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Daily Legislative Update: Monday, February 24, 2025

Date
Category Daily Legislative Update
Photo courtesy of the Arkansas Senate

Monday, February 24, 2025 – Day 42

TODAY AT THE CAPITOL
The House Education Committee met at 10:00 a.m. The House and Senate will convene at 1:30 p.m. The Senate Transportation and House State Agencies Committees will meet after floor sessions adjourn. To view committee schedules, agendas, and live streams—including live coverage of the House and Senate—visit www.arkleg.state.ar.us. 

HB 1049 – Rep. Dwight Tosh and Sen. Ron Caldwell
This bill would amend Arkansas law concerning criminal offenses and criminalize unlawful squatting. This bill is on today’s Senate Calendar. 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 is on today’s House Calendar. We support this bill.

SB 206 – Sen. Steve Crowell and Rep. Rebecca Burkes
This bill amends the Right to Read Act, adjusting the amount of literacy tutoring grants awarded under the Act. This bill is on today’s House Calendar.

SB 207 thru 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 207 – Amends laws regarding initiative and referendum petitions, requiring canvassers to disclose that petition fraud is a Class A misdemeanor. This bill is on today’s House Calendar.
  • SB 208 – Requires canvassers to request photo identification before obtaining a petition signature. This bill is on today’s agenda in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 209 – Disqualifies signatures obtained by a canvasser under specific circumstances. This bill is on today’s Senate Calendar for reconsideration of the emergency clause.
  • SB 210 – Requires petition signers to read the ballot title in the presence of a canvasser. This bill is on today’s Senate Calendar for reconsideration of the emergency clause.
  • SB 211 – Mandates that canvassers submit an affidavit before collected petition signatures can be counted. This bill is on today’s agenda in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 212 – Establishes the Document Validity Division. This bill awaits consideration in the Senate State Agencies Committee.

 

TOMORROW AT THE CAPITOL
HB 1483 – Rep. Zachary Gramlich
This bill allows public school districts to use state funds for contracted adult education programs. This bill is on Tuesday’s agenda in the House Education Committee.

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 is on Tuesday’s agenda in the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee.

HB 1506 – Rep. Wade Andrews and Sen. Matt McKee
This bill amends laws concerning public officers and employees; it prohibits public employers from deducting labor organization membership dues from employee compensation. This bill is on Tuesday’s agenda in the House Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee. We support this bill.

 

PENDING BILLS
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.

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. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session. We support this bill.

HB 1500 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore
This bill enhances economic competitiveness by repealing the throwback rule. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session. 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; increases the allowable amount for expensing certain depreciable business assets to align with federal law. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill that is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session.

HB 1435 – Rep. Brandon Achor and Sen. Jane English
This bill amends 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. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation 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. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support 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. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

SB 188 – Sen. Clarke Tucker
This bill seeks to amend Arkansas law concerning initiative petitions and referendum petitions and require public posting of statewide initiative petitions and referendum petitions. This bill awaits consideration in the Senate State Agencies Committee.

 

NEWLY TRACKED BILLS
We added no bills to our tracking list based on the three bills filed on Friday.