Rep. Alyssa Brown

Maddy summaryHMR 1012 is a House Memorial Resolution honoring Hettie Lue Brooks, a Hot Springs resident whose decades of community and international service - including founding Brookhill Ranch Summer Camp, Christian Ministries Church, and a school in Belize - positively impacted thousands of Arkansans and people worldwide. The resolution, adopted by the Arkansas House of Representatives on April 10, 2025, formally recognizes her legacy as an Arkansas legend without creating new laws or policies. It directs that a copy be presented to her family, as specified in the resolution's adoption. This is a commemorative measure with no direct legislative effect on public policy or funding.

Maddy summaryThis is a ceremonial House Resolution (HR 1112), not a substantive bill. It formally recognizes the West Side Greers Ferry High School Lady Eagles basketball team as the 2025 Class 1A state champions following their championship victory. The resolution contains no policy changes or funding; it serves solely as a symbolic gesture of appreciation from the Arkansas House of Representatives. The resolution was adopted by the House on April 10, 2025, and includes a plan to present a copy to their head coach.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates March 29, 2025, as Vietnam War Veterans Day and March 2025 as Vietnam Era Veterans Month in Arkansas. It formally recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of Vietnam War veterans through state-level ceremonial observance. The resolution does not create new laws, programs, or benefits - it serves solely as a symbolic gesture of appreciation. It affects Arkansas residents by establishing official dates for state-level recognition of veterans' service.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 320 amends multiple Arkansas statutes to update references to the Arkansas Juvenile Code of 1989, specifically citing sections §9-27-301 et seq. and §9-35-101 et seq. The bill clarifies how the juvenile code applies to cases involving underage alcohol possession, custody transfers, and juvenile delinquency proceedings. It ensures consistent legal references across statutes without changing substantive law. This affects juvenile courts, law enforcement, and child welfare agencies when handling cases under the juvenile code.

Maddy summaryHB 1636 would phase out Arkansas' soft drink tax by gradually eliminating it based on sales tax collections from soft drink sales. The bill proposed replacing the current tax with a system tied directly to existing sales tax data, ensuring a smooth transition. This change would directly affect soft drink retailers (who collect the tax) and consumers (who pay it). The legislation aimed to replace an outdated tax structure with one aligned to current sales tax reporting practices.

Maddy summarySB 293 is a technical amendment to election law that updates the legal references governing required postings at polling sites. It modifies specific sections of the law (changing references from §7-1-103 and §7-1-104 to §7-1-103(a)(18)(B) and §7-1-104(a)(10)) but does not change the actual requirements for what notices or materials must be displayed. The bill directly affects election officials and polling locations by clarifying the statutory basis for posting requirements. It passed unanimously and became Act 487 on April 9, 2025, with no substantive changes to voter-facing procedures.

Maddy summaryHB 1705 (now Act 478) requires public school social studies standards to include specific content about how the religious and moral beliefs of the founding fathers influenced the founding of the United States. This law directly affects K-12 students and educators in the state by mandating that existing social studies curriculum standards incorporate this historical perspective. The bill amends standards to explicitly reference "religious and moral beliefs" held by the founding fathers and their role in shaping the nation's founding principles. It does not create new educational programs but revises current standards to include this specific historical analysis.

Maddy summaryHB 1554, titled "The Assisted Reproductive Technology Reporting Act," would have required fertility clinics to submit anonymized statistical data on assisted reproductive technology procedures to the state health department. The bill specifically directed that reports include only aggregated, non-identifiable statistics - such as procedure types and outcomes - without any personally identifiable information about patients or providers. It aimed to create standardized data collection for public health tracking, affecting all clinics performing these procedures within the state. The bill was amended to clarify data privacy requirements and withdrawn by its author in April 2025, with no further legislative action taken.

Maddy summaryAct 400 (formerly SB 223) establishes the "Religious Rights at Public Schools Act of 2025" for Arkansas public schools. The law protects students and staff from discrimination based on lawful religious expression, such as prayer, wearing religious symbols, or discussing faith, provided these activities do not disrupt school operations. Schools must inform students, parents, and employees about these rights through electronic means or in handbooks. This law directly affects public school communities by requiring non-discriminatory policies for religious expression while clarifying protections apply only to legal, non-disruptive activities.

Maddy summarySB 189, now Act 396, allows pharmacies and consumers to purchase Ivermectin for human use without a prescription or consultation with a healthcare professional. The bill removes existing requirements for medical oversight when buying this medication. It directly affects pharmacies (which can now sell it without a prescription) and consumers (who can obtain it without seeing a doctor). The law took effect after the bill passed the legislature and was signed by the governor on March 31, 2025.