The end is nigh… Arkansas’s 95th General Assembly is scheduled to end on April 16, and if you are fully exhausted and want to sleep for several weeks, you are not alone. Things could not have been busier at the Capitol this week as committees worked to clear their agendas of the many bills still left to be heard, and they were largely successful in that effort. Bills that have not been considered in committee by now likely will not be heard before they adjourn. And the House and Senate both filed the Revenue Stabilization Act, which outlines the funding for the state government, another indication that the session is coming to a close.
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.
*Note: Several committees have announced that, for any bills that have yet to be heard in the first assigned committee, those bills will not be heard as they would not have time to complete the process prior to the last day of session.
Children’s Policy Summit Series
Join the Arkansas Kids Count Coalition for our Children’s Policy Summit series. We will be traveling the state to update you on what laws passed, and didn’t, impacting the children and families of our state. We will celebrate the work of advocates, legislators, and organizations in being 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
Progressed and Scheduled: 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 full Senate on Wednesday and is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15.
Filed: HB1996 | Rep. Zack Gramlich | House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
This bill would allow 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 require 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 is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15, but we don’t expect it will be heard this session.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Now Law: SB403 is now Act 449 | Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This new law establishes 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.
Education, K-12
Died in Committee (last week): HB1761 | Rep. Denise Garner | House Committee on Education
This bill would change eligibility for the school voucher program created under the 2023 LEARNS Act. The vouchers would be available, beginning in the next school year, for anyone who already received one in the prior two years and for students whose families have a gross income not exceeding 250% of the federal poverty level. A reduced voucher amount would be available for students whose families’ gross income is between 250%-350% of the federal poverty level and for students whose families’ gross income is between 350%-400% of the federal poverty level. It was heard in the House Committee on Education last but failed to pass.
Food Security
Progressed 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 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 the call of the chair on Monday, April 14. Read AACF’s testimony on this bill on our website. News coverage: Arkansas Times,Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate.
Health
Failed in Committee: 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 was heard by the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Wednesday, with several community members speaking in favor of the bill. Unfortunately, it did not get enough votes to move to the Senate floor. News coverage: Arkansas Times,Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate,KATV (featuring AACF Executive Director Keesa Smith).
Passed: 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 passed the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Labor on Wednesday and the full Senate on Thursday. It will next 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
Now Law: SB320 is now Act 518 | Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Carol Dalby | Senate Committee on Judiciary
This new law creates a new chapter in statute for the Arkansas Juvenile Code and largely reorganizes the existing statute in that chapter for clean-up purposes.
Delivered to Governor: 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 House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
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 at 10am on Monday, April 14.
Education, Early Childhood
Recommended for Interim Study: 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 child care 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. The bill was withdrawn by the author on Tuesday and is recommended for interim study by the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce.
Family Economic Security
Passed: 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 full House on Tuesday and will go next to the Governor to be signed into law.
Progressed and Scheduled: 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 full House on Wednesday and is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Education at 8am on Monday, April 14.
Health
Delivered to Governor: 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 House on Monday and has been delivered to the Governor to be signed into law.
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 full Senate on Monday and is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15.
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 is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1063 | Rep. Julie Mayberry and Sen. Steve Crowell | House Committee on Revenue and 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 passed the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Monday, the full House on Tuesday, and the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14.
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 full Senate on Tuesday but will go back to the House for concurrence in amendment at 1:30pm on Monday, April 14.
Progressed but Deferred: 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 full House on Monday and is now on the list of deferred bills for the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor.
Progressed and 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 passed the full Senate on Tuesday but will go back to the House for concurrence in amendment at 1:30pm on Monday, April 14.
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 Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Thursday and is on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14.
Passed: 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 Senate on Thursday and will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Now Law: HB1300 is now Act 510 | Rep. Lee Johnson and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This new law amends the Prior Authorization Transparency Act by expanding disclosure requirements for health care services that need prior authorization. It exempts certain health care services from prior authorization, establishes a process for reviewing approvals when guidelines are not followed, and creates a trust fund for educating stakeholders and improving compliance.
Passed: 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 Senate on Tuesday and will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: 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 passed the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Passed: 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 Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Juvenile Justice
Progressed and Scheduled: 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 full Senate on Tuesday and the House Committee on Judiciary on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 14.
