Week Nine Daily Legislative Watchlist

March 10, 2025

Thursday, March 13th Legislative Watchlist:

Joint Budget:
❌ SB354 by Sen. Dismang: New Prison in Franklin County Funding Bill — OPPOSE

Provides new appropriations for spending up to $750 million for a new prison in Franklin County. Although we are in favor of expanding prisons as needed, we need to first pursue other options to reform our prison system before throwing more money at a system which appears to not be working. Continuing more of the same with more money is mindful of giving more money to a failing education system rather than addressing fundamental issues first.

House Public Health:
🟢HB1582 by Rep. McAlindon: Welfare Recipients Required to Upload Resumes & Search for Work—SUPPORT

This good bill would require welfare recipients, such as those able-bodied working age adults on the Arkansas Medicaid expansion program, to upload their resumes to the state workforce services portal. They would also be required to respond to requests for interviews and seek relevant work options as part of their requirement to seek work. If they do not do so, they may lose their eligibility for welfare programs.

🟢 SB189 by Sen. A. Clark: Authorizes the Sale of Ivermectin for Human Use Without Requiring a Prescription or Consultation With a Healthcare Professional — SUPPORT

This bill is a good start for medical and health freedom in Arkansas. This bill expands medical freedom in the state, allowing Arkansans to make their own decisions regarding their health. SB189 cuts out big pharma gatekeeping and does not require the waiting period for a prescription of Ivermectin. The bill challenges the FDA’s control over alternate treatments, which means more choices and fewer restrictions for Arkansans.

House Judiciary:
🟢 HB1662 by Rep. B. McKenzie: Prohibiting Lobbying for China & Russia — SUPPORT

This good bill would prohibit lobbying on behalf of China or Russia. However, the cost of violating this act does not seem large enough to be an effective deterrent.

House Rev & Tax:
❌ HB1190 by Rep. Vaught: Income Tax Exemption for Government Teachers: – OPPOSE

This bill would exempt from AR income tax the first $50,000 of teacher pay earned by government school teachers (K-12). Although the bill may result in an AR revenue loss of approximately $60 million ($1558 per taxpayer times < 40K teachers), it remains as a carve out for a specific class of taxpayer–which is usually bad income tax policy. This bill is especially bad in that it does not include all Arkansas teachers (excluding private school teachers). Most tax cuts are good. But this one would be an attempt to place government school teachers in an even greater economic advantage than those who choose to teach in private school–which also causes this bill to resemble one which is an attempt to undermine and weaken “school choice” in Arkansas.🟢 HB1500 by Rep. Beaty Jr: Repeal of Throwback Rule — SUPPORT

This bill would repeal the “throwback rule.” The logic of the throwback rule is that an origination state has the right to tax income properly associated with another state simply because that other state does not choose, or is unable, to tax the income itself. This is obviously a tax which discourages corporations from doing business in Arkansas. Repealing this tax would change sales of tangible personal property that are subject to taxation now to only being subject to taxation if the property is delivered to a purchaser in Arkansas.

🟢 HB1501 by Rep. Beaty Jr: Federal Tax Code Section 168(k) Bonus Depreciation Adopted — SUPPORT

This would cause Arkansas to adopt the same Income Tax Depreciation law used by Federal tax law– commonly referred to as bonus depreciation. IRC Section 168(k), which is commonly known as bonus depreciation, allows taxpayers to expense up to 60% of the cost of qualified assets they place in service in 2024. IT IS HOPED THAT THE LEGISLATURE WILL SUPPORT BUSINESS AND THE TAXPAYERS IN OUR STATE BY ADOPTING BONUS DEPRECIATION.

🟢 HB1538 by Rep. Ray: Increase for Operating Loss Carry-Forward Time Period — SUPPORT

This good bill would help businesses by allowing them a longer period of time to carry forward net operating losses. This increases the time allowed from 10 years to 20 years. This improves the economic freedom of Arkansas businesses and keeps more money in the pockets of small businesses to reinvest in their business instead of adding to government growth.

🟢 HB1540 by Rep. J. Mayberry: Increased Income Tax Credit for Those Caring for Disabled Persons — SUPPORT

This bill would remove the tax deduction of $500 and increase the amount of the income tax credit from $500 to $1,000 for those caring for disabled persons. This increased credit would allow a person caring for a disabled person to ultimately keep more money than under the prior law.

🟢 HB1636 by Rep. Ray: Phase Out of Sales Tax on Soda — SUPPORT

This good bill would implement a reduction and phasing out of the sales tax on soda. After hitting certain revenue, the overall rate of the sales tax on soda would be reduced over time until it is eliminated. The new sales tax on soda was passed under Gov. Asa Hutchinson as part of the “offset” to fund income tax exemptions for military retirees instead of just cutting taxes without raising them elsewhere. The eventual elimination would bring the law back in line with the reduction and elimination of the sales tax on grocery items.

