It’s about halfway through this legislative session, and there’s a busy week ahead. More than 20 bills we are tracking are on a committee or floor agenda on Monday or Tuesday alone. Of course, just because a bill is on an agenda, it doesn’t necessarily mean it will be heard. Sometimes the committee runs out of time; sometimes a bill sponsor isn’t ready to run their bill. If there’s a bill you feel strongly about, we encourage you to check the bill page on the Arkansas Legislature’s website often.
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.
Democracy and Voting Rights
New and Scheduled: SB398 | Sen. Clarke Tucker and Rep. Jeremy Wooldridge | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would clarify a current constitutional requirement that the Secretary of State’s Office, after reviewing submitted petition materials, including signatures, must allow ballot measure campaigns a 30-day period to fix any issues that make their proposed ballot measure insufficient to appear on the ballot. It is on the agenda for the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
New and Scheduled: 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 is on the agenda of the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
New and Scheduled: HB1637 | Rep. David Ray and Sen. Mark Johnson | House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
If this bill passes, the Department of Finance and Administration will be required to produce fiscal impact statements for ballot measures proposed by the legislation and citizen-led initiatives which ballot text has been approved by the Attorney General. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Monday, March 10.
Health
Scheduled: HB1004 | Rep. Aaron Pilkington and Sen. Breanne Davis | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would extend pregnancy Medicaid coverage to a full year postpartum. Right now, such coverage ends just 60 days after delivery. Despite our state having the highest maternal mortality rate in the nation, Arkansas is the only state that has not extended postpartum coverage for women beyond 60 days. It is on the agenda of the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Juvenile Justice
Scheduled: 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 is on the agenda for the Senate Judiciary Committee at 10am on Monday, March 10.
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
Scheduled: HB1434 | Rep. Ashley Hudson and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Judiciary Committee
This bill proposes amendments to child custody law, specifically addressing cases involving domestic abuse or coercive control. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption against awarding custody or unsupervised visitation to a parent or guardian found to have committed abuse or coercive control, requiring them to prove that their involvement will not endanger the child. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Scheduled: HJR1001 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House 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 approved the measure, it would create a nine-member, citizens’ redistricting commission that would redraw congressional and legislative districts following the census. After a public application process, commission members would be selected by a panel of three retired judges, appointed by the Supreme Court Chief Justice. It is on the agenda for the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the adjournment of the House on Monday, March 10.
Scheduled: HJR1003 | Rep. Andrew Collins | House 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 approved the measure, a constitutional amendment would be created that would require that any proposed changes to government transparency laws be approved by a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly. Then the proposal would be placed on the ballot during the next general election for voters’ consideration. An exception would be made for changes that were necessary for public safety. Under those circumstances, the changes could be passed by the General Assembly with a nine-tenths vote. The changes would go into effect immediately but would still require voters’ approval to remain in effect. The resolution would also prevent the state legislature from referring amendments that would amend this change. It is on the agenda for the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the adjournment of the House on Monday, March 10.
Family Economic Security
Scheduled: SB241 | Sen. Jamie Scott and Rep. Aaron Pilkington | Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
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 is on the agenda for the Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Health
Scheduled: HB1275 | Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Blake Johnson | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would prohibit health care insurers from requiring prior authorization for treatment of a mental health crisis. It is on the agenda of the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee for 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Progressed: HB1559 | Rep. Richard McGrew and Sen. Justin Boyd | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
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 House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Tuesday and the full House on Wednesday.
Progressed and Scheduled: HB1677 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. John Payton | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
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 House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee on Thursday and is scheduled to be heard by the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, March 10.
Tax and Budget
New: SB377 | Sen. Bart Hester and Rep. Kendon Underwood | Senate 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%). Find news coverage on this bill: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Times, Talk Business and Politics, and KATV.
New and Scheduled: HB1685 | Rep. Kendon Underwood and Sen. Bart Hester | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
This is the companion bill to SB377. The content in HB1685 and SB377 is identical. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
New and 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 Tuesday, March 11.
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
New and Scheduled: HB1653 | Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Missy Irvin | House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee
This bill would allow the number of psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) beds in Arkansas to increase by up to 1,000 additional 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 is scheduled to be heard by the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Democracy and Voting Rights
Now Law: SB208 is now Act 240 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This new law requires that canvassers request and review a photo ID before allowing a voter to sign a ballot measure petition. Read news coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB209 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would disqualify all signatures collected by a canvasser, including legitimate signatures, if a canvasser is found to have violated Arkansas law or the Arkansas Constitution while collecting signatures for a petition. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is scheduled to be heard by the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, March 10.
