TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING AN EXTENDED POST-CONVICTION NO CONTACT ORDER; AND TO ADD SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE TO THE OFFENSES FOR WHICH A COURT MAY ISSUE AN EXTENDED POST-CONVICTION NO CONTACT ORDER.

HB 1628 adds "sexual assault in the second degree" to the list of offenses requiring courts to issue extended post-conviction no-contact orders when requested by prosecutors. This directly affects individuals convicted of sexual assault in the second degree and their victims, who will now automatically receive these protective orders after sentencing. The bill amends Arkansas Code § 5-4-106(b) to include this offense alongside existing violent crimes like murder, rape, and domestic battery. Courts must now issue these no-contact orders for this specific crime, expanding the scope of protections for victims. The change became law as Act 367 on March 20, 2025.