❌ HB1670 by Rep. L. Johnson: Refundable Tax Credit for Mentoring Health Professionals — OPPOSE

This bad bill is its second time it has been run by its physician sponsor. It would allow those engaging in effectively the mentor of health professionals early in their careers to get refundable income tax credits in exchange for their mentoring of these health professionals. No labor industry gets a refundable income tax credit for the training, mentoring, or otherwise preparing new and future workers in their field. Healthcare professionals should not be given special government treatment just because they have their own special interest legislator who continues to file bills to personally benefit himself, his donors, and friends in the healthcare industry.

❌ HB1674 by Rep. L. Johnson: Income Tax Credit for Government Favored Hospital Donations — OPPOSE

This bad tax bill would allow an income tax credit for donations made to government favored hospitals. Hospitals are flush with cash from the ever-expanding and growing insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and other benefits paying for healthcare services. Already most healthcare hospitals are organized as non-profit companies further double dipping on the tax system with not paying income taxes and a constant gravy train of government program payments for services. No additional tax breaks are needed, especially for hand-picked groups the government favors.

🟢 HB1685 by Rep. Underwood: Elimination of Remaining State Sales Tax on Groceries — SUPPORT

This good bill would eliminate the remaining 1/8% sales tax on groceries. This current tax goes to the Game and Fish Commission for parks and tourism. The bill would still allow local governments at the city and county level to tax groceries. Conduit for Action has been advocating the full repeal (including to local governments) of the grocery tax for over a decade. See: https://conduitnews.com/exempting-groceries-the-way-forward/

🟢 HB1691 by Rep. Torres: Sales Tax Exemption for Leased Vehicles by Nonprofits — SUPPORT

This bill would allow nonprofits who lease vehicles to receive a sales tax exemption on the lease, similar to governments’ exemption on leased vehicles and bringing the tax structure in line with the exemption for personal property taxes.

🟢 HB1698 by Rep. Torres: No Income Tax on Healthcare Sharing Ministry Contributions — SUPPORT

This bill would extend income tax exemptions to healthcare sharing ministry contributions similar to how contributions to traditional health insurance premiums are treated. This provides equal tax treatment under the law for those who choose alternatives to traditional health insurance policies, such as a healthcare sharing ministry, to cover healthcare costs.

❌ SB219 by Sen. J. Dismang: Making Temporary Tax Permanent — OPPOSE

Although we are not in favor of the legalization of medical marijuana, we are against taxing this product or making this tax permanent. This action only ensures the expansion of government and in turn reduces the economic freedom of all Arkansans. To argue that the tax is needed in order to cover the costs to control the effects of the use of this product and its potential for abuse only supports the fact that the expansion of government to control its citizens is an idea which has gone beyond all reason and is out of control.

Senate Agri:
SB290 by Sen. B. Johnson: To prohibit a moratorium on the issuance of permits in watersheds and other bodies of water.

Senate City, County, Local:
❌ SB252 by Sen. Dismang: Abolishing Tobacco and Vaping Products in Arkansas Through Regulation & Bureaucracy — OPPOSE

This omnibus bill would regulate the tobacco and vaping industry to death and could result in abolishing all tobacco and vaping products in Arkansas. This decreases economic freedom and freedom of choice for Arkansas consumers. The bill is also being used to push abolishing the tobacco industry by using school children as examples of those engaging in already illegal use of vape or tobacco products. New fees would create a slush fund from which money would be directed from/to politicians’ favorite projects. The government would dictate specific packaging, unlimited warrantless inspections of tobacco products sold at retail stores, prohibitions on specific locations for any possession of tobacco products even if they are not illegally possessed (in possession of those over 21), violating free speech rights in advertising products, new directory systems to track all tobacco products, and new fees charged per product. Competition will be limited and consumers will pay more. This “nanny state” bill violates individual and economic freedoms of Arkansans. It is an example of why Arkansas is ranked #44 out of 50 by The Cato Institute for individual freedoms: https://www.freedominthe50states.org/personal/arkansas

Senate Floor:
❌ HB1245 by Rep. Clowney: New Occupational Licensure Regulations for Behavior Analysts — OPPOSE

This bill failed during the 2023 session and is filed again to create new regulations for a new government defined subset of workers defined as behavior analysts. It creates a government mandate on registration and creates a fine for people who do not sign up with the government and pay a fee. This decreases economic freedom, grows government, and increases fees paid to government.

