We did it! After 93 days, Arkansas’s 95th General Assembly has recessed for the remainder of the regular session. The session is scheduled to officially end on May 5.
Below you will find an overview of bills on AACF’s legislative agenda and that AACF generally either supports or opposes.
*Note: Several bills were signed by Governor Sanders yesterday but, as of the writing of this newsletter, they have not yet been assigned an act number. Many bills have passed and have been or will be delivered to the governor. The Governor has 20 days following adjournment of the General Assembly to sign or veto any remaining bills that have passed. Any bills she chooses to neither veto nor sign will become law without her signature.
Children’s Policy Summit Series
Now that it’s mostly over, help us consider all the good and the bad by joining us and the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for our Children’s Policy Summit series. We will be traveling around the state to update you on what laws passed, and didn’t, and how the new laws will affect the children and families of our state. We will celebrate the work of advocates, legislators, and organizations in acting as a voice for children at the state Capitol. And we will talk about ways you can continue to advocate even after the legislators have gone home. There will be a lot to cover, including the important work ahead!
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.
Child Welfare
Failed on the House Floor: SB585 | Sen. Greg Leding | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would have required every employer with more than 10 employees to provide pay stubs to each employee who is under the age of 18. It passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday but did not get enough votes to pass the full House on Thursday. You can see the way House members voted here.
Recommended for Interim Study: HB1996 | Rep. Zack Gramlich | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would have allowed a civil penalty for a first-time child labor violation to be waived if the offender completes an educational module developed by the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing. It would also have required all public, charter, and private schools in the state to display a poster that provides information on state and federal child labor rules and regulations. It was withdrawn by the author this week and is recommended for Interim Study by the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Passed: HB1878 | Rep. Jessie McGruder | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
County election commissions will be required to designate an early voting site during primary elections and general elections in any city with a population of 15,000 or more and where the county clerk is not conducting early voting. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Monday, the full House on Tuesday, and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday. On the third try, it passed the full Senate on Thursday and will go to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Health
Passed: HB1252 | Rep. Lee Johnson | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill creates a certification process for community-based doulas in Arkansas and describes their scope of practice. It outlines requirements for certification, including training, privacy, and application procedures. It requires that the Department of Health maintain a public registry of certified community-based doulas. It authorizes certified community-based doulas to be reimbursed for certain services under Medicaid. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
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.
Child Welfare
Signed by Governor: SB371 | Sen. Jamie Scott and Rep. Keith Brooks | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This new law establishes a statewide missing endangered child advisory system for children under the age of 18 who have disappeared but do not qualify for an Amber Alert (because the disappearance is not due to an abduction). The system will be administered by the Arkansas State Police. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Family Economic Security
Delivered to Governor: SB241 | Sen. Jamie Scott and Rep. Aaron Pilkington | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill grants 80 hours of leave in a calendar year to a public employee in the event of the death of an immediate family member; it grants 640 hours in a calendar year in the event of the death of a child. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: HB1719 | Rep. DeAnn Vaught | House Committee on Education
This bill excludes any holiday or other day on which academic classes are not held from counting towards the total number of days the school approves as maternity leave for an individual eligible for paid maternity leave. It passed the Senate Committee on Education on Monday and the full Senate on Tuesday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Health
Now Law: SB123 is now Act 553 | Sen. Greg Leding and Rep. DeAnn Vaught | Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This law amends the statute concerning coverage for mammograms and breast ultrasounds under health benefit plans. It prohibits health insurance plans from imposing cost-sharing (co-pays, deductibles, or coinsurance) for diagnostic testing.
