Things are in high gear at the Arkansas General Assembly as they work to wrap up the majority of their work by April 16 (they will come back on May 5 to officially end session and finish any administrative items). Long nights are now the norm for many committees as they hear the scores of bills that remain on their agendas.
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.
Child Welfare
New and Progressed: SB585 | Sen. Greg Leding | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would require every employer with more than ten employees to provide pay stubs to each employee who is under the age of 18. It passed the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Thursday.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Delivered to Governor: SB403 | Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would establish a Complete Count Committee, made up of government officials and local leaders, to help plan for outreach, communications, and data gathering for the 2030 Census. It passed the House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Scheduled: HB1035 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would establish an online voter registration option in Arkansas. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1036 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would allow same-day voter registration at voting centers and polling sites during early voting and on election day. It would also allow currently registered voters to update their registration information on the same day. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1038 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
Under current law, Arkansas voters are only allowed to vote absentee (receive their ballot in the mail and return it via mail or to the County Clerk’s office) if they have a qualifying excuse as to why they will not be able to vote in person. This bill would allow voters to vote absentee without needing an excuse. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1039 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would repeal a 2021 law that moved, in most cases, the deadline to submit an absentee ballot to the Friday before election day from the day before election day. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1042 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would repeal a 2023 law that increased the number of counties that signatures must be collected from to allow a measure to qualify for the ballot. The 2023 act increased the county requirement from 15 to 50 and removed the “cure” period to collect more signatures if a certain threshold was met following the deadline to submit. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1878 | Rep. Jessie McGruder | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
If this bill passes, 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 is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Food Security
New and Scheduled: HB1915 | Rep. Jon S. Eubanks and Sen. Jonathan Dismang | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would make it easier for low-income families to become eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). It would require the Department of Human Services (DHS) to apply for a waiver to increase the state’s asset limit to $6,000 and index it to inflation. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor at 10am on Tuesday, April 8. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate.
Health
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1004 | Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would require DHS to submit a state plan amendment or waiver request to obtain federal approval to extend pregnancy Medicaid coverage to a full year postpartum for certain low-income women who do not already qualify for other Medicaid categories. This approach would use existing Children’s Health Insurance Program funding, which would require no new state general revenue dollars. It passed the full House on Tuesday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1252 | Rep. Lee Johnson | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would create 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 would require that the Department of Health maintain a public registry of certified community-based doulas. It would authorize certified community-based doulas to be reimbursed for certain services under Medicaid. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Juvenile Justice
Failed: SB340 | Sen. Alan Clark | Senate Judiciary Committee
This bill would eliminate fees and fines in the juvenile court system, while still requiring young people to make restitution to victims in delinquency cases. It failed to pass on Wednesday in the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs.
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
Delivered to Governor: SB320 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Carol Dalby | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This bill would create a new chapter in statute for the Arkansas Juvenile Code and largely reorganizes the existing statute in that chapter for clean-up purposes. It passed the full House on Monday, went back to the Senate Committee on Judiciary with an amendment on Wednesday, and passed the full Senate as amended on Thursday. It has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB371 | Sen. Jamie Scott and Rep. Keith Brooks | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill would establish 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 would be administered by the Arkansas State Police. It passed the full Senate on Monday and passed the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Scheduled: SB12 | Sen. Bryan King | Senate Committee on State Agencies and 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 on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: SJR22 | Sen. Greg Leding and Rep. Diana Gonzales Worthen | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
If this resolution passes, a constitutional amendment would be placed on the 2026 ballot for voters’ consideration. If voters approve the measure, then 17-year-olds who will be 18 at the time of the general election could vote in the primaries for that election year. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Scheduled: HB1037 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would allow 16- and 17-year olds to register to vote. They would still not be able to vote until the age of 18. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1040 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would repeal a 2021 law that prevents people from handing out water or other supplies at polling sites and that prevents a person who is not voting to accompany a person who is. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Education, Early Childhood
New and Scheduled: HB1950 | Rep. Randy Torres and Sen. Tyler Dees | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would prevent insurance providers from canceling, refusing to renew, or discriminately raising the rate of a homeowners insurance policy strictly because the home is a licensed family child care home. It would also require the providers to give written notice to the licensed family child care home of any reason for potential cancellation or nonrenewal and an opportunity to remedy the situation. The remedy cannot be to stop operating the licensed family childcare home. The licensed family child care home would be responsible for providing proof of separate personal liability insurance policy with a minimum coverage of $100,000 to the homeowners insurance provider annually. If a licensed family child care home believes the new requirements have been violated, the operator of the home can file a complaint with the Department of Education, which will be responsible for enforcement. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Family Economic Security
Progressed and Scheduled: SB241 | Sen. Jamie Scott and Rep. Aaron Pilkington | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would grant 80 hours of leave in a calendar year to a public employee in the event of the death of an immediate family member; it would grant 640 hours in a calendar year in the event of the death of a child. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30 pm on Monday, April 7.
