Sen. Steve Crowell

Maddy summaryHB 1638 updates Arkansas state law to include the United States Space Force in all references to the armed forces and uniformed services. It corrects outdated language by replacing "branch" with "regular" in multiple sections and removing obsolete phrases like "United States Marine Corps, United States Space Force" to standardize military service listings. This technical update ensures state legal documents align with the current U.S. military structure, which established the Space Force as a separate service in 2019. The bill does not create new policies or affect military operations - it only modernizes existing statutory language.

Maddy summaryHB 1618 amends Arkansas law for second-class cities and incorporated towns regarding their municipal attorney selection. It requires elected or appointed municipal attorneys to reside within the city or town, while contracted attorneys do not need to reside there. The bill sets a four-year term for elected or appointed attorneys and allows cities to jointly purchase legal services with other municipalities. This replaces older provisions for first-class cities but directly affects second-class cities and incorporated towns by clarifying their attorney selection process.

Maddy summaryHB 1825 allows Arkansas public high schools to require students to earn one credit in a computer science or computer science-related career and technical education course to graduate. This policy change applies to all public high school students in Arkansas, though schools may choose whether to implement this requirement. The bill amends graduation standards to include this option and directs the state to identify qualifying courses for schools that adopt the requirement. It does not mandate the requirement statewide but provides schools with the option to add this computer science credit to graduation criteria.

Maddy summarySB 411 makes it illegal to operate certain vehicles with a front bumper at least 4 inches taller than the rear bumper. It directly affects drivers of passenger cars, pickup trucks, SUVs, and panel trucks on public roads. The law imposes fines ($250 for first offense, $500 for second, and a 12-month license suspension for a third offense within a year) without requiring proof of intent. This bill, now Act 492, was signed into law by the Governor on April 9, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 389 repeals a requirement for Arkansas' Department of Finance to submit biennial reports on alcohol production, consumption, and tax collections. The bill removes the specific duty to track and report statistics about wine, spirits, malt liquor sales, tax revenue, and annual consumption trends. This change only affects the Department of Finance, ending a reporting obligation under Arkansas law.

Maddy summarySB 380 repeals a requirement that the Office of Child Support Enforcement submit semiannual reports to the Legislative Council about the child support program's performance and progress. This bill directly affects the Office of Child Support Enforcement within Arkansas' Department of Finance and Administration, removing its obligation to file these reports. The key change is eliminating the specific reporting mandate outlined in Arkansas Code § 25-10-118, which previously required the office to document program administration under federal law. The bill does not alter child support enforcement policies or funding, only the reporting process. It became law as Act 439 on April 7, 2025.

Maddy summarySB 381 repeals a requirement that the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration submit an annual report detailing the state's participation in the Multistate Tax Commission's activities. The bill removes the obligation for the department to prepare and file this report with legislative leaders by September 30 each year. This change directly affects the Department of Finance and Administration by eliminating a specific reporting duty related to the Multistate Tax Commission. The bill is procedural, focusing solely on removing an existing administrative requirement without altering tax policy or creating new obligations.

Maddy summarySB 271 amends Arkansas election law to change the timing for certifying school board candidates. It modifies the process so that county clerks must certify school board candidates for elections held in even-numbered years concurrently with general elections (replacing the previous reference to "preferential primary elections"). This directly affects county clerks who handle election certifications and school board candidates in Arkansas. The bill makes a technical adjustment to align school board election timing with general elections, without creating new policies or altering voting procedures.

Maddy summarySB 387 repeals a requirement for occupational licensing entities (like boards for cosmetologists, plumbers, or electricians) to submit an annual report tracking how many individuals received automatic or expedited occupational licenses. This bill removes the specific provision in Arkansas law that mandated these entities to report the number of people granted such licenses each year. The change affects all occupational licensing boards covered under Arkansas Code § 17-4-110, eliminating their obligation to provide this data to the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs. The bill does not alter licensure standards or processes, only the reporting requirement.

Maddy summarySB 388 repeals a requirement that the Arkansas Economic Development Commission annually report on the progress of its foreign offices. This bill removes the obligation for the commission to submit these reports to the Legislative Council, Legislative Joint Auditing Committee, and the Governor each year. The change takes effect upon the bill becoming law (Act 447), eliminating a specific administrative reporting duty without altering the commission's core functions.