Daily Legislative Update: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Photo by Will Newton/Arkansas House of Representatives
Tuesday, April 8, 2025 – Day 86
LEGISLATIVE SCHEDULE
The Senate will convene at 1:00 p.m., and the House will convene at 1:30 p.m.
Committees are now following irregular meeting schedules. For the latest updates, visit www.arkleg.state.ar.us, where you can find committee schedules, agendas, and live streams.
**CALL-TO-ACTION**
ASK STATE SENATORS TO OPPOSE HB 1150
HB 1150 – Rep. Jeremiah Moore and Sen. Kim Hammer
This bill seeks to restrict pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) from obtaining specific pharmacy permits.
It is on todays agenda in the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee.
HB 1150 is a dangerous experiment, untested by any other state in the nation. The immediate, known impact of the bill includes the closure of dozens of retail pharmacies, suspension of home delivery prescription drug programs, and restricted access to specialty pharmacies.
This government mandate would interfere with employer healthcare decisions, increase prescription costs, and eliminate essential pharmacy services. By banning pharmacies affiliated with PBMs, this bill would:
- Shut down 35 retail pharmacies, disrupting thousands of patients’ lives by forcing them to find a new pharmacy.
- Suspend home delivery prescription programs, forcing patients to wait longer and pay more.
- Restrict access to specialty pharmacies, limiting options for patients with complex conditions like heart disease and autoimmune disorders.
- Impose government interference into the private market, dictating decisions best left to businesses and employers.
Arkansas employers and employees will bear the burden of these disruptions through higher costs, fewer choices, and reduced healthcare benefits.
Please contact state senators today and urge them to vote NO on HB 1150.
Call 501-682-6211 to leave a message
**CALL-TO-ACTION**
ASK STATE REPRESENTATIVES TO OPPOSE HB 1930
HB 1930 – Rep. Jeff Wardlaw and Sen. Justin Boyd
Received a “Do Pass” recommendation last night from the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. It will likely be on the House Calendar tomorrow.
HB 1930 proposes mandating minimum reimbursement levels for healthcare providers in Arkansas. Although the bill intends to address low reimbursement rates, the language in this bill would cause a significant increase in healthcare costs for employers, employees, and self-funded health plans, including those operated by private businesses, private higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations.
This is a thinly disguised tax increase.
If enacted, HB 1930 would have broad and costly consequences across the state:
- Employers and employees could see a 30% increase in insurance premiums, according to one in-state insurance provider—amounting to approximately $1,200 to $1,500 more per covered individual each year.
- A family of four would see an annual premium increase between $4,800 and $6,000. Employers would face the decision of how much of the increase to absorb.
- These increases could result in benefit cuts, including ending health insurance coverage.
- Private businesses and nonprofits would be forced to absorb higher costs, making it harder to provide affordable coverage to their employees.
State employees, including public higher education employees are protected from the increases.
Rather than strengthening the healthcare system, HB 1930 risks undermining it by making Arkansas less competitive for business investment, job creation, and talent retention. While the State Chamber/AIA supports improving access to healthcare, a state-level cost shift to private entities and their employees is not the right approach.
Please contact your state representative and urge them to oppose HB 1930.
Call 501-682-6211 to leave a message.
AT THE CAPITOL: A SYNOPSIS OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Bills on Floor Calendars Today
HB 1797 – Seeks to amend the law concerning the Arkansas Development Finance Authority and a portion of the Arkansas Code resulting from Initiated Act 1 of 2000; and to declare an emergency. Senate calendar. We support this bill, which is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s legislative package.
HB 1807 – Amends the sales tax exemption for aircraft held for resale and used for rental or charter and clarifies eligibility for the exemption. House floor. We support this bill.
HB 1922 – Seeks to amend the Consolidated Incentive Act of 2003; create an income tax credit for relocating corporate headquarters to Arkansas; and encourage corporate relocations to the state. House calendar. We support this bill, which is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s legislative package.