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 House Committee on Judiciary on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 14.
Passed: HCR1010 | Rep. Tara Shephard and Sen. Jamie Scott | House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs
This House concurrent resolution requests the legislature to study ways, with input from independent expert consultants, to improve the state’s juvenile justice system. The study would include conducting needs and risks assessments of juveniles incarcerated in Division of Youth Services facilities; identifying best practices to reduce unnecessary reliance on juvenile correctional facilities; promoting the development of community-based treatment alternatives; and developing a juvenile justice reform plan by no later than 12 months from the adoption of the resolution. The resolution passed the House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs on Monday and the Senate Committee on Judiciary on Wednesday. It will next go to the Governor for her approval.
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 full House on Monday and the Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14. 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
Passed: 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 Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It will next go to the Governor to be signed into law. Read AACF’s testimony against this bill on our website.
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 those 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 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 14.
Progressed and 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 passed the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Thursday. It failed to pass the full Senate Thursday afternoon, but they expunged the vote, and it is again on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB584 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. RJ Hawk | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would align 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 would also prevent 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 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 14.
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 15 minutes upon adjournment of the Joint Budget Committee on Monday, April 14.
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 full House on Monday and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14.
Education, K-12
Passed: HB1062 | Rep. R. Scott Richardson and Sen. Tyler Dees
This bill would require 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 was allowed to leave the appropriate learning environment after the conference, the student would 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. It passed the full Senate on Tuesday and next goes to the Governor to be signed into law.
Now Law: HB1705 is now Act 478 | Rep. Hope Duke and Sen. Joshua Bryant | House Committee on Education
This new law creates new requirements for 6th-12th grade social studies standards and courses in public schools and open-enrollment public charter schools. It requires 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.
Equity
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 full Senate on Tuesday and the House Committee on City, County and Local Affairs on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, April 14. News Coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,Arkansas Advocate.
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 is on the agenda of the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Monday, April 14.
Passed: 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 Senate Committee on Judiciary on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It will next go to the Governor to be signed into law. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Progressed: 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 Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Tuesday.
Now Law: HB1669 is now Act 509 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. Alan Clark | House Committee on Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative Affairs
This new law prohibits 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 also mandates 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.”
Progressed 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 passed the House Committee on Judiciary on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. It is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on Judiciary at 10am on Monday, April 14. Read AACF’s testimony against this bill on our website. News coverage: Arkansas Times,Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
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 full House on Monday and the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Thursday. It is on the agenda of the full Senate at 10:30am on Monday, April 14. News coverage: Arkansas Times,Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Family Economic Security
Passed: 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 Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor on Monday and the full Senate on Wednesday. It goes next to the Governor to be signed into law.
Food Security
Progressed and Scheduled: 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 full Senate on Tuesday and is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15.
Health
Progressed and 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 passed the full Senate on Tuesday and is on the agenda of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor at 8am on Tuesday, April 15. News coverage: Arkansas Advocate.
Immigrant Families
Now Law: SB426 is now Act 340 | 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 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. 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. It passed the House Committee on Judiciary on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,Arkansas Advocate.
Passed: 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 full Senate on Tuesday and will next go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Tax and Budget
Failed and Recommended for Interim Study: 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. On Monday it failed to pass on the House floor and has been withdrawn by the author. It is now recommended for interim study by the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation. News coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,KARK (featuring AACF Economic Policy Director Pete Gess).
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 House Committee on Education on Thursday.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB625 | Sen. Breanne Davis and Rep. Keith Brooks | Senate Committee on Education
The amended bill would 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 would cap the amount of the voucher to 25% that could be used toward extracurricular activities, physical education activities, and educational field trips within the state and to 25% that could be spent on transportation to and from a service provider or school. This bill would add that if a participating student is expelled, their voucher account will be closed. This bill would create 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 would also rewrite 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 was “signed out” of committee on Wednesday with five yes votes and passed the full Senate on Thursday. It’s on the agenda for House Committee Education at 11am on Monday, April 14. News coverage: Arkansas Times,Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Progressed: 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 85-15, meaning that at least 85% 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 full Senate on Tuesday and the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce on Wednesday. News coverage: Talk Business and Politics.
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