❌ SB264 by Sen. Irvin: New Government Healthcare Group to Further Empower Special Interests — OPPOSE

This bill would create a new “primary care payment improvement working group” with specific special interests, with individual companies and organizations named in the legislation getting a seat/representation with the group. There is already a public health committee in the House and Senate; and new groups to spend more taxpayer money and further increase the clout and influence of special interests within the Capitol is not needed.

🟢Series: SB285 – SB286 by Sen. Payton: Caps on Workers Comp Claims — SUPPORT

This series of bills: 1) give the employee the right to change physicians, 2) increase lifetime caps on workers compensation claims, changing maximum weekly benefits cap to 70% of the average weekly wage of the employee and the maximum annual salary total of weekly benefit to $120,000; 3) Allow the Workers’ Comp Comm to take various factors into consideration when establishing benefits for permanent partial disability benefits; 4) update legal fees allowed; and 5) increase the rights of the claimant/injured employee to change physicians.

❌ SB382 by Sen. Crowell: Repeal of Transparency in Arkansas Development Finance Authority Capital Access Fund — OPPOSE

This bad bill would reduce transparency regarding the monies in the Capital Access Fund under the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.

❌ SB388 by Sen. Crowell: Repeal on Reporting Foreign Government Economic Development Offices — OPPOSE

This bad bill would repeal the requirement to report on any government economic development offices in foreign countries. This law was originally passed under Gov. Asa Hutchinson for his secretive “economic development” offices in China and other foreign countries. We need to keep this law in place for transparency for any future use of economic development offices in foreign countries.

❌ HB1348 by Rep. Warren: Unsustainable Expansion of Dependent Child Government Retirement Benefits Past Age 18 — OPPOSE

This bill would put an unlimited expansion for dependent children survivor benefits for government retirement funds to extend to age 23 instead of 18 (however not affecting those physically and mentally incompetent). Currently, the extension to competent 23 year olds only occurs if the survivor child dependent is in school. This 5-year blanket increase (from 18 to 23) is a future tax increase and spends money we do not have – these benefits should end when the child becomes a legal adult at age 18.

House Floor:
🟢 HB1558 by Rep. McGrew: Reduced Licensure for Property Managers — SUPPORT

This good bill would reduce the licensure requirements to be a property manager. Instead of needing a full brokers real estate license, a scaled back license for property managers is created, which is less onerous to obtain and would allow more people to engage in the property management business. The market is likely the best judge of who are good property managers. This obviously increases economic freedom.

❌ SB231 by Sen. Dotson: New Law Enforcement Officers in Office of Arkansas Lottery — OPPOSE

This bill would grow government by creating a new law enforcement officer role within the office the Arkansas lottery. If law enforcement officers are needed to address issues at the Arkansas lottery, existing law enforcement officers should be utilized.

Wednesday, March 12th Legislative Watchlist:

Senate Public Health:
❌HB1245 by Rep. Clowney: New Occupational Licensure Regulations for Behavior Analysts — OPPOSE

🟢Series: SB284 – SB286 by Sen. Payton: Caps on Workers Comp Claims — SUPPORT

This series of bills: 1) give the employee the right to change physicians, 2) increase lifetime caps on workers compensation claims, changing maximum weekly benefits cap to 70% of the average weekly wage of the employee and the maximum annual salary total of weekly benefit to $120,000; 3) Allow the Workers’ Comp Comm to take various factors into consideration when establishing benefits for permanent partial disability benefits; 4) update legal fees allowed; and 5) increase the rights of the claimant/injured employee to change physicians.

Senate Education:
🟢 SB402 by Sen. Penzo: Protection Against Teacher Union Coercion — SUPPORT

This good bill would prohibit the coercion on employees to attend meetings, events, trainings, or otherwise interact with teachers unions or other similar groups. These groups usually use peer pressure to get donations, dues, or other involvement and actions to be taken by public school employees to appease their bosses and administrators who are aligned with the unions and groups. The bill would specifically prohibit the use of school facilities, mailing lists, supplies, equipment, and other taxpayer funded resources to engage in the coercion or teacher union activities.

Senate Rev & Tax:
🟢 HB1534 by Rep. Schulz: Increase in Homestead Property Tax Credit — SUPPORT

This would increase the homestead property tax credit by $100.

❌ SB382 by Sen. Crowell: Repeal of Transparency in Arkansas Development Finance Authority Capital Access Fund — OPPOSE

This bad bill would reduce transparency regarding the monies in the Capital Access Fund under the Arkansas Development Finance Authority.

House Ins & Commerce:
❌ SB229 by Sen. J. Boyd: Creates New Government Department of Financial Services — OPPOSE

This bill would grow government by creating a new government department of financial services within the already existing department of commerce. This increases layers of bureaucracy – DOGE would not approve.