SB 258 – Known as the Arkansas Digital Responsibility, Safety, and Trust Act, this bill seeks to address technology privacy and artificial intelligence (AI). Senate calendar. We oppose this bill.
SB 322 – Allows third parties to review plans and perform site inspections. House calendar. We support this bill.
SB 610 – Amends the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025. Senate calendar.
SB 613 – Creates an election procedure to determine fluoridation policies for public water systems. Senate calendar.
SB 615 – Amends energy regulations to address non-export facilities and prohibit discrimination against them. Senate floor.
Bills on Committee Agendas Today
SJR 15 – A constitutional amendment concerning economic development in Arkansas; authorizing the General Assembly to create economic development districts to promote economic growth. Senate State Agencies Committee. We support this joint resolution, which is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s legislative package.
SJR 2 – A constitutional amendment to create the Arkansas Apportionment Commission to apportion districts for the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the United States House of Representatives. Senate State Agencies Committee.
HJR 1018 – The Citizens Only Voting Amendment. Passed the House yesterday 82-6 and is on today’s Senate State Agencies Agenda.
HB 1706 – would prohibit ranked choice voting. Senate State Agencies Committee. We support this bill.
HB 1750 – Repeals the franchise tax. House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill that is part of our tax package.
HB 1754 – seeks to limit/eliminate local zoning authorities. House Judiciary. We oppose this bill.
HB 1800 – Seeks to amend disclosure laws requiring reporting of foreign spending in political activities. Senate State Agencies Committee. We are working on an amendment.
HB 1924 – Seeks to repeal the requirement that the State Board of Education establish rules regarding the implementation of four-day school weeks. House Education Committee.
HB 1940 – Seeks to establish the requirements for a public school district that initiates and maintains a four-day school week. House Education Committee.
HB 1970 – Amends the law on prepayment of sales tax by increasing the threshold for retailers required to prepay. House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill would benefit small retailers.
HB 1971 – Modifies requirements for information provided by the Department of Finance and Administration to cities and counties. House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We’ve proposed an amendment to this bill.
SB 390 – creates an apprenticeship program. House Education Committee. We support this bill.
SB 537 – establishes the Earning Safe Reentry Through Work Act, allowing individuals on probation, parole, or post-release supervision to earn time credits through employment. House Judiciary Committee. We join ARSHRM in support of this bill.
SB 546 – To amend the law concerning the trust fund contribution fee for water permits related to nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment works. House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.
SB 560 – seeks to decrease the unemployment insurance base contribution rate, increase the administrative assessment rate to increase funding for the state’s skilled workforce and amend the Department of Workforce Services (DWS) Training Trust Fund. House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. We support this bill that will provide much needed additional funds to the DWS Training Trust Fund at no cost to employers.
SB 568 – To amend the law concerning taxes applicable to lithium extraction and development; provide a sales and use tax exemption for lithium resource development; and amend the severance tax on lithium. Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill, which is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s legislative package.
Tomorrow at the Capitol
HB 1442 – Seeks to place additional restrictions on pharmacy contracting, potentially increasing costs for businesses and consumers. Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee. We oppose this bill.
HB 1656 – Seeks to make changes to existing royalty contracts. Senate Agriculture and Economic Development Committee. We oppose this bill.
HB 1955 – Seeks to repeal the Shielded Outdoor Lighting. House Insurance and Commerce Committee.
HB 1956 – Create the Arkansas Nighttime Environment Protection Act. House Insurance and Commerce Committee.
HB 1900 – Seeks to amend the law regarding information provided to royalty owners related to deductions and to amend the law concerning sanctions for non-compliance related to information provided to royalty owners. House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee. We oppose this bill.
SB 462 – Provides for re-entering convicted persons to obtain a certificate of employability which will then provide some protection to employers for alleged “negligent hiring.” Senate Judiciary Committee. We join the Arkansas Society of Human Resource Managers (ARSHRM) in support of this bill.
SB 571 – Seeks to amend the law concerning municipal building and zoning regulations; and to prohibit a municipality from enforcing building and zoning regulations on county property. House floor.
