Sen. Josh Bryant

Maddy summarySB 177 makes technical corrections to existing licensing laws for professionals in Arkansas, primarily fixing grammatical errors and updating obsolete language in statutes covering body art, dentistry, dietetics, and nursing. It clarifies requirements for dental licensing exemptions, corrects wording in body art training rules, and repeals outdated dietetics licensing provisions. The bill does not create new rules or change who must be licensed - it only ensures existing statutes are accurately worded and current. This affects licensed professionals and applicants in these fields by removing confusion from the code. (2 sentences, as it is a procedural technical correction bill.)

Maddy summaryThis bill makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas Code Title 23 (public utilities and regulated industries) without creating new policies or affecting any groups. It fixes grammatical errors (e.g., changing "Specify" to "Shall specify" in utility contracts), clarifies refund procedures under the Uniform Money Services Act, and removes outdated references (such as expired health insurance pool provisions). The corrections address typographical, reference, and designation errors in existing law to improve clarity and accuracy. It does not change how utilities operate or alter consumer protections.

Maddy summaryHB 1360 makes technical corrections to Arkansas Code Title 20 regarding public health and welfare. It clarifies two specific provisions: (1) school building egress requirements under fire safety law to align with existing ADA standards as of January 1, 2023; and (2) permit rules for hemp businesses when leadership or ownership changes, specifying that permits become void upon such changes but allow temporary operation for up to 30 days while new permits are processed. The bill explicitly states these are non-substantive corrections to existing code, not policy changes. It directly affects schools complying with fire safety regulations and hemp businesses managing permit transitions.

Maddy summarySB 173 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas election laws without changing policy. It updates ballot duplication procedures for damaged ballots (specifying how officials must handle duplicates at polling sites and central facilities), reduces a reporting threshold for independent expenditures from $500 to $200, and corrects grammatical wording in petition interference language. These changes directly affect election officials, county election boards, and entities filing campaign finance reports. The bill, now Act 166, clarifies existing code without altering substantive election rules or voter rights.

Maddy summaryHB 1359 makes minor, technical updates to Arkansas Code Title 19 regarding public finance. It removes outdated references in exemptions for insurance pools (like the Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool) and clarifies how the State Insurance Department Trust Fund can be used, including adding funding for fire department training. The bill does not change existing policies or create new obligations; it only corrects language in the code. It was enacted as Act 175 on February 25, 2025, with no substantive impact on affected entities like insurance guaranty associations or fire departments.

Maddy summarySB 171 makes minor grammatical corrections to Arkansas Code § 4-56-107(d)(4)(A), which addresses digital currency and financial institution compliance. It changes phrases like "does not require" to "does not prohibit" and "from compliance with" to "from complying with" to fix errors in existing law. The bill directly affects financial institutions by clarifying that they are not prohibited from complying with federal laws like the Right to Financial Privacy Act and Bank Secrecy Act. It contains no new requirements or policy changes - it is purely a technical correction to the wording of an existing provision. The bill does not alter legal obligations or create new rules for businesses or consumers.

Maddy summaryHB 1358 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas property laws in Title 18 of the Arkansas Code. It fixes a typo in the felony penalty for foreign-controlled businesses violating land ownership rules (changing "is guilty of a an unclassified felony" to "is guilty of an unclassified felony") and corrects reference errors in definitions related to foreign agricultural land ownership. These changes clarify existing provisions about "significant interest" and "substantial control" without altering the underlying law. The bill affects foreign-owned businesses and landowners subject to current property ownership restrictions, but does not create new requirements or penalties.

Maddy summaryHB 1356 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas Code sections related to law enforcement, emergency management, and military affairs. It updates references in existing laws - such as clarifying which offices handle sex offender registry disclosures, refining victim notification system language for criminal justice proceedings, and adding specific requirements for Department of Corrections employees carrying concealed handguns. The bill also corrects definitions in child maltreatment law and fixes an office name reference within the Department of Public Safety. These changes are purely editorial, aligning wording with current practice without creating new policies or obligations.

Maddy summarySB 174 makes minor technical corrections to two existing Arkansas environmental law provisions without changing policy. It adds "may" to clarify a tire program's authority to enter agreements (Ark. Code § 8-9-410(d)) and corrects wording about university analysis for nuclear fuel storage (Ark. Code § 8-9-802(4)(A)). These changes fix grammatical errors and clarify references in the Arkansas Code. The bill does not create new requirements or alter existing legal obligations.

Maddy summarySB 175 makes minor technical corrections to Arkansas Code § 11-10-310(f), which governs budget processes for the Division of Workforce Services. It updates outdated reference language (changing "this section" to "this subsection and subsection (e)") to fix errors in the existing code. This is a purely procedural adjustment with no new policy changes, affecting how the Division references budget procedures but not workers or employers. The bill was enacted as Act 168 on February 25, 2025.