Delivered to Governor: SB347 | Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Julie Mayberry | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
The bill mandates that the Arkansas Medicaid Program increase reimbursement rates for specific dental services over three years, reaching the national 50th percentile in the third year. It also raises the annual reimbursement cap for dental services for special needs adults and directs DHS to seek any necessary federal approval or waiver to implement these changes. After being amended, it passed the full Senate on Monday, the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Delivered to Governor: SB554 | Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill establishes the Behavioral Health Loan Forgiveness Program. The program will forgive a portion of the student loan balance of mental health professionals and licensed substance use counselors working in areas designated as underserved for behavioral health and substance use treatment services. The bill sets eligibility standards and establishes rulemaking for the program. It passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: HB1063 | Rep. Julie Mayberry and Sen. Steve Crowell | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This bill expands 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 will not go into effect until 2026. It passed the full Senate on Monday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: HB1079 | Rep. Fred Allen and Sen. Dave Wallace | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill requires health benefit plans to cover genetic testing for inherited gene mutations and evidence-based cancer imaging. The coverage will apply to individuals with a personal or family history of cancer or those with a prior cancer diagnosis. After concurring in an amendment from the Senate side, it passed the full House on Monday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: HB1255 | Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill will amend Medicaid’s coverage of continuous glucose monitors, allowing beneficiaries to obtain these devices either through a pharmacy with a prescription or via a verified provider with a written order. After concurring in an amendment from the Senate side, it passed the full House on Monday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Now Law: HB1296 is now Act 556 | Rep. Lee Johnson and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This law requires that health insurers cover services provided in mobile units in the same way they cover services provided in other health care settings. It also ensures that any cost-sharing requirements for mobile unit services are no less favorable than those for similar services provided elsewhere.
Signed by Governor: HB1333 | Rep. Ashley Hudson and Sen. Jamie Scott | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This new law requires health insurers to cover breastfeeding and lactation consultant services. The coverage would begin on January 1, 2026. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Signed by Governor: HB1559 | Rep. Richard McGrew and Sen. Justin Boyd | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This new law requires DHS to apply for a waiver to expand Medicaid coverage for inpatient treatment services for substance use disorders. If approved, the waiver will allow Medicaid to cover treatment in facilities that qualify as institutions for mental diseases, improve access to medication-assisted treatment, and enhance care coordination for individuals with substance use disorders. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Recommended for Interim Study: HB1033 | Rep. Tippi McCullough | House Committee on Judiciary
This bill would have allowed courts to issue Extreme Risk Protection Orders (“red flag”) to temporarily restrict access to firearms for individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others. It would have established procedures for petitioning courts, due process for individuals, and penalties for false reports. It was withdrawn by the author and is recommended for Interim Study by the House Committee on Judiciary.
Juvenile Justice
Delivered to Governor: SB458 | Sen. Greg Leding | Senate Committee on Judiciary
When sentencing a juvenile or person convicted for an offense committed as a juvenile, this bill requires the court to consider any adverse childhood experiences or other trauma the individual had prior to the age of 18 and the impact of the trauma on their behavior. It passed the full House with an amendment on Monday and passed the full Senate with the amendment on Tuesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Delivered to Governor: SB490 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Nicole Clowney | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This bill allows courts to waive the $250 registration fee for juveniles who are ordered to register as a sex offender. It passed the full House on Monday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Tax and Budget
Passed: HB1685 | Rep. Kendon Underwood and Sen. Bart Hester | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This bill exempts food and food ingredients from state sales tax (currently 1/8th of a cent on the dollar or 0.125%). It passed the full Senate with amendments on Monday and passed with the amendments on Wednesday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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.
Child Welfare
Signed by Governor: HB1653 | Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This new law allows the number of psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) beds in Arkansas to increase to a total of 900 beds. It also classifies PRTFs as a “long-term care facility” and moves the oversight of PRTFs from the Child Welfare Agency Review Board to the DHS Office of Long Term Care. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Delivered to Governor: SB551 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Jon S. Eubanks | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
Similar to other bills that have passed this session specific to state ballot measure petitions, this bill addresses local ballot measure petitions and would require canvassers for those to either read aloud the ballot title or watch a potential petition signer read the title. It also requires a person acting as a canvasser to tell a potential signer that ballot measure fraud is a criminal offense before allowing an individual to sign. It also mandates that county clerks throw out all signatures collected by a canvasser, including valid ones, if the canvasser has been found by a preponderance of the evidence to have violated any laws when collecting signatures. It passed the full House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Failed on the House Floor: SB569 | Sen. Mark Johnson and Rep. David Ray | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
In bill language that would not become law, the stated intent of the bill was for the Arkansas Supreme Court to overturn a decades-old ruling and practice that the General Assembly cannot amend Constitutional Amendments that were citizen-initiated. It passed the full Senate on Monday and the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday, but it failed to get enough votes in the full House on Wednesday. News coverage: Arkansas Times.