Progressed: HB1719 | Rep. DeAnn Vaught | House Committee on Education
This bill would exclude 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 House Committee on Education on Thursday.
Health
Progressed and Scheduled: SB123 | Sen. Greg Leding and Rep. DeAnn Vaught | Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would amend the law concerning coverage for mammograms and breast ultrasounds under health benefit plans. If this bill became law, health insurance plans could not impose cost-sharing (co-pays, deductibles, or coinsurance) for diagnostic testing. It passed the full Senate on Monday and the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB347 | Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Julie Mayberry | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
The bill would mandate 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 would raise 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. It passed the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB554 | Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill would establish the Behavioral Health Loan Forgiveness Program. The program would forgive a portion of the student loan balance of mental health professionals or 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 Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday and the full Senate on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1079 | Rep. Fred Allen and Sen. Dave Wallace | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
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. It passed the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Tuesday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1164 | Rep. Julie Mayberry and Sen. Clint Penzo | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This 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. It passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1255 | Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would 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. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1290 | Rep. Lee Johnson | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would require that health insurance plans cover annual mental health wellness examinations starting in 2026. Plans would not require copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance. It passed the full House on Monday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1296 | Rep. Lee Johnson and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would require that health insurers cover services provided in mobile units in the same way they cover services provided in other health care settings. It would also ensure that any cost-sharing requirements for mobile unit services are no less favorable than those for similar services provided elsewhere. It passed the full House on Monday and the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7.
Passed: HB1300 | Rep. Lee Johnson and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill seeks to amend the Prior Authorization Transparency Act by expanding disclosure requirements for health care services that need prior authorization. It would exempt certain health care services from prior authorization, establish a process for reviewing approvals when guidelines are not followed, and create a trust fund for educating stakeholders and improving compliance. It passed the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Tuesday and the full Senate on Thursday. It will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1333 | Rep. Ashley Hudson and Sen. Jamie Scott | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would require health insurers to cover breastfeeding and lactation consultant services. If enacted, the coverage would begin on January 1, 2026. It passed the full House on Monday and the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: HB1559 | Rep. Richard McGrew and Sen. Justin Boyd | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would require DHS to apply for a waiver to expand Medicaid coverage for inpatient treatment services for substance use disorders. The waiver would 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. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1677 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. John Payton | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would authorize substance use treatment programs to maintain emergency medication kits needed for emergency care, overseen by a licensed pharmacy. These kits would be required to be securely stored and only accessible to authorized medical staff, and the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy would adopt rules regarding kits. It passed the full House on Tuesday and is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Juvenile Justice
Progressed: SB458 | Sen. Greg Leding | Senate Committee on Judiciary
When sentencing a juvenile or person convicted for an offense committed as a juvenile, this bill would require 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 Senate Committee on Judiciary on Wednesday.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB490 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Nicole Clowney | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This bill would allow courts to waive the $250 registration fee for juveniles who are ordered to register as a sex offender. It passed the full Senate on Tuesday. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Judiciary at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Tax and Budget
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1685 | Rep. Kendon Underwood and Sen. Bart Hester | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This bill would exempt food and food ingredients from state sales tax (currently 1/8th of a cent on the dollar or 0.125%). It passed the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Scheduled: HB1699 | Rep. Tippi McCullough and Sen. Clarke Tucker | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This bill would add firearm safety and storage devices to the list of items exempt from sales tax during the annual sales tax holiday, which occurs the first weekend in August. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation at 10am on Monday, April 7.
