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Daily Legislative Update: Friday, February 28, 2025

Date
Category Daily Legislative Update

Friday, February 28, 2025 – Day 46

TODAY AT THE CAPITOL
The House and Senate are in recess until 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoon. To view committee schedules, agendas, and live streams—including live coverage of the House and Senate—visit www.arkleg.state.ar.us.

 

YESTERDAY AT THE CAPITOL

SB 307 – Sen. Jonathan Dismang and Rep. Les Eaves
This bill amends public utilities law; establishes the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025. This bill received a “Do Pass” recommendation yesterday from the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee.

HCR 1006 – House Speaker Brian Evans and Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester
This resolution seeks to extend the session beyond its 60 day maximum and calls for adjournment no later than April 16, with sine die adjournment no later than May 5. The House recalled this bill, expunged a voice vote by which it passed, and re-voted yesterday, passing it 94-1. It has been referred to the Senate Calendar.

SB 208 – 212 – Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood
The following bills from the Secretary of State’s office seek to improve the ballot initiative process:

  • SB 208 – Requires canvassers to request photo identification before obtaining a petition signature. This bill received a “Do Pass” yesterday from the Senate State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 209 – Disqualifies signatures obtained by a canvasser under specific circumstances. This bill is on Monday’s agenda in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 210 – Requires petition signers to read the ballot title in the presence of a canvasser. This bill is on Monday’s agenda in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 211 – Mandates that canvassers submit an affidavit before collected petition signatures can be counted. This bill received a “Do Pass” yesterday from the Senate State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 212 – Establishes the Document Validity Division. This bill failed in the Senate State Agencies Committee yesterday.

HB 1435 – Rep. Brandon Achor and Sen. Jane English
This bill seeks to amend the law regarding income tax credits for childcare by modifying the employer-provided childcare credit and establishing a new income tax credit for licensed childcare providers. A second amendment was adopted yesterday, and the bill awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1413 – Rep. Matthew Shepherd and Sen. Matt Stone
This bill from the state Department of Energy & Environment seeks to amend laws concerning brine production and the formation of brine production units. This bill received a “Do Pass” recommendation yesterday from the Senate Agriculture Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1442 – Rep. Brandon Achor and Sen. Dave Wallace
This bill seeks to set restrictions on pharmacy contracting and conflicts of interest and to establish pharmaceutical patient freedom of choice. This bill received a “Do Pass” recommendation yesterday from the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee.

SB 188 – Sen. Clarke Tucker
This bill seeks to amend Arkansas law concerning initiative petitions and referendum petitions and requires public posting of statewide initiative petitions and referendum petitions. This bill received a “Do Pass” recommendation yesterday from the Senate State Agencies Committee.

HB 1576 – Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Joshua Bryant
This bill prohibits the placement of solid waste landfills or transfer stations over Karst topography. An amendment was adopted to this bill yesterday, and it awaits consideration in the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

 

MONDAY AT THE CAPITOL

SB 258 – Sen. Clint Penzo and Rep. Stephen Meeks
This bill seeks to create the Arkansas Digital Responsibility, Safety and Trust Act. This bill is set to be heard as a Special Order of Business on Monday in the Senate Transportation and Technology Committee. This bill needs significant amendments.

HB 1574 – Rep. DeAnn Vaught and Sen. Kim Hammer
This bill amends the law concerning canvassers by requiring Arkansas domicile. This bill is on Monday’s agenda in the House State Agencies Committee.

 

PENDING BILLS

Workers’ Compensation Bills
SB 284 – SB 288 – Sen. John Payton
These bills seek to amend various provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Law:

  • SB 284 – Expands ability of claimants to change physicians from one time to once a year.
  • SB 285 – Modifies compensation restrictions to increase maximum weekly benefit for disability or death from 66 2/3rds to 70% of the employee’s average weekly wage. Sets a maximum annual salary total of weekly benefit payments of $120,000. Similar increases apply to permanent partial disability rates.
  • SB 286 – Creates flexibility in determining impairment ratings based on job requirements. Expands wage loss disability to injuries that currently have wage loss disability built into existing benefits without reducing that built in consideration in the Act.
  • SB 287 – Allows attorney fees for controverted medical expenses.
  • SB 288 – Expands ability of claimants to change specialist physicians from one time to once a year.