House State Agencies:
❌ HB1574 by Rep. Vaught: Prohibiting Employment of Non-Arkansas Residents for Canvassing — OPPOSE

This bad bill would restrict the private contracting and hiring rights of Arkansans by prohibiting them from hiring any non-Arkansas residents to engage in canvassing to secure signatures for ballot initiatives and petitions. This would restrict the supply of workers, increasing costs and wages to potential employers, and severely limit the ability of regular Arkansans to place ballot initiatives before the voting public.

❌HB1621 by Rep. Wardlaw: FOIA Exemption to Shield Politicians from the Public — OPPOSE

This bad bill would provide for a exemption from the Freedom of Information Act for politicians, government workers, and their family members, so that information regarding the names, emails, phone number (including taxpayer funded phones), addresses, and other information is shielded from the public. This decreases transparency and attempts to place those working in the government above others–granting them special privileges to shield them from the public eye and input. This type of measure would only serve to further divide the public from its public officials and further foster distrust of the government by the public.

🟢 HB1694 by Rep. Hawk: Better Transparency in Campaign Finance Filings – No More Paper Filings — SUPPORT

This good transparency bill would repeal the option for candidates to file paper filings. Paper filings shield candidates for office from the easy filtering and review of donations by the public online. Electronic filing has been in place since 2017 in Arkansas (being one of the last states to update its system to online filing. In 2023, its system was improved by the SOS (for history on electronic filing in AR see https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/sep/20/arkansas-launches-new-more-friendly-campaign/ ) This bill would ensure that all campaign finance reports are filed electronically and thus easier to review by the public. An argument by a candidate or entity that they do not have access to online filing should now be a red flag to voters.

🟢 HB1706 by Rep. McCollum: Prohibition on Ranked Choice Voting — SUPPORT

This bill would prohibit ranked choice voting for any government elected positions in Arkansas. Ranked choice voting is used for big government politicians to ensure that the establishment choice always wins by ensuring all second and third choices of the other establishment candidates count towards (and against) any non-establishment candidates. This form of voting has been used to stop conservative candidates in Alaska and Maine.

House CCL:
🟢 HB1448 by Rep. Puryear: Protection for Property Owners of Diminished Value Due to Government Action or Delayed Action — SUPPORT

This bill would require local governments to act transparently and in a timely manner if preventing private property from being developed. It would require written notice and action or no action to be taken within 6 months, and if they do not do so then the property shall be released from the reservation and the public body shall pay the private property owner any loss in value to their property by tying it up from being developed. This protects the economic freedom of property owners against slow and inefficient governments.

❌ HB1660 by Rep. S. Meeks: New Government Auditing Rights over Property Owners Association—OPPOSE

This bad bill would a expand government and reduce individual freedoms. It creates new government authority of auditing rights over private property owners associations who perform “services traditionally performed by a local government.” This infringes upon the private contracting and organizational rights of property owners who may not want to invite government auditing authority. This also creates a narrative that the government alone should be providing services like trash services or local/shared maintenance of shared private property areas.

🟢 SB91 by Sen. Penzo: Protecting Private Property Owners from Local Government Rent Control Regulations — SUPPORT

This bill would expand the prohibition against “rent” control programs by local governments in that it is expanded to rental application fees and rental deposits for private residential or commercial property. This would further protect the economic freedom of Arkansans against further control by local governments.

Arkansas launches new, ‘more friendly’ campaign finance disclosure filing portal | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

House Rules:
❌ SB231 by Sen. Dotson: New Law Enforcement Officers in Office of Arkansas Lottery — OPPOSE

❌HB1192 by Rep. Pilkington: Prohibiting Tobacco Products by Any Person on Government School Property – OPPOSE

This bill would prohibit and potentially criminalize the possession or use of any tobacco products in or on real property, personal property, or otherwise of a government school. It would also levy fines against parents whose children who are caught with tobacco products while at school up to $1,000, and give the money to the local police department. This bill not only discreminates against student violators vs adults but prohibits the otherwise legal possession of a legal product by free people on government property, thus diminishing the individual freedoms of Arkansans. These fines not only increase revenues flowing to government but also increases government bureaucracy needed to enforce this bill. This is a simple example of how an increase in the size and scope of government proportionately reduces individual freedoms.