Progressed and Scheduled: SB210 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This bill would require canvassers to read the ballot title of a measure out loud to a voter or observe a voter read the ballot title before allowing them to sign a ballot measure petition. It passed the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs on Wednesday. It is scheduled to be heard by the full House at 1:30pm on Monday, March 10.
Now Law: SB211 is now Act 241 | Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood | Senate Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs
This new law requires canvassers to file an affidavit with the Secretary of State’s office before the signatures they collected can be counted and prevents them from collecting additional signatures after a campaign has submitted signatures to the Secretary of State’s office until the Secretary of State’s office determines the campaign met certain requirements. Read news coverage: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Scheduled: HJR1017 | Rep. David Ray and Sen. John Payton | House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee
If this proposed ballot measure were approved by the General Assembly, it would be placed on the 2026 ballot for voters’ consideration. The measure would add that for a ballot measure to pass and become law, in addition to receiving a majority of votes overall, it would also need to receive a majority of votes in a majority of counties. It is on the agenda for the House Committee on State Agencies and Governmental Affairs 15 minutes after the adjournment of the House on Monday, March 10.
Equity
Scheduled: HB1615 | Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Gary Stubblefield | House Judiciary Committee
This bill would prohibit the government from taking any action against faith-based foster care and adoption agencies that do not work with or place children with LGBTQ+ individuals or couples due to a foster care or adoption agency’s religious beliefs regarding marriage or what it means to be male or female. It further would prohibit higher education from requiring that a student participate in a program that would violate their “sincerely held” religious beliefs about marriage and “biological sex.” This bill also would allow religious institutions to refuse services to LGBTQ+ couples attempting to get married, refuse to rent or sell a dwelling, make decisions of hiring and firing, or refuse to allow access to locker or changing rooms. 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 is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
New and Scheduled: HB1668 | Rep. Mary Bentley and Sen. Alan Clark | House Judiciary Committee
This bill would define “castration, sterilization, and mutilation” of a minor to include using legally prescribed medications that temporarily stop puberty. It would also define the term “social transitioning” to mean any act by which a minor adopts or espouses a gender identity that differs from the minor’s biological sex, such as changes to clothing, pronouns, hairstyle, and name. The bill would allow the minor or their parent to sue for damages related to “social transitioning” or “castration, sterilization, and mutilation” for 15 years after the alleged harm. A person could recover statutory damages of at least $10,000 per defendant and punitive damages of $10 million for certain medical interventions. Additionally, the bill would apply “extraterritorially,” meaning it could target out-of-state individuals and providers who assist Arkansas residents in accessing gender-affirming care, which could be as little as providing a haircut for a trans teen to help support their transition, teachers who use a student’s chosen name, and therapists who offer counseling. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
New: 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. This bill would also mandate that the state would 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.”
Family Economic Security
Stalled: SB307 | Sen. Jonathan Dismang and Rep. Les D. Eaves | Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce
This bill would retool the ability of public utilities in Arkansas to finance strategic investments by allowing the utilities to recover costs during the period of construction instead of after, as the current law mandates. It would reduce the oversight of the Public Service Commission in the process and would change the energy rate increase rules without protections for lower income residents. It was heard by the full Senate on Thursday but did not pass. The record of the vote was expunged, however, so it may be heard again. Find news coverage on this bill: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Advocate, Arkansas Advocate (again), and Talk Business and Politics.
Immigrant Families
New and Scheduled: HB1655 | Rep. Wayne Long | House Judiciary Committee
This bill would create a new state-level felony of “harboring illegal immigrants,” an offense that the legislation describes as concealing, harboring or shielding from protection someone who is undocumented. It also would create the state-level felony of “human smuggling,” which would include transporting an undocumented immigrant into Arkansas. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
Tax and Budget
Scheduled: HB1500 | Rep. Howard M. Beaty, Jr. and Sen. Ben Gilmore | House Committee on Revenue and Taxation
During the 2023 regular session, the legislature approved legislation to eliminate the “throwback rule” by 2030. This bill would repeal the rule effective immediately (for the 2025 tax year). The throwback rule prevents corporations from paying their fair share by claiming large amounts of out-of-state sales. As these sales go completely untaxed, state revenue from corporate tax is reduced. It is scheduled to be heard by the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation at 10am on Tuesday, March 11.
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