All have been placed on the deferred list in the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. The sponsor plans to schedule a Special Order of Business to hear all five of these bills. We oppose these bills.

HB 1500 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore
This bill enhances economic competitiveness by repealing the throwback rule. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA tax package. We support this bill.

HB 1501 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore
This bill adopts federal income tax law regarding depreciation and expensing of property. It increases the allowable amount for expensing certain depreciable business assets to align with federal law. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA tax package. We support this bill.

HB 1538 – Rep. David Ray
This bill seeks to extend the state’s existing net operating loss carry forward law from 10 years to 20 years. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA tax package. We support this bill.
HB 1500, 1501, and 1538 await consideration in the House Revenue & Taxation Committee.

HB 1446 – Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Jane English
This bill seeks to amend the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship Program by adding the ability for scholarship funds to go towards a public or private vocational – technical school or institute in Arkansas. The bill is focused on associate degrees or certificate programs that result in a portable license or certificate in high demand fields including manufacturing, health care trades, information technology, construction trades, and logistics and distribution. This bill awaits consideration in the House Education Committee. We support this bill.

HJR 1014 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Jonathan Dismang
This constitutional amendment concerns economic development in the state of Arkansas. It authorizes the General Assembly to provide for the creation of economic development districts to promote economic development. This joint resolution awaits consideration in the House State Agencies Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1469 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Blake Johnson
This bill creates the Broadband Expansion and Efficiency Act and a sales and use tax exemption for machinery and equipment used in producing broadband communications services. This bill awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1560 – Rep. Richard McGrew and Sen. Ronald Caldwell
This bill amends public works contracts law. It requires pricing information for lighting components in public works projects. This bill awaits consideration in the House State Agencies Committee. We oppose this bill.

HB 1150 – Rep. Jeremiah Moore and Sen. Kim Hammer
This bill prohibits healthcare payors and pharmacy benefits managers from obtaining specific pharmacy permits. It awaits consideration in the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. We oppose this bill.

HB 1521 – Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Jim Petty
This bill from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission seeks to repeal certain unused, underused, no longer needed or unfunded tax incentives. This bill awaits clarification/modification before it will be considered in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill with adjustments to a couple of sections.

HB 1582 – Rep. Mindy McAlindon and Sen. Jane English
This bill requires individuals to meet specific conditions to be eligible for benefits under the Division of Workforce Services law. This bill awaits consideration in the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

 

NEWLY TRACKED BILLS
We added seven bills to our tracking list based on the bills filed yesterday.

HB 1620 – Rep. Zachary Gramlich and Sen. Kim Hammer
Amends the law regarding pharmacy benefits managers, regulating the processing and payment of pharmacy claims. Filed.

HB 1627 – Rep. Lincoln Barnett
Amends property tax relief laws; requires counties to notify taxpayers about certain property tax relief options. Filed.

SB 329 – Sen. Justin Boyd and Rep. Rebecca Burkes
Creates the Online Marketplace Guarantees Act. Referred to the Senate Insurance and Commerce committee.

SB 331 – Sen. Greg Leding and Rep. Lee Johnson
Concerns coverage for genetic testing for inherited cancer mutations; establishes the Genetic Testing Act. Referred to the Senate Insurance and Commerce committee.

SB 338 – Sen. Ricky Hill and Rep. Bart Schulz
Provides sales and use tax exemptions for student farmers and youth farming program projects. Referred to the Senate Revenue and Taxation committee.

SB 342 – Sen. Alan Clark
Amends laws regarding injuries to certain animals by dogs and authorizes treble damages. Referred to the Senate Judiciary committee.

SB 345 – Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Carol Dalby
Promotes tourism and economic development by streamlining private club permitting for hotels, restaurants, and large-event facilities; removes an overly burdensome tax requirement. Referred to the Senate City, County and Local Affairs committee.