SB 607 – Establishes requirements for public school districts implementing and maintaining a four-day school week. Senate Education Committee.
Yesterday at the Capitol
HB 1444 – Seeks to amend the sales and use tax exemption for data centers. This bill passed in the House yesterday 76-9 and has been sent to the Governor. We support this bill, which is part of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission’s legislative package.
HB 1571 – Amends the Arkansas Adult Diploma Program Act. Passed in the Senate yesterday 34-0. We support this bill.
HB 1852 – Establishes a right to repair for certain agricultural equipment. Passed the House yesterday 67-17 and has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture and Economic Development Committee.
SB 361 – Seeks to create the Industrial Development Authorities Expansion Act, providing for the creation of industrial development authorities to secure and develop industry and foster economic development. Passed in the House yesterday 75-3. We support this bill.
SB 567 – Seeks to amend and modernize the law concerning the apportionment of income derived from multistate operations and to change the method for sourcing of receipts for services and intangibles. Passed the Senate yesterday.
Newly Tracked Bills
HB 1996 – Rep. Zachary Gramlich
Amends child labor laws from Initiated Act 1 of 1914; establishes educational alternatives to civil penalties for certain violations; creates child labor educational materials.
HB 2001 – Rep. Stetson Painter and Sen. Kim Hammer
Creates the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Reform and Efficiency Act of 2025; amends laws related to the Arkansas Towing and Recovery Board.
Pending Bills We Support
Our tax package includes these four bills because the Tax Foundation has identified these measures as critical to improving Arkansas’ tax competitiveness ranking. All await consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
- HB 1500 – Repeals the throwback rule
- HB 1501 – Aligns Arkansas’ income tax law with federal standards for expensing depreciable business assets
- HB 1538 – Extends the net operating loss carryforward period
- HB 1750 – Repeals the franchise tax
Other bills we support:
HB 1435 – Provides income tax credits for childcare. We support this bill.
HB 1446 – Seeks to amend the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship Program. House Education Committee. We support this bill.
HB 1469 – Establishes the Broadband Expansion and Efficiency Act. House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.
Pending Arkansas Economic Development Commission Bills That We Support
HB 1435 – To amend the law concerning income tax credits for childcare; amend the income tax credit for employer-provided childcare; provide an income tax credit for licensed child care providers; and declare an emergency. House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.
HJR 1014 – A constitutional amendment concerning economic development in Arkansas; authorizing the General Assembly to create economic development districts to promote economic growth. House State Agencies Committee. We support this bill.
SB 465 – To provide a sales and use tax refund for speculative development projects; require concurrent financial incentive agreements under the Consolidated Incentive Act of 2003. Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.
To view the status of each of the bills we support, click HERE.
Pending bills we oppose:
SB 5 – Establishes a criminal offense for prescription drug harm or homicide Senate Judiciary Committee. We oppose this bill.
SB 6 – Introduces a criminal offense for vaccine harm. Senate Judiciary Committee. We oppose this bill.
SB 7 – Seeks to grant legislators the ability to request sales and use tax reports. This bill failed in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee before spring break but is back on the committee agenda. We have concerns about confidentiality and business privacy. We oppose this bill.
SB 456 – Seeks to limit/eliminate local zoning authorities. Senate floor. We oppose this bill.
To view the status of each of the bills we oppose, click HERE.
Bills of Interest
SB 556 – Seeks to prohibit surface discharge of wastewater into a watershed. Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.
SB 557 – Seeks to amend law concerning water permits and discharge of wastewater, to authorize denials of applicants that have a history of noncompliance and to prohibit certain discharge of wastewater. Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.
SB 589 – Seeks to create the 340B Program Transparency Act and amend the law concerning transparency and accountability for certain 340B-covered entities. Senate Health Welfare and Labor Committee.
SB 596 – Seeks to amend the law regarding energy and establish a state energy policy. Also regulate retirement of dispatchable electric generation facilities. Senate floor.