Rep. Jay Richardson

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution honors the Arkansas Minority Health Commission during American Heart Month in February. It recognizes the Commission's efforts to address heart disease specifically among minority populations in Arkansas.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1762, now Act 1009, updates regulations for entities permitted to apply industrial wastewater residuals onto land. It requires the Division of Environmental Quality to assess the maximum allowable penalty for each violation involving over-application or precipitation-related surface land application. Additionally, the bill directs the Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission to begin developing new rules for "no-discharge" land application permits for industrial waste. Current land application permit procedures will remain in effect until these new rules are established.

Maddy summaryHB 1685, known as the Grocery Tax Relief Act, exempts groceries from state sales and use taxes. This legislation amends existing state law regarding sales and use taxes levied on food and food ingredients. The bill directly affects consumers by removing the state sales tax typically applied to their grocery purchases.

Maddy summarySenate Bill 371 establishes a new, standardized system in Arkansas to aid in the search for missing children. This system is specifically designed for cases where a child does not meet the criteria for activating an Arkansas Amber Alert. While the provided text does not detail the specific mechanisms of this new system, its aim is to provide additional resources for locating children in these particular situations.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a new system for property insurance for public schools, state-supported higher education institutions, and other state-owned properties. It creates the State Captive Insurance Program and the Office of Property Risk within the Department of Transformation and Shared Services to manage these combined insurance efforts. The act allows the state to create its own captive insurance company and prohibits the use of public adjusting for these property insurance claims. The goal is to create a more stable and sustainable property insurance system for these state entities by consolidating existing programs and ensuring proper property valuation. (SB 481, Act 779)

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1730, now Act 830, amends the law concerning the issuance and transfer of wholesale permits for alcoholic beverages. This bill allows for the issuance of new general wholesaler permits starting July 1, 2026, lifting a previous restriction that prohibited their issuance after September 1, 2013. It also permits the issuance of new minimum wholesaler permits from the act's effective date. Existing permits can still be renewed and transferred according to current law.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1681 establishes the Water and Sewer Treatment Facilities Grant Program. This program provides grants to local entities to help fund improvements and upgrades to their water and sewer treatment infrastructure. The grants will be supported by revenues authorized by law. The program is set to expire five years after its effective date, and the administering commission is required to report annually on the status of all awarded grants.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1079, now Act 860, mandates that certain health insurance plans must provide coverage for genetic testing related to inherited gene mutations for eligible individuals. It also requires these plans to cover evidence-based cancer imaging for specific individuals. However, the bill specifies that these coverage requirements do not apply to health benefit plans for state and public school employees or to self-funded governmental plans.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1491 modifies the excise tax on certain beer and sake. The bill establishes a new excise tax credit for producers of beer and sake. To qualify for this credit, the beer and sake must be made using Arkansas rice. This credit allows eligible producers to reduce the amount of excise tax they owe.

Maddy summaryHB 1815, now Act 687, modifies the state's legal authority in two distinct areas. It amends the state's jurisdiction regarding federal lands located within its borders. Additionally, the bill ensures that the state retains jurisdiction over juvenile justice matters. An amendment clarifies that these juvenile cases will be heard by the circuit court or the juvenile division of the circuit court.