As Monday was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and with legislative committees currently not meeting on Fridays, it was a relatively quiet week at the Arkansas Capitol. Legislators attended organizational meetings and revised bills, for the most part.
If you haven’t already, check out our upcoming Arkansas Kids Count Day at the Capitol event, taking place February 10. Registration is free but limited!
Below you will find an overview of bills on AACF’s legislative agenda and that AACF generally either supports or opposes. We are monitoring more bills, listed and frequently updated on our website.
Bills on AACF’s Legislative Agenda
Through conversations with partners, advocates and young Arkansans, and through our own policy research, AACF has identified a series of policies that will improve the well-being of Arkansans. The following bills are in support of our 2025 legislative agenda.
Education, K-12
Scheduled: HB1144 | Rep. Jim Wooten | House Education Committee
This bill would require a private school that accepts a LEARNS Act voucher to be responsible for the same reporting requirements as public schools and public charter schools in Arkansas. This would add an accountability measure to private schools receiving public funds. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Education at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Equity
Scheduled: HB1046 | Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Committee on Public Transportation
This bill would require the Department of Finance and Administration to create a specific Blue Envelope that would become available to those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by January 2026 that would provide law enforcement with specific information about how to adapt their response when interacting with an individual with ASD during a motor-vehicle related interaction. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Public Transportation at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Food Security
Scheduled: SB59 | Sen. Jonathan Dismang and Rep. Zack Gramlich | Senate Education Committee
This bill would require public schools to provide a free breakfast to any student who requests it, even if the student does not qualify for free meals under any federal, state, or local program. It is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Education Committee at 10am on Monday, January 27.
Bills AACF Also Supports
The following bills are not formally on AACF’s legislative agenda, but AACF recognizes they could have a positive impact on Arkansas’s children and families.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Scheduled: SB12 | Sen. Bryan King | Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs
If this bill passes, the communications of the Board of Apportionment (the committee that draws legislative districts) will be included specifically as subject to Arkansas’s Freedom of Information Act. It is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Scheduled: SJR1 | Senator Bryan King | Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs
If this resolution passes, a constitutional amendment would be placed on the 2026 ballot for voters’ consideration. If voters approved the measure, then the vote threshold for the Arkansas legislature to change the state’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public record and public meeting laws would increase from a simple majority to a three-fourths majority. It is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Committee on State Agencies & Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Education, Higher Ed
Progressed: HB1005 | Rep. David Ray and Sen. Ricky Hill | House Education Committee
This bill would provide members of the Arkansas National Guard with free tuition for postsecondary certificate programs, expanding the current program that allows free tuition for undergraduate degrees. This would expand their options to occupational and technical programs, such as welding technology and hospitality management. It passed the House Education Committee on Thursday, January 23.
Family Economic Security
Scheduled: HB1018 | Rep. Ashley Hudson | House Committee on Revenue & Taxation
This bill would provide an income tax credit for an employer who provides paid family and medical leave to a qualified employee who has been employed for at least 12 consecutive months. The tax credit would be equal to 25% of the wages paid to a qualified employee during the period the employee is on family and medical leave. However, it would be limited to a maximum of 12 weeks of leave and $4,000 per qualified employee per year. The credit would not be allowed to exceed the employer’s tax liability, and any unused amounts could not be carried forward to subsequent tax years. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Health
SB77 | Sen. Mark Johnson | Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee
The bill would require Medicaid to reimburse for physical therapy provided in clinic-based settings. It would direct the Department of Human Services to seek federal approval to implement this change.
HB1010 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
The bill would require Medicaid to set reimbursement rates for maternal health services at least equal to Medicare rates for similar services. It would also mandate coverage of maternal health services provided in neighboring states.
HB1054 | Rep. Andrew Pilkington | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would require that Medicaid provide blood pressure monitors to pregnant and postpartum people for up to one year after birth.
HB1061 | Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would ensure Medicaid coverage of continuous glucose monitors for people with gestational diabetes. Patients would be required to have regular follow-ups with a healthcare provider every six months to maintain coverage.
Scheduled: HB1063 | Rep. Julie Mayberry and Sen. Steve Crowell | House Committee on Revenue & Taxation
This bill would expand the disability certification criteria for the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program (tax-advantaged savings accounts for people with disabilities) by increasing the qualifying age at which the onset of blindness or other disability occurs from 26 to 46. If enacted, it would not go into effect until 2026. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
HB1079 | Rep. Fred Allen and Sen. Dave Wallace | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would require health benefit plans to cover genetic testing for inherited gene mutations and evidence-based cancer imaging. The coverage would apply to individuals with a personal or family history of cancer or those with a prior cancer diagnosis.
HB1083 | Rep. Zack Gramlich | House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative & Military Affairs
This bill would create rules for online platforms for children under 13, requiring the platforms to take steps to prevent excessive use, ban personalized ads to minors, and limit harmful content.
HB1164 | Rep. Julie Mayberry and Sen. Clint Penzo | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
The bill would require providers to offer annual cognitive assessments to patients over 60 or those at higher risk for Alzheimer’s or dementia. It would mandate that health insurers cover these assessments for eligible patients without deductibles or copayments starting in 2026.
Tax and Budget
Scheduled: HB1076 | Rep. Ashley Hudson | House Committee on Revenue & Taxation
This bill would provide a nonrefundable tax credit of up to 50% of qualifying expenses associated with caregiving for a family member. The caregiver must have an adjusted gross income of less than $50,000, and the credit is limited to $2,000 per year ($3,000 if the family member receiving the care is a veteran or has a diagnosis of dementia). The total amount of the income tax credits allowed is $1.5 million in a calendar year. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
Bills AACF Opposes
The following are bills we believe would be harmful to our state, our state’s children and their families, and our state’s most vulnerable individuals.
Equity
Scheduled: SB3 | Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Mary Bentley | Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee
This bill would prohibit state agencies from providing programs targeted toward historically excluded groups, including on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin but specifically excludes veteran status in matters of state employment, public education, or state procurement. This could result in the elimination of scholarships to Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native Americans who commit to teaching in the Delta; as well as university retention programs for Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students, faculty, and staff. It would also prevent programs designed to recruit more diverse staff in state government. This bill also creates a civil action and a criminal penalty for an individual if they are found guilty of “knowingly” violating the restriction against discriminating or providing preferential treatment to an individual or a group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in matters of state employment, public education, or state procurement. They may be found guilty of a class A misdemeanor ($2,500 fine and up to one year in jail) and civilly may be required to pay reasonable court costs and attorney’s fees. It is scheduled to be heard by the Senate State Agencies & Governmental Affairs Committee at 10am on Tuesday, January 28.
How You Can Help
- Sign up for Action Alerts, if you haven’t already. By subscribing to this list, you will be notified when we need you to take action, like emailing or calling your legislator on a specific issue or piece of legislation. You will also receive weekly legislative updates during the session. Find out what bills were filed or made progress during the week at the Arkansas Capitol.
- Attend our events. These are great ways to stay current on our advocacy work and that of our statewide partners.
- Donate. The work our staff does during the legislative session is often not paid for by grants, and we do not receive any state or federal funding. We rely on donors like you to help us be effective advocates at the Arkansas Capitol.