TODAY AT THE CAPITOL

The House and Senate are in recess until 1:30 p.m. on Monday, February 24. To view committee schedules, agendas, and live streams—including live coverage of the House and Senate—visit www.arkleg.state.ar.us.

YESTERDAY AT THE CAPITOL

HB 1538 – Rep. David Ray

This bill, which was filed yesterday, seeks to extend the state’s existing net operating loss carry forward law from 10 years to 20 years. This bill has been referred to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session. We support this bill.

HB 1446 – Rep. Robin Lundstrum and Sen. Jane English

This bill seeks to amend the Arkansas Workforce Challenge Scholarship Program, by adding the ability for scholarship funds to go towards a public or private vocational – technical school or institute in Arkansas. The bill is focused on associate degrees or certificate programs that result in a portable license or certificate in high demand fields including manufacturing, health care trades, information technology, construction trades and logistics and distribution. This bill was amended a second time yesterday to remove apprenticeship programs. We support this bill.

SB 188 – Sen. Clarke Tucker

This bill seeks to amend Arkansas law concerning initiative petitions and referendum petitions and to require public posting of statewide initiative petitions and referendum petitions. An amendment was adopted yesterday, and the bill awaits consideration in the Senate State Agencies Committee.

PENDING BILLS

HB 1500 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore

This bill enhances economic competitiveness by repealing the throwback rule. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session. We support this bill.

HB 1501 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Ben Gilmore

This bill adopts federal income tax law regarding depreciation and expensing of property; increases the allowable amount for expensing certain depreciable business assets to align with federal law. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. This bill is part of the State Chamber/AIA’s tax package for this session. We support this bill.

HB 1435 – Rep. Brandon Achor and Sen. Jane English

This bill amends the law regarding income tax credits for childcare by modifying the employer-provided child care credit and establishing a new income tax credit for licensed childcare providers. It awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1469 – Rep. Howard Beaty and Sen. Blake Johnson

This bill creates the Broadband Expansion and Efficiency Act and a sales and use tax exemption for machinery and equipment used in producing broadband communications services. This bill awaits consideration in the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1049 – Rep. Dwight Tosh and Sen. Ron Caldwell

This bill would amend Arkansas law concerning criminal offenses and criminalize unlawful squatting. This bill awaits consideration on the Senate floor. We support this bill.

HB 1150 - Rep. Jeremiah Moore and Sen. Kim Hammer

This bill prohibits healthcare payors and pharmacy benefits managers from obtaining specific pharmacy permits. It awaits consideration in the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. We oppose this bill.

HB 1521 – Rep. Frances Cavenaugh and Sen. Jim Petty

This bill from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission seeks to repeal certain unused, underused, no longer needed, or unfunded tax incentives. This bill has been referred to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. We support this bill.

HB 1069 – Rep. Stephen Meeks

The amendment to this bill recently caused us some confusion. This is the bill's actual impact: First, it would establish Central Standard Time as the year-round time in Arkansas. Secondly, if Congress were to mandate year-round Daylight Saving Time, Arkansas would adopt that change. This bill has been placed on the deferred list in the House State Agencies Committee. We oppose this bill.

HB 1413 – Rep. Matthew Shepherd and Sen. Matt Stone

This bill from the Arkansas Department of Energy & Environment seeks to amend laws concerning brine production and the formation of brine production units. Following an amendment yesterday, this bill awaits consideration in the House Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development Committee.

SB 207 thru 212 - Sen. Kim Hammer and Rep. Kendon Underwood

The following bills from the Secretary of State’s office seek to improve the ballot initiative process.

• SB 207 – Amends laws regarding initiative and referendum petitions, requiring canvassers to disclose that petition fraud is a Class A misdemeanor. An amendment was adopted yesterday to this bill, and it awaits consideration on the House floor.
• SB 208 – Requires canvassers to request photo identification before obtaining a petition signature. This bill awaits consideration in the House State Agencies Committee.
• SB 209 – Disqualifies signatures obtained by a canvasser under specific circumstances. This bill awaits reconsideration of the emergency clause on the Senate floor.
• SB 210 – Requires petition signers to read the ballot title in the presence of a canvasser. This bill awaits reconsideration of the emergency clause on the Senate floor.
• SB 211 – Mandates that canvassers submit an affidavit before collected petition signatures can be counted. This bill awaits consideration in the House State Agencies committee.
• SB 212 – Establishes the Document Validity Division. This bill awaits consideration in the Senate State Agencies Committee.

NEWLY TRACKED BILLS

We added nine bills to our tracking list based on yesterday’s filings, one of which is noted in the "Yesterday at the Capitol" section above. As of this morning, the House has filed 552 bills, and the Senate has filed 268 bills, bringing the total number of filings, including resolutions, to 962. We are currently tracking 346 bills.

HB 1539 – Rep. Andrew Collins

Amends the Public School Funding Act of 2003 to add an additional education funding category for special education. Referred to the House Education Committee.

HB 1540 – Rep. Julie Mayberry

Amends the income tax credit and deduction for maintaining, supporting, and caring for an individual with a disability. Referred to the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

HB 1543 – Rep. Kendon Underwood

Establishes the Workforce Experience Opportunities Act of 2025. Referred to the House Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

HB 1547 – Rep. Lee Johnson

Amends the Water Authority Act, including the definition of "qualified corporation." Referred to the House Insurance and Commerce Committee.

HB 1549 – Rep. Scott Richardson and Sen. Joshua Bryant

Creates the Arkansas Cybersecurity Act of 2025. Referred to the House State Agencies Committee.

SB 263 – Sen. Steve Crowell and Rep. Bart Schulz

Increases the homestead property tax credit to $600. Referred to the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.

SB 265 – Sen. Missy Irvin

Reduces and modifies the membership of the Licensing Committees for wastewater and solid waste; eliminates the apprenticeship licenses from solid waste licensing. Referred to the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

SB 267 – Sen. Missy Irvin and Rep. Kendra Moore

Repeals the Arkansas Alternative Motor Fuel Development Act and the Alternative Motor Fuel Development Fund. Referred to the Senate Agriculture and Economic Development Committee.