❌HB1626 by Rep. Duffield: Ban on Sale of Disposable Vape Products — OPPOSE

Although Arkansas already has many laws restricting the use of disposable vaping products, this bill would impose a ban on the sale of any disposable vape products, limiting options for consumers and possibly forcing them to choose more expensive products or go to other states to purchase the products they want, proving Arkansas is moving more and more toward a state which prefers restricting individual freedoms. Although the writer of this summary my detest vaping products and the consequence of their use, there are many things that others are free to buy and sell in this state and country which is detestable to more sensitive natures. Although it may be against the greater safety or greater good which we may imagine, we should stay conscious of the fact that bills like this move us closer and closer to the left leaning states which prefer to control the freedoms of their citizens. It is our belief that the market alone will soon eliminate the threat of disposable vaping without using the force of government. https://www.publichealthlawcenter.org/resources/us-e-cigarette-regulations-50-state-review/ar

Senate State agencies:
🟢 SJR9 by Sen. King: Ending Qualified Government Immunity – You Can Sue the Government For Hurting You — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment would remove the constitutional prohibition on the government being sued within our court system. Known as qualified government immunity, the state has little to no incentive to avoid lawsuits if they can always dismiss them for simply being the government. This bill would increase the incentive for government actors to follow the Constitution, be more cautious in their actions toward citizens–by giving citizens the opportunity to sue the government if the government causes them harm.

❌ SJR12 by Sen. C. Tucker: Rigging Primary Elections to Ensure Big Government Politicians Are Elected — OPPOSE

This proposed constitutional amendment has been filed for many years now by Sen. Clark Tucker. The change would overhaul the election system in Arkansas by replacing our current primary and general election systems with a single jungle primary, similar to California’s. This jungle primary (or ranked choice voting) would pit all candidates from all parties against one another. The two top vote getters would advance to a runoff, with the candidate with the most votes winning the seat. It would allow for Democrat and liberal voters to have an oversized influence over picking candidates and ultimately representatives of our government. It is a bad bill that would grow government and silence opposition. (see https://www.heritage.org/election-integrity/report/ranked-choice-voting-bad-choice )

🟢 SJR13 by Sen. J. Dotson: Allowing Judicial Candidates to Declare a Political Party Affiliation — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment would allow, but not require, judicial candidates to affiliate with a political party. This would provide greater transparency into what a candidate’s political philosophy and judicial philosophy may be. It would also expose or force liberal activist judges to affiliate with the Democrats and potentially lose their seats in super majority Republican areas in most of Arkansas.

❌ SJR15/HJR1014 by Sen. J. Dismang/Rep. Beaty Jr: Creation of Socialism – Corporate Welfare Districts — OPPOSE

When you see the words “economic development” used in legislation, brace for a tax increase. At a time when the rest of the country is moving away from socialism, this amendment would increase Arkansas’ current welfare state by creating corporate welfare districts, taking taxpayer money and redistributing it to government favorites….not only is the government acting in the place of a friendly bank to corporate welfare friends, this amendment hands out permanent tax exempt status to their chosen participates! This practice has continued to be tried and failed in Arkansas and continues ripe with corruption. Previously, the legislature created this same framework with “general improvement districts.” In that scenerio legislators picked which special groups or projects they would direct taxpayer money. Former state legislators still sit in prison today for their abuse of that program. Passage of this amendment would lead to tax increases, more corruption, growing government, and a socialist-corporate welfare program with no limits or guard rails. DOGE to the rescue!?! No help there! Best Advice: Do not allow this on the ballot! See: https://uca.edu/acre/targeted-economic-development-incentives/ and https://www.heritage.org/budget/pages/recommendations/1.370.85.html

❌ SJR17 by Sen. Dotson: Requiring 3/4 Vote by Both Chambers of Arkansas Legislature to Pass Tax Increases — OPPOSE

Currently (and deleted in this SJR17) the AR Const Art 5 §38 states: “None of the rates for property, excise, privilege or personal taxes, now levied shall be increased by the General Assembly except after the approval of the qualified electors voting thereon at an election, or in case of emergency, by the votes of three-fourths of the members elected to each House of the General Assembly. [As added to Art. 5 by Const. Amend. 19.].” The proposed SJR17 would delete the current requirement that (except in an emergency) the people vote on a tax increase. This taxpayer bill of rights (which moves closer to a cap on government growth) is laudable but fails to go far enough in slowing the growth of government. Conduit has held a consistent position through the years that an ideal Taxpayer Bill of Rights in Arkansas should require that: 1) Growth in government expenditures should be limited to inflation plus population growth; 2) Any revenue collected over the limit goes immediately back to the taxpayers, and all tax increases have to be approved by a vote of the people; 3) When transferring government programs the overall limit must be reduced down accordingly; and 4) Supermajority vote of legislature or popular vote of the people to change the limit or raise/change any taxes. See comments on HJR1005 and https://conduitforcommerce.org/containing-government-growth/

House floor:
🟢 HB1682 by Rep. Puryear: Limited Liability for Food Donations — SUPPORT

Called “The Good Neighbor Act,” this good bill would provide for limited liability, for those donating in good faith, food to the needy.