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
Scheduled: SB312 | Sen. Matt Stone and Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. | Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would allow psychiatric residential treatment facilities, which provide mental health treatment for children and young adults, to expand across the state by exempting them from the current prohibition against creating new facilities or expanding existing bed capacity of residential care facilities. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1653 | Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would allow the number of psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) beds in Arkansas to increase to a total of 900 beds. It would also classify PRTFs as a “long-term care facility” and move the oversight of PRTFs from the Child Welfare Agency Review Board to the DHS Office of Long Term Care. It passed the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Progressed and Scheduled: SB551 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Jon S. Eubanks | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
Similar to other bills that have been enacted this session specific to state ballot measure petitions, this bill addresses local ballot measure petitions and would require canvassers for local ballot measure petitions to either read aloud the ballot title or watch a potential petition signer read the title. It would also require 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 would also mandate 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 Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday and the full Senate on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7.
Scheduled: 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 is 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 is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
New, Progressed and Failed: SB586 | Sen. Jim Dotson and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
If this bill passes, citizen-proposed constitutional amendments would take a two-thirds majority vote to pass. Legislatively referred constitutional amendments would still only require a simple majority. It passed the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday and failed on the Senate floor on Wednesday. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times.
Scheduled: HB1714 | Rep. Ryan A. Rose and Sen. Kim Hammer | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
If this bill passes, canvassing volunteers on ballot measure campaigns would be considered paid canvassers if they are reimbursed for meals, mileage, or certain other expenses. If considered a paid canvasser, additional restrictions would apply to them. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
New, Progressed and Scheduled: HB1925 | Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. and Sen. Ben Gilmore | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
The bill would make 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 House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7.
Education, K-12
Passed: HB1705 | Rep. Hope Duke and Sen. Joshua Bryant | House Committee on Education
This bill would create new requirements for 6th-12th grade social studies standards and courses in public schools and open-enrollment public charter schools. It would require information about the founding fathers’ religious and political beliefs and how their religious beliefs influenced the United States’ founding documents, like the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It passed the Senate Committee on Education on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It goes next to the Governor’s office to be signed into law.
Equity
Progressed and Scheduled: SB486 | Sen. Blake Johnson and Rep. Mary Bentley | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would prohibit transgender individuals from using restrooms, changing rooms, sleeping quarters, and other accommodations corresponding to their gender identification. It would require 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 would 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 full Senate on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the House adjourns on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB520 | Sen. Dan Sullivan and Rep. Alyssa Brown | Senate Committee on City, County and Local Affairs
This bill would prohibit local governments from having offices or policies promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It would allow any person to make a complaint about a local government to the Attorney General’s (AG) office. If the local government failed 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 Senate Committee on City, County and Local Affairs on Wednesday, though it has been re-referred to the committee and is on the agenda at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1365 | Rep. Karilyn Brown | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would remove requirements that certain boards dealing with education include minorities and women in the makeup of the boards. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday and the full House on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1615 | Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Gary Stubblefield | House Committee on Judiciary
This bill would prohibit 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 would prevent 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 could not be sanctioned for speaking out against LGBTQ+ individuals, and county clerks could refuse to issue marriage licenses. This bill would also prohibit individuals from suing for discrimination against any person or entity providing services in compliance with this law. It passed the House Committee on Judiciary on Tuesday and the full House on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Judiciary at 10am on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times.
