Rep. Jim Wooten

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1626, as amended, aimed to prohibit the sale of certain disposable vapor products. The bill's central provision was to ban the sale of disposable vapor products that originate from a "prohibited foreign party," a term defined by referencing an existing legal statute (§ 18-11-802). This measure would have directly impacted retailers selling vapor products and consumers who purchase them. The bill did not pass and died in committee.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1143 proposes to amend the Charitable Bingo and Raffles Enabling Act in Arkansas. The bill's primary purpose is to prohibit the use of raffles as a method to provide funding for student-athletes. This restriction applies specifically to funding arrangements made under the Arkansas Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act. Essentially, it prevents organizations from conducting raffles to generate money for student-athletes' publicity rights.

Maddy summaryHB 1195 amends the laws for employees of municipalities participating in the Arkansas Public Employees' Retirement System (APERS). It clarifies the timeframe for these employees to choose to opt out of APERS and instead participate in a local retirement plan. The bill specifies that employees have 90 days after assuming office in their first term and any subsequent term to make this election. Additionally, it includes a temporary provision granting current employees an extra 90 days from the act's effective date to make this retirement plan election.

Maddy summaryHB 1542 would require private schools in Arkansas that receive any state funding to administer the same annual statewide student assessments as public schools. These private schools would be responsible for the costs associated with these assessments and must ensure all enrolled students participate. Additionally, the bill mandates that these private schools admit students who intend to cover their tuition and attendance costs using state funding. The bill extends existing assessment security and reporting requirements to these private schools.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1066 aims to increase the standard deduction available to taxpayers. This legislative change would directly affect individuals and potentially impact their taxable income. By raising the standard deduction, the bill proposes to reduce the portion of income subject to state taxes for those who choose not to itemize deductions.

Maddy summaryHJR 1015 was a proposed constitutional amendment in Arkansas that aimed to change how judicial candidates appear on the ballot. If approved, it would have required candidates for Supreme Court Justice, Court of Appeals Judge, Circuit Judge, and District Judge to declare their political party affiliation or independent status. This declared affiliation or independent status would then be printed on the ballot for voters to see. The stated purpose of the amendment was to ensure transparency regarding judicial candidates' affiliations. This amendment would have taken effect on January 1, 2027, if passed.

Maddy summaryHB 1065, titled "TO CREATE THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT OF 2025," died in the House Committee on Revenue & Taxation on May 5, 2025, without becoming law. The provided bill text contains no substantive policy language or specific mechanisms; it only includes a list of supporting legislators and procedural details. No concrete policy changes, affected groups, or key provisions are described in the available text. As a bill that stalled in committee with no enacted provisions, it did not implement any inflation-related measures. The title appears to be a placeholder, as no actual inflation reduction policy was outlined in the submitted bill.

Maddy summaryHouse Bill 1144 aimed to require schools participating in the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program to comply with specific reporting standards. It mandated that these participating schools would be subject to the same statutory and Department of Education reporting requirements that public schools in Arkansas must follow. This bill sought to standardize the reporting obligations across both types of schools.

Maddy summaryHB 1662, titled "TO PROHIBIT LOBBYING FOR A COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY," aimed to prevent individuals or organizations from lobbying on behalf of certain foreign entities. The provided text is an amendment to the bill, which made minor changes to specific wording and references within the original text. Without the full original bill text, the specific definitions of "covered foreign entity" or the detailed mechanisms and scope of the prohibition are not available.

Maddy summarySenate Joint Resolution 11 (SJR 11) proposes a constitutional amendment to the Arkansas Constitution. This measure aims to modify Article 2, Section 5, with the specific intent to protect the right to keep and bear arms for individuals. If enacted, it would alter the state's foundational document concerning this right.