🟢 SB200 by Sen. K. Hammer: No Sales Tax on Rented Educational Materials — SUPPORT

This bill would provide for a sales tax exemption on the rental of educational materials. Currently, the exemption only applies to purchased items. This should save taxpayers a minimum amount of money. However, in the spirit of school choice which is now declared the law in Arkansas, it is time that this bill includes private schools.

🟢 SB101 by Sen. Penzo: Physician Assistant Licensure Compact — SUPPORT

This bill would pass the physician assistant licensure compact with other states to allow increased reciprocity with licensed physician assistants from other states to get licensure in Arkansas. This would increase the supply of providers to the public, and could lower or maintain prices for consumers.

Senate floor:
❌ HB1348 by Rep. Warren: Unsustainable Expansion of Dependent Child Government Retirement Benefits Past Age 18 — OPPOSE

❌ SB361 Sen. Dees: New Corporate Welfare Program with Future Tax Increases / Public Debt Authority — OPPOSE

This bad bill is filled with approximately 20 pages of new law to create new “industrial development authority” to create corporate welfare programs within the industrial industry. It will allow local government to saddle taxpayers with the issuance of public debt and future tax increases. Under the guise of “economic development” this is a stealth method of growing government, passing tax increases, and issuing public debt through bonds.

❌ SB366 by Sen. J. Boyd: Replacement for SB179 – New Government Program to Funnel Taxpayer Money to Insurance Companies — OPPOSE

This bill is basically a tax increase by creating a new government program to siphon off otherwise available general revenue funds that could be used to cut taxes or fund already existing necessary government functions. The new government program would divert taxpayer dollars back to insurance companies that the government picks and chooses for certain rebuilding projects. This bill grows government and spends money we do not have and is otherwise known as a tax increase.

❌ HB1503 by Rep. Clowney: New Excessive Regulation of Tiny Homes — OPPOSE

Disguised as a “deregulation” bill by the sponsors (a liberal Democrat and a known supporter of regulation) the bill actually implements new excessive regulations on “tiny homes” that people may own and rent out. This bill mandates the specific sizes allowed, does not limit restrictions on local governments to regulate “short term rentals” of these tiny homes, allows for fees for reviewing applications to create tiny homes, and assess building fees, and letter approval from water and sewer systems. While specific items are prohibited, this is a backdoor way to create and allow a new government regulatory framework for tiny homes. It is deceiving, bad for property owners, and hurts the economic freedoms of Arkansans.

🟢 HB1510 by Rep. Gonzales: Protection of Private Property Owners Against Governments With No Jurisdiction Over Their Property — SUPPORT

This bill would protect the rights of private property owners who live in unincorporated areas against regulations of nearby incorporated areas and governments, such as zoning/planning boards, annexation, land development, and other ordinances and regulations related to municipal planning.

Tuesday, March 11th Legislative Watchlist:

Senate Agri:
👀 SB290 by Sen. B. Johnson: To prohibit a moratorium on the issuance of permits in watersheds and other bodies of water.

❌ SB361 Sen. Dees: New Corporate Welfare Program with Future Tax Increases / Public Debt Authority — OPPOSE

❌ SB388 by Sen. Crowell: Repeal on Reporting Foreign Government Economic Development Offices — OPPOSE

Senate State Agencies:
🟢 SB282 by Sen. C. Penzo: Amending the law concerning public water systems; and to allow voters to elect “for” or “against” water fluoridation. — Support

👀 SB376 by Sen. A. Clark: To amend the Freedom of Information Ac and to amend the law concerning public meetings.

👀 SB227 by Sen. C. Tucker: To amend the Freedom of Information Act and to amend the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act concerning public meetings.

House Public Health:
🟢 HB1682 by Rep. Puryear: Limited Liability for Food Donations — SUPPORT

Called “The Good Neighbor Act,” this good bill would provide for limited liability, for those donating in good faith, food to the needy.

🟢 SB189 by Sen. A. Clark: Authorizes the Sale of Ivermectin for Human Use Without Requiring a Prescription or Consultation With a Healthcare Professional — SUPPORT

House Judiciary:
🟢 HB1662 by Rep. B. McKenzie: Prohibiting Lobbying for China & Russia — SUPPORT

This good bill would prohibit lobbying on behalf of China or Russia. However, the cost of violating this act does not seem large enough to be an effective deterrent.