Progressed: HB1669 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. Alan Clark | House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs
This bill would prohibit state government from taking any discriminatory action, such as taking away funding or licenses, against faith-based foster care or adoption agencies that refuse to serve LGBTQ+ individuals and families based on religious beliefs. It would also mandate that the state not take action against a foster or adoptive family who “guides, instructs, or raises a child, or intends to guide, instruct, or raise a child, based upon or in a manner consistent with a sincerely held religious belief.” It failed to pass the full Senate on Monday, but they expunged the vote (essentially meaning the vote didn’t count), and it passed the Senate successfully on Thursday.
New and Scheduled: HB1908 | Rep. Wayne Long | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill invalidates existing regulations for receipt of public benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF by requiring individuals receiving benefits to prove their residency in the state by providing certain documents. However, programs already require proof of residency and have a list of allowed documents in their regulations. This list of documents is especially problematic as it doesn’t take into account mothers who do not work and may have everything in their partner’s name. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
New and Scheduled: HB1916 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. Alan Clark | House Committee on Judiciary
This bill would add “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 would 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 is on the agenda of the House Committee on Judiciary at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Progressed and Scheduled: 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 would 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 House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Family Economic Security
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1751 | Rep. Kendon Underwood | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would require 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. It passed the full House on Tuesday and is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Food Security
Progressed: SB217 | Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Mary Bentley | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill would require 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 Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Thursday.
Health
Scheduled: SB2 | Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Matt Duffield | Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill would repeal Arkansas’s statewide fluoridation program. It would eliminate rules governing fluoride concentrations, equipment, recordkeeping, and related procedures. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor at 10am on Monday, April 7.
Immigrant Families
Progressed and Scheduled: SB426 | Sen. Bart Hester and Rep. Frances Cavenaugh | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This bill would create enhanced penalties for certain “serious felony involving violence” convictions if the person committed those crimes while they were present in the U.S. 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. This bill would also require 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, the bill would allow the state to withhold funds from any locality that the Attorney General finds as having policies in violation of this law. It passed the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Judiciary at 10am on Tuesday, April 8. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Times.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1789 | Rep. Rebecca Burkes and Sen. Joshua Bryant | House Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs
This bill would restrict 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. It passed the Senate Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs on Tuesday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Arkansas Times.
New and Scheduled: HB1909 | Rep. Wayne Long | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor
This bill would require that anyone who receives public benefits, including SNAP, WIC, TANF, and Medicaid be a U.S. Citizen. Each applicant 18 and older would be required to sign a written affidavit attesting that they are a U.S. Citizen. Anyone who is not a U.S. Citizen who receives benefits can be prosecuted for theft of benefits and subject to jail time and monetary penalties. This is contrary to federal law, which defines who is eligible for federal benefits and would exclude the Marshallese, victims of human trafficking, victims of domestic violence, and other qualified migrants. It is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor at 10am on Tuesday, April 8.
Tax and Budget
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1636 | Rep. David Ray and Sen. Jim Petty | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This bill would phase out the soft drink tax over time (at a rate determined by the amount of tax collected on soft drinks the previous year). The soft drink tax currently produces about $45 million a year in special revenue for the Arkansas Medicaid Program Trust Fund. It passed the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 7.
Also Worth Noting
Progressed: SB450 | Sen. Breanne Davis and Rep. Kendra Moore | Senate Committee on Education
This bill would require a human growth and development discussion to be included in the relevant Arkansas Academic Standards. The Department of Education would consult with the Department of Health to determine the appropriate grade levels for students to receive this information. The discussion would 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 Senate Committee on Education on Monday and the full Senate on Tuesday. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB527 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Lee Johnson | Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would amend the ARHOME Medicaid expansion in several ways. It would require that qualified health insurance companies who receive pharmacy rebates from bulk purchasing of medications return those savings to the state. It would also modify the Medical Loss Ratio for qualified health insurance plans from 80-20 to 90-10, meaning that at least 90% of what health plans spend would have to be on medical claims and quality improvements. The bill also clarifies it would implement work requirements for ARHOME enrollees and describes a list of exemptions from work reporting activities. It passed the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Thursday and is on the agenda of the full Senate at 1pm on Monday, April 7. News coverage: Talk Business and Politics.
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.