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Daily Legislative Update: Thursday, February 27, 2025

Date
Category Daily Legislative Update
Photo by Will Newton/Arkansas House of Representatives

Thursday, February 27, 2025 – Day 45

TODAY AT THE CAPITOL
Standing committees met at 10:00 a.m. The Senate will convene at 12:30 p.m., and the House will convene at 1:30 p.m. To view committee schedules, agendas, and live streams—including live coverage of the House and Senate—visit www.arkleg.state.ar.us.

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 is on today’s agenda in the Senate State Agencies Committee for concurrence in a House amendment.
  • SB 209 – Disqualifies signatures obtained by a canvasser under specific circumstances. Awaits consideration in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • SB 210 – Requires petition signers to read the ballot title in the presence of a canvasser. Awaits consideration in the House State Agencies Committee.
  • 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. An amendment was adopted to this bill yesterday and it is on today’s agenda in the Senate State Agencies Committee.

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. An amendment was adopted yesterday, and the bill is on today’s agenda 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 is on today’s agenda in the Senate Agriculture 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 is on today’s agenda in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

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

HB 1483 – Rep. Zachary Gramlich
This bill allows public school districts to use state funds for contracted adult education programs. This bill is on today’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. A second amendment was added to this bill yesterday and it is on today’s agenda in 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 to require public posting of statewide initiative petitions and referendum petitions. This bill is on today’s agenda in 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. This bill is on today’s House Calendar to adopt an amendment and awaits consideration in the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

 

STATE CHAMBER/AIA TAX PACKAGE

HB 1500 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore
This bill enhances economic competitiveness by repealing the throwback rule.

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.

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. These bills are on today’s agenda in the House Revenue & Taxation Committee but are not expected to run today. We also have a fourth bill under development. We support these bills.

 

YESTERDAY AT THE CAPITOL

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. This resolution was recalled from the Senate yesterday by the House.

 

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. The maximum annual salary total of weekly benefit payments is increased to $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 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 1560 – Rep. Richard McGrew and Sen. Ronald Caldwell
This bill amends public works contracts law; 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 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 to the bill before consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill with adjustments to a couple of sections.

SB 307 – Sen. Jonathan Dismang and Rep. Les Eaves
This bill amends public utilities law, establishes the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025. Referred to the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee.

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. Referred to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

 

NEWLY TRACKED BILLS
We added 12 bills to our tracking list based on bills filed yesterday.

HB 1594 – Rep. DeAnn Vaught and Sen. Tyler Dees
Creates a farmer sales tax identification card and relieves sellers of sales tax remittance liability upon good faith acceptance of the card. Referred to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

HB 1595 – Rep. Trey Steimel and Sen. Justin Boyd
Enacts the State Insurance Department’s general omnibus amendment to the Arkansas Insurance Code. Referred to the House Insurance and Commerce Committee.

HB 1598 – Rep. Keith Brooks and Sen. Jane English
This bill requires the Department of Education to establish a new public school accountability system and suspends school ratings for certain years. Referred to the House Education Committee.

HB 1599 – Rep. Randy Torres and Sen. Dave Wallace
Provides tax exemptions for certain types of property. Referred to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

HB 1601 – Rep. Lee Johnson
Mandates state-supported higher education institutions to offer career counseling and additional student resources. Referred to the House Education Committee.

HB 1602 – Rep. Lee Johnson and Sen. Kim Hammer
Amends the Arkansas Pharmacy Benefits Manager Licensure Act, establishes fees, and requires certain reporting by pharmacy benefits managers. Referred to the House Insurance and Commerce Committee.

HB 1605 – Rep. Carlton Wing and Sen. Joshua Bryant
Makes the Construction Manager-General Contractor procurement program permanent for the State Highway Commission. Referred to the House Public Transportation Committee.

SB 316 – Sen. Blake Johnson and Rep. Howard Beaty
Amends sales and use tax laws to require that rebates be administered as refunds. Referred to the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.

SB 318 – Sen. Fred Love
Creates an income tax exemption for certain individuals based on income and age. Referred to the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.

SB 319 – Sen. Justin Boyd and Rep. John Maddox
Amends the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act to clarify charging orders. Referred to the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee.

SB 322 – Sen. Joshua Bryant and Rep. Aaron Pilkington
Amends laws concerning construction and development by allowing third parties to conduct plan reviews and site inspections. Referred to the Senate City, County and Local Affairs Committee.

SB 323 – Sen. Joshua Bryant and Rep. Austin McCollum
Amends the Horizontal Property Act. Referred to the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee.