TO ADD A FELONY OFFENSE THAT FALLS UNDER THE DEFINITION OF RESTRICTED RELEASE FELONY WITH RESPECT TO RELEASE ELIGIBILITY AND PROCEDURES FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1, 2025.

HB 1563 adds "knowingly exposing another person to fentanyl in the first degree" (under Arkansas Code § 5-13-214(b)) as a felony offense that qualifies as a "restricted release felony" for release eligibility and procedures. This means individuals convicted of this specific fentanyl exposure offense, committed on or after January 1, 2025, will be ineligible for certain early release programs under Arkansas law. The bill directly affects people convicted of this new offense by restricting their release options. The change applies only to offenses occurring after the specified date, and the bill became law as Act 356 on March 20, 2025.