Delivered to Governor: SB584 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. RJ Hawk | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill aligns local ballot measure petition law with state law in various ways including requiring that county clerks throw out all signatures collected by a canvasser, including valid ones, if the canvasser has been found by a preponderance of the evidence to have violated any laws when collecting signatures. It also prevents canvassers for local measures from collecting additional signatures until the county clerk deems the campaign met the requirements to collect additional signatures under what is known as the “cure” period. It passed the full House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Delivered to Governor: HB1925 | Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. and Sen. Ben Gilmore | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
The bill makes it harder for some people to vote absentee by requiring that they obtain a witness’s signature as part of their ballot forms. It passed the full Senate on Monday and will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Education, K-12
Now Law: HB1062 is now Act 565 | Rep. R. Scott Richardson and Sen. Tyler Dees
This new law requires a student who is violent or abusive toward a teacher or another student to be removed from class and placed in an appropriate learning environment (such as another classroom or placed in in-school suspension) pending a school conference. If the student is allowed to leave the appropriate learning environment after the conference, the student will not be allowed to return to the same class as the teacher or student. If a teacher removes a student three times in a year for violent or abusive behavior, then the student must be placed in an appropriate interim learning environment for the remainder of the year or disciplined according to the written discipline policy of that school.
Equity
Delivered to the Governor: SB486 | Sen. Blake Johnson and Rep. Mary Bentley | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill prohibits transgender individuals from using restrooms, changing rooms, sleeping quarters, and other accommodations corresponding to their gender identification. It requires shelters, state and local correctional facilities, and all public buildings to ensure that they do not allow transgender individuals to use facilities that correspond to their gender identity and take steps to prevent transgender individuals from doing so. An individual will be able to file a civil case against the state agency if they encountered a person of the “opposite sex” in any of the above areas and could recover damages, declaratory and injunctive relief, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs within two years of the incident. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times. Read AACF’s testimony on our website.
Delivered to Governor: SB520 | Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Alyssa Brown | Senate Committee on City, County and Local Affairs
This bill prohibits local governments from having offices or policies promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It allows any person to make a complaint about a local government to the Attorney General’s (AG) office. If the local government fails to rectify the situation within 30 days, the AG could sue the local government for court costs and attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief. It passed the full House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times.
Passed: HB1365 | Rep. Karilyn Brown | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill removes requirements that certain boards dealing with education include minorities and women in the makeup of the boards. It passed the full Senate on Tuesday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Signed by Governor: HB1615 | Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Gary Stubblefield | House Committee on Judiciary
This new law prohibits higher education institutions from requiring that a student participate in a program that would violate their “sincerely held” religious beliefs about marriage and “biological sex.” It also prevents the state from taking discriminatory action against any religious organization or person that refuses services to LGBTQ+ couples attempting to get married or hires, fires, or disciplines a person whose conduct or religious beliefs are inconsistent with those of the religious organization. In addition, government employees cannot be sanctioned for speaking out against LGBTQ+ individuals, and county clerks can refuse to issue marriage licenses. It also prohibits individuals from suing for discrimination against any person or entity providing services in compliance with this law. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Passed: HB1916 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. Alan Clark | House Committee on Judiciary
This bill adds “gender-affirming intervention” to support a patient’s gender identity to the Protecting Minors from Medical Malpractice Act of 2023 as a form of malpractice. It will allow a mental health professional who provides a “gender-affirming intervention” to be sued up to 15 years after the date on which the minor turns 18. The definition of “gender-affirming intervention” is overly broad and could include actions such as respecting a trans child’s name and pronouns or providing therapy. It passed the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Monday and the full Senate on Tuesday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Passed: HJR1018 | Rep. David Ray and Sen. John Payton | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This resolution purports to ensure that only U.S. Citizens can vote in elections in Arkansas. However, it will not actually change anything substantive in the Arkansas Constitution about who is eligible to vote because Article 3, §1, (a) already states you must be a U.S. Citizen to vote in an election in Arkansas. It passed the full Senate on Monday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Family Economic Security
Signed by Governor: HB1751 | Rep. Kendon Underwood | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This new law requires a job-ready applicant for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, known in the state as the Arkansas Work Pays Program, to be engaged in job search activities while their application is being processed. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Food Security
Delivered to Governor: SB217 | Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Mary Bentley | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill requires the Department of Human Services (DHS) to request a waiver that would allow Arkansas to exclude from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) any payments for candy and soft drinks. It passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. Read AACF’s testimony on our website.