Senate Insurance & Commerce:
❌ SB366 by Sen. J. Boyd: Replacement for SB179 – New Government Program to Funnel Taxpayer Money to Insurance Companies — OPPOSE

🟢 HB1558 by Rep. McGrew: Reduced Licensure for Property Managers — SUPPORT

Senate City, County, Local:
❌ SB252 by Sen. Dismang: Abolishing Tobacco and Vaping Products in Arkansas Through Regulation & Bureaucracy — OPPOSE

This omnibus bill would regulate the tobacco and vaping industry to death and could result in abolishing all tobacco and vaping products in Arkansas. This decreases economic freedom and freedom of choice for Arkansas consumers. The bill is also being used to push abolishing the tobacco industry by using school children as examples of those engaging in already illegal use of vape or tobacco products. New fees would create a slush fund from which money would be directed from/to politicians’ favorite projects. The government would dictate specific packaging, unlimited warrantless inspections of tobacco products sold at retail stores, prohibitions on specific locations for any possession of tobacco products even if they are not illegally possessed (in possession of those over 21), violating free speech rights in advertising products, new directory systems to track all tobacco products, and new fees charged per product. Competition will be limited and consumers will pay more. This “nanny state” bill violates individual and economic freedoms of Arkansans. It is an example of why Arkansas is ranked #44 out of 50 by The Cato Institute for individual freedoms: https://www.freedominthe50states.org/personal/arkansas

🟢 HB1510 by Rep. Gonzales: Protection of Private Property Owners Against Governments With No Jurisdiction Over Their Property — SUPPORT

❌ HB1503 by Rep. Clowney: New Excessive Regulation of Tiny Homes — OPPOSE

Senate Floor:
🟢SB299 by Sen. K. Hammer: Preventing Fraud in Nursing Home Absentee Ballots and Assisting People Voting — SUPPORT

This good bill would make it harder to commit fraud in absentee ballots completed for nursing home residents or those being assisted in voting. The bill would require any person who is assisting a person at a polling site with voting, to provide ID to prove who they are consistent with voter ID requirements. The bill would also require a witness by a nursing home staff member to the actual act of assistance of a person living in and voting from the nursing home. This would help prevent fraud by a nursing home administrator or others from manipulating residents on how to vote when completing their absentee ballot as well as completion without the resident’s participation and approval.

❌ HB1068 by Rep. McElroy: Expansion of Taxpayer Funded Government Retirement to Metropolitan Port Authority Employees — OPPOSE

This bill would grow government and spend money we do not have by adding all metropolitan port authority employees to the taxpayer funded government retirement system. This would increase ongoing obligations to a new group of people who have already benefitted from taxpayer funded salaries and benefits for decades. It is an unfunded debt liability that will only grow as government grows and at some point may only be covered by increased taxes.

Monday, March 10th Legislative Watchlist:
House Education:
👀 SB246 by Sen. J. Dismang/HB1512 by Rep. M. Shepherd: To Create the Arkansas Access Act

House State Agencies:
❌ HB1574 by Rep. Vaught: Prohibiting Employment of Non-Arkansas Residents for Canvassing — OPPOSE

❌ HB1621 by Rep. Wardlaw: FOIA Exemption to Shield Politicians from the Public — OPPOSE

🟢 HB1694 by Rep. Hawk: Better Transparency in Campaign Finance Filings – No More Paper Filings — SUPPORT

🟢 HB1706 by Rep. McCollum: Prohibition on Ranked Choice Voting — SUPPORT

A number of Constitutional Amendments are also on the agenda:
❌ HJR1005 by Rep. Long: Constitutional Amendment to Require 3/4th Vote for Raising Taxes/Fees and 2% Cap on Budget Increases Year over Year— OPPOSE

This proposed constitutional amendment would be placed on the 2026 general election ballot if passed. The amendment is good in many respects, but because it does not go far enough, we oppose it. The proposal would require a 3/4ths vote of both chambers of the state legislature to pass any tax/fee that is new, increasing rates, extensions, or otherwise a change in law causing a gain to the state in next tax/fee revenue. There would be a cap on the state budget of a 2% increase year over year. For any revenues received above the allowed budget cap, funds would be distributed to (1) Catastrophic Reserve Fund then (2) Budget Stabilization Trust Fund. Since the Budget Stabilization Trust Fund can be tapped by the legislature as they see fit, there is no real advantage to this cap. If there is to be a real cap on government spending, then any remaining balance should be “refunded” through reductions of income tax rates and sales and use tax rates rather than merely placed in a separate fund to be used as needed. This bill is labeled the “Taxpayer Bill of Rights” but is not exactly like similarly named proposals, such as that proposed by Conduit for Commerce beginning in 2013 (see https://conduitforcommerce.org/containing-government-growth/). This is an example of why a bill should be read beyond its title.

