Sen. Breanne Davis

Maddy summaryThis is a procedural amendment to HB 1656, which only adjusts the bill's title wording and section references without changing any oil and gas regulations. The amendment corrected the bill's introductory text from "TO AMEND" to "TO ADDRESS" and updated some section numbering references (e.g., changing "(e)" to "(d)"). It did not alter any substantive policy provisions related to oil and gas production or conservation. The bill was finalized as Act 1024 after Senate amendments on April 15-16, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 625 amends the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program. It allows educational services for students with disabilities to be provided in nontraditional settings, if recommended by a licensed practitioner or physician. The bill also establishes an appeal process for parents whose student accounts are closed and creates rules for late applications for specific situations, such as families moving into the state. Additionally, it clarifies that "intentional misuse" of account funds is the standard for certain program violations.

Maddy summarySenate Concurrent Resolution 5 (SCR 5) is a resolution that expresses the Arkansas General Assembly's continued encouragement for the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) to achieve National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation. The resolution commends the Institute's progress, acknowledges its fundraising efforts, and encourages further private fundraising and collaboration among state entities to support this goal. This legislative action aims to facilitate the establishment of an NCI-designated cancer center in Arkansas, which could expand access to advanced cancer treatments, clinical trials, and research for Arkansans.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1942 establishes new requirements for how risk-based provider organizations reimburse direct service providers for home- and community-based Medicaid services in Arkansas. It mandates the Department of Human Services to conduct a rate study by October 1, 2025, to determine minimum reimbursement rates for these services. These minimum rates, covering specific waiver and state plan services, will then be incorporated into the capitation rates for risk-based provider organizations. The Department will develop the study's criteria with input from providers, and any significant rate increase may be phased in over two years.

Maddy summaryHB 1984 creates a new designation on driver's licenses and identification cards for certain registered sex offenders in Arkansas. It directly affects individuals applying for these cards who are required to register as sex offenders and are classified as Level 3 or Level 4. Before issuing a license or ID, the Office of Driver Services will determine if an applicant meets these criteria. If so, a designation will be placed on their card, allowing law enforcement officers to identify them as a registered sex offender. The office is also authorized to determine the design and placement of this designation and create administrative rules.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 450 (SB 450) requires the Arkansas Department of Education to incorporate a discussion of human fetal growth and development into its academic standards. This provision will be implemented during the regular academic standards revision cycle, affecting the curriculum taught to public school students. The bill specifies that this discussion must include a high-quality, computer-generated rendering or animation. This visual aid will depict the process of fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus, noting significant markers in cell growth and organ development during each week of pregnancy until birth.

Maddy summaryHB 1945, now Act 913, amends the Arkansas Opportunity Public School Choice Act and the Public School Choice Act of 2015, affecting students who wish to transfer to a different public school. The bill modifies the conditions under which a school district can claim a "lack of capacity" to deny a student transfer application. Specifically, a district may claim lack of capacity if a nonresident school has reached its maximum student-to-teacher ratio or if 95% or more of seats at a specific grade level are filled. Additionally, a district may only claim lack of capacity if it has reached at least 90% of the maximum authorized student population in a program, class, grade level, or building. The bill also allows students to transfer to another public school within their resident district.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1801 authorizes outsourcing facilities that compound legend drugs and controlled substances to sell these compounded products to certain entities. It also mandates that the relevant board adopt rules for Arkansas-licensed retail pharmacies when dispensing these compounds to patients. These rules will require patient education on the compound and disclosure of the outsourcing facility's name that prepared it. This bill aims to regulate the sale and dispensing of compounded medications from outsourcing facilities.

Maddy summaryHB 1943 amends the Medicaid Provider-Led Organized Care Act in Arkansas to improve the enrollment and selection process for risk-based provider organizations (RBPOs), directly affecting Medicaid beneficiaries. It establishes an online quality rating system for RBPOs, accessible via the Department of Human Services (DHS) website, displaying metrics such as service wait times, care coordinator caseloads, and member satisfaction. The bill also requires RBPOs to provide real-time, updated online provider directories and mandates the DHS to create a dedicated beneficiary support office to assist enrollees with information and issue resolution.

Maddy summaryHB 1728 requires institutions of higher education to report the number of students who receive accommodations for a disability. This bill mandates that colleges and universities provide data on how many of their students are utilizing disability support services. The purpose is to collect information on the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities at these institutions.