Maddy summaryHB 1774 amends Arkansas' Fair Housing Commission membership structure, increasing it from seven to thirteen voting members. The bill specifies that seven members must be appointed by the Governor (with Senate confirmation), three by the House Speaker, and three by the Senate President Pro Tempore. It adds detailed professional requirements for some members, such as five years' experience as real estate brokers, homebuilders, mortgage brokers, or bankers, while ensuring consumer representatives (including those with disabilities and elderly advocates) are included. The commission must maintain geographic diversity across Arkansas' congressional districts and elect a chair, meeting quarterly. This change took effect after the bill became Act 562 on April 14, 2025.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySB 529 updates Arkansas' Independent Tax Appeals Commission Act to clarify procedures for taxpayers challenging state tax decisions. It defines "small claims" as disputes under $10,000 (excluding penalties/interest) and requires commissioners to have either legal/accounting credentials or five years of tax experience. The bill mandates the Commission to hire a staff attorney and a tax accountant with manufacturing/business expertise, while also setting commissioner salaries comparable to state district court judges. These changes directly affect taxpayers filing appeals and the Commission's operational structure, clarifying its jurisdiction limits (e.g., excluding constitutional challenges or pending lawsuits).
Maddy summaryHB 1148, now Act 597, creates the Arkansas Privacy Act with specific provisions for drone imagery. It directly affects law enforcement, emergency medical services, and search/rescue teams by allowing them to capture images using unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for incident command, training, crime scene investigation, and search/rescue operations without triggering privacy restrictions. The bill clarifies that drone use by these agencies for these purposes is exempt from privacy requirements, removing prior ambiguities about "documenting" versus "investigating" crime scenes and adding search/rescue as a permitted use. This focuses on defining when drone surveillance does not require privacy safeguards.
Maddy summarySB 463 requires Arkansas public utilities to obtain approval from the Arkansas Public Service Commission before entering settlement agreements that would close or eliminate power plants or transmission assets. The bill directly affects utilities, the Commission, and consumers by mandating that settlements must legally resolve claims, not exceed regulatory costs, and avoid decisions driven by environmental goals rather than law. The Commission must evaluate whether proposed settlements are legally sound, cost-justified for consumers, and based on reasonable legal interpretations before approving or denying them. This creates a new review process to ensure settlements protect consumer interests and comply with state regulations. The bill does not change existing utility operations but adds oversight for specific settlement agreements.
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.
Maddy summarySB 409 prohibits financial services providers from refusing to do business with or terminating relationships with agricultural producers solely based on their status as such. It defines "agricultural producer" to include those growing crops, raising animals, or producing livestock/dairy products. The bill requires Arkansas' Treasurer to publish a list of financial providers found to discriminate against agricultural producers, after giving them 45 days' notice and a 30-day window to prove they are not discriminating. This list will be posted online, with the process involving an ESG Oversight Committee and requiring agricultural producers to consent to sharing financial data if they report discrimination.
Maddy summaryHB 1275 prohibits health insurance companies from requiring prior approval for mental health crisis care. It directly affects patients experiencing mental health emergencies and healthcare providers treating them in crisis settings. The law removes the need for insurance pre-approvals when services are provided at crisis stabilization units or in emergency department settings. This means patients can access immediate care without delays caused by insurance authorization processes. The bill became law as Act 389 on March 25, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 276 clarifies that surplus lines insurance (specialty coverage from non-admitted insurers) qualifies as valid proof of financial responsibility for motor vehicle insurance in Arkansas. The bill amends several statutes to explicitly include surplus lines coverage in definitions of acceptable insurance policies and "insurer" under state law. This directly affects vehicle owners needing to prove insurance coverage and insurers offering surplus lines policies, removing ambiguity about their validity for compliance. The key mechanism updates legal definitions to ensure surplus lines coverage meets state requirements for motor vehicle liability insurance, without changing coverage standards.
Maddy summarySB 317 prohibits Arkansas public institutions of higher education from engaging in specific activities with "prohibited foreign parties." It directly affects universities and colleges receiving state funding by banning them from conducting agricultural research under contract or selling agricultural products (including seeds) with such entities. The bill defines "prohibited foreign parties" but does not specify which entities qualify. This policy change restricts certain financial and research transactions between Arkansas colleges and designated foreign entities, without altering broader academic collaboration rules. The bill passed as Act 351 on March 20, 2025.
Maddy summarySB 307, now Act 373, creates the "Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025" to support energy infrastructure investments. It requires the Arkansas Public Service Commission to consider strategic investments in natural gas and electric generation when setting utility rates, allowing companies to recover costs for approved projects. The bill mandates refunds to customers for imprudently incurred costs and sets new requirements for utility infrastructure projects to ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. It directly affects investor-owned electric and natural gas utilities operating in Arkansas by changing how they recover infrastructure costs through rate cases. The legislation declares an emergency to expedite these energy infrastructure developments.