expands eligibility for victim protections. The bill was enacted as Act 316 on March 18, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 1600 clarifies terminology in laws affecting municipal law enforcement officers by replacing "full-time certified" with "full-time" throughout existing provisions. It also adds a definition for "presumptive illness list" as chronic or fatal illnesses for municipal police departments. The bill does not change leave benefits or compensation but standardizes how these policies are described in law. It directly affects all full-time municipal law enforcement officers in the state. The bill passed as Act 317 on March 18, 2025.
Maddy summaryHB 1607 creates a dedicated Office of Outdoor Recreation within Arkansas' Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. This office will manage the existing FUN Parks Grants Program, establish application rules and selection criteria for grant funding, and oversee accountability for how funds are used by recipients. The bill directly affects the state department and local entities receiving outdoor recreation grants, streamlining administration under a single office rather than existing structures. It does not create new funding but reorganizes how current grant programs are managed.
Maddy summarySB 213, now Act 140, creates Arkansas' "Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies Act" to improve maternal health through Medicaid reforms. It requires the Arkansas Medicaid Program to cover specific services separately (not as bundled payments), including prenatal visits, blood pressure monitoring devices with training, remote ultrasounds, and doula/community health worker home visits for prenatal/postpartum care. The law also mandates depression screening for pregnant women and allows immediate enrollment for pregnant applicants while awaiting full processing. These changes directly affect pregnant and postpartum Medicaid enrollees in Arkansas, aiming to expand access to critical health services.
Maddy summaryHB 1437 prohibits Level 3 or Level 4 sex offenders from entering water parks, swimming areas, or children's playgrounds within 100 feet of Arkansas State Parks or public parks. It directly affects individuals required to register under Arkansas' Sex Offender Registration Act who have been assessed as Level 3 or 4 offenders. The bill expands prior restrictions by adding swimming areas and playgrounds to the prohibited zones, with violations classified as Class D felonies. This law amends Arkansas Code § 5-14-134 to cover all public parks and state parks, not just local government-owned facilities.
Maddy summarySB 98 allows third-party delivery services (like food apps) to deliver alcohol from participating retail stores, directly affecting alcohol retailers and delivery companies. The bill requires retailers to be open for at least 30 hours weekly for retail sales and creates a $500 annual permit for third-party delivery services. Delivery workers must complete annual training on identifying intoxication, verifying IDs, and understanding Arkansas's wet (alcohol-selling) and dry (alcohol-prohibited) counties. This replaces previous restrictions on alcohol delivery and adds new operational requirements for permit holders.