Immigrant Families
Signed by Governor: SB426 | Sen. Bart Hester and Rep. Frances Cavenaugh | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This new law creates enhanced penalties for certain “serious felony involving violence” convictions if the person committed those crimes while they were present in the United States without authorization. The enhanced penalty would run consecutive to (after) the penalty imposed by the court for the crime, and the individual is not eligible for early release on parole, transfer to post-release supervision, or community correction transfer. It also requires the Department of Corrections and county jails to apply for and participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Warrant Officer Program, which allows them to serve administrative warrants (signed by an immigration officer, not a judge). Further, it allows the state to withhold funds from any locality that the Attorney General finds as having policies in violation of this law. Governor Sanders signed the bill on Thursday.
Now Law: HB1789 is now Act 605 | Rep. Rebecca Burkes and Sen. Joshua Bryant | House Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs
This new law restricts local government from funding any municipal identification card programs either directly through a municipal program or through providing funds to an agency or person to run such a program if the program does not require the applicant for the municipal identification to provide proof of lawful presence in the United States.
Passed: HB1974 | Rep. Wayne Long and Sen. Matt McKee | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill requires all state employers to use the federal EVerify system to verify a person’s lawful immigration status to work. It passed the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Monday, and the full Senate on Wednesday. It will go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Also Worth Noting
Delivered to Governor: SB450 | Sen. Breanne Davis and Rep. Kendra Moore | Senate Committee on Education
This bill requires a human growth and development discussion to be included in the relevant Arkansas Academic Standards. The Department of Education will consult with the Department of Health to determine the appropriate grade levels for students to receive this information. The discussion will include human biology as it relates to pregnancy and human development inside the womb, the showing of a high-definition ultrasound that shows the brain, heart, sex organs, and other vital organs in early fetal development, and the process of fertilization and every stage of human development inside the uterus, including a discussion that notes significant markers in cell growth and organ development for every significant marker of pregnancy until birth. It passed the full House on Tuesday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Delivered to Governor: SB527 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Lee Johnson | Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill amends the ARHOME Medicaid expansion in several ways. It would require that qualified health insurance companies that receive pharmacy rebates from bulk purchasing of medications return those savings to the state. It also modifies the Medical Loss Ratio for qualified health insurance plans from 80-20 to 85-15, meaning that at least 85% of what health plans spend will have to be on medical claims and quality improvements. The bill also clarifies it will implement work requirements for ARHOME enrollees and describes a list of exemptions from work reporting activities. It passed the full House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Delivered to Governor: SB625 | Sen. Breanne Davis and Rep. Keith Brooks | Senate Committee on Education
This amended bill will make changes to the state’s private and home school voucher program. It clarifies that voucher funds can be used on reasonable costs associated with co-curricular courses in the fine arts, music, or STEM fields if that course is available in a public school district in the state and cannot be used toward telephones, cell phones, or other communication devices unless that item is needed for a student with a disability and meets other requirements. It will cap at 25% the amount of the voucher that can be used toward extracurricular activities, physical education activities, and educational field trips within the state. It will also cap at 25% the amount that can be spent on transportation to and from a service provider or school. This bill adds that, if a participating student is expelled, their voucher account will be closed. It creates a timeframe for applications for the voucher program to begin no earlier than February 1 and end no later than May 1 for each year prior to the upcoming school year the funds would be used. The bill also rewrites the eligibility section to include universal availability beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and to create a priority list of categories, if there are insufficient funds to pay for every student requesting a voucher. It passed the House Committee on Education on Monday and the full House on Wednesday. It picked up an amendment and passed the full Senate with the amendment on Wednesday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times.