🟢 HJR1006 by Rep. B. McKenzie: Stopping Taxpayer Funded Government Lobbying — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment is long over-due. It would prohibit the use of taxpayer money to be used to lobby to grow government. It prohibits government actors from hiring lobbyists which then lobby on behalf of the government actor. This would include a prohibition on using tax money going to organizations who then lobby on behalf of the organization, such as public sector membership organizations. This would include all government actors at the state, county, or local level. This would not prohibit actual government employees within a government body to engage in lobbying, including registering as a lobbyist.

🟢 HJR1011 by Rep. S. Meeks: Allowing Non-Appropriation Bills During Fiscal Session — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment would make it easier to hear non-appropriation bills during a fiscal session. Currently, there must be a 2/3 majority vote of each chamber to allow non-appropriation bills to be heard during the fiscal session. This amendment would allow the filing of non-appropriation bills between seven days before the fiscal session starts and seven days after it has started. Even though we are a proponent of less government and less legislation, there have been times when allowing for the hearing of proposed legislation (like at the time of the Covid crisis), this measure could avoid a special session or allow a hearing of legislation which may not be popular at the time with the Governor but is with a majority of the electorate.

🟢 HJR1012 by Rep. R. Scott Richardson: Freeze Property Assessments If No Substantial Change or Conveyance – Keeps Taxes Level — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment would protect property owners against increases in their property taxes unless there is subtantial change to the property or a new conveyance has occurred. This would ensure that property that is not developed, improved, or transferred would not be subject to an increase in tax on the mere increase in the values of real property in general. This amendment would stop the ever increasing tax on real estate ownership in areas where values increase. As a result, government will not grow (and individual freedoms shrink) simply because real estate values increase. This amendment could be improved if it specifically defined “substantial change,” “new construction,” and “substantial improvement” –as we have seen local governments determine a property is significantly improved when new kitchen cabinets and counter tops were installed–which we know is not a substantial improvement to real property. We also acknowledge that even though we would prefer assessments to decrease when values decline, it is unlikely that adding language to reduce the tax when values decline would be cost effective once the regular re-appraisal apparatus is disassembled within counties. (When that scenario occurs, another law change would likely be in order.)

❌ SJR15/HJR1014 by Sen. J. Dismang/Rep. Beaty Jr: Creation of Socialism – Corporate Welfare Districts — OPPOSE

When you see the words “economic development” used in legislation, brace for a tax increase. At a time when the rest of the country is moving away from socialism, this amendment would increase Arkansas’ current welfare state by creating corporate welfare districts, taking taxpayer money and redistributing it to government favorites….not only is the government acting in the place of a friendly bank to corporate welfare friends, this amendment hands out permanent tax exempt status to their chosen participates! This practice has continued to be tried and failed in Arkansas and continues ripe with corruption. Previously, the legislature created this same framework with “general improvement districts.” In that scenario legislators picked which special groups or projects they would direct taxpayer money. Former state legislators still sit in prison today for their abuse of that program. Passage of this amendment would lead to tax increases, more corruption, growing government, and a socialist-corporate welfare program with no limits or guard rails. DOGE to the rescue!?! No help there! Best Advice: Do not allow this on the ballot! See: https://uca.edu/acre/targeted-economic-development-incentives/ and https://www.heritage.org/budget/pages/recommendations/1.370.85.html

🟢 HJR1015 by Rep. Lundstrum: Partisan Judicial Election — SUPPORT

This proposed constitutional amendment would require judicial candidates to affiliate with a political party. This would provide greater transparency into what a candidate’s political philosophy and judicial philosophy may be. It would also expose or force liberal activist judges to affiliate with the Democrats and potentially lose their seats in super majority Republican areas in most of Arkansas.

House Floor:
🟢 SB272 by Sen. Crowell: No Pre-Filled Content on Voter Registration Applications — SUPPORT

This good bill would prohibit the use of pre-filled information on voter registration applications provided by the government. This will ensure better transparency and accuracy so that the information included is only that which is provided by the person registering to vote.

🟢 SB119 by Sen. Penzo: Establishes Interstate Medical Licensure Compact — SUPPORT

This bill would add Arkansas to the interstate medical licensure compact, making it easier for medical licensees in other states to obtain licensure and regulatory approval in Arkansas. This will make it easier for out of state medical service providers to conduct business and provide healthcare services to consumers in Arkansas, thus increasing the supply and creating more competition for services, providing lower prices, and/or higher quality services.

House Floor:
🟢SB299 by Sen. K. Hammer: Preventing Fraud in Nursing Home Absentee Ballots and Assisting People Voting — SUPPORT

❌ HB1245 by Rep. Clowney: New Occupational Licensure Regulations for Behavior Analysts — OPPOSE

Week 8 Legislative Report 2025

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