Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Our work for the Extraordinary Session is now complete and the legislation passed has been signed into law. 

This morning, the House passed HB1007 and SB8. These are identical bills reducing the top personal income tax rate from 4.7% to 4.4%. The bills also reduce the corporate income tax rate from 5.1% to 4.8%. In addition, the bills provide an income tax credit of $150 to taxpayers making less than $90,000 annually. The credit will be retroactive to January 1, 2023. 

The House also passed HB1012 and SB10. These are identical bills amending the Freedom of Information Act of 1967 by exempting records that reflect the planning or provision of security provided to the Governor, constitutional officers, the General Assembly, Justices of the Supreme Court, or Judges of the Court of Appeals. The bills also direct the Arkansas State Police to provide the legislature with a quarterly report on the expenses incurred by the Executive Protection Detail.  

The House passed HB1008 and SB5. These are identical bills amending the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program Act and the Arkansas Children’s Educational Freedom Account Program to provide access to additional funding for children with disabilities. 

In addition, the House passed SB3. This bill states that a state agency or a state or local official shall not mandate an individual to receive a vaccine or immunization for COVID-19 or any subvariants of COVID-19. 

The House also passed SB1. This bill would create the Arkansas Reserve Fund Set-Aside in the Restricted Reserve Fund and direct the transfer of $710.6 million in surplus funds to the newly created reserve fund.  

This afternoon, Governor Sanders signed all the bills passed during this session into law.

You can watch all the committee meetings and House floor proceedings from the session at arkansashouse.org.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

In the most recent legislative session, the Arkansas General Assembly made several changes to our laws regarding transportation. 

The new laws impact everything from distracted driving to getting your car tags. 

Below is a list of acts signed this year regarding transportation: 

Act 445 seeks to strengthen our laws regarding distracted driving. It states if a distracted driver causes an accident that results in serious physical injury or death of another person, the driver upon conviction is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor. In addition to penalties assessed, the court may order the defendant to 100 hours or less of public service work.

Act 41 extends the time period authorized for the registration of a motor vehicle from 30 days to 60 days from the purchase date or from the time an individual becomes a resident of Arkansas.  

Act 396 limits the time period during which restricted driving permits are valid for those on probation or parole to one year from the date it was issued. 

Act 94 amends the law concerning truck platooning systems.

Act 50 repeals a law that prohibits leaving a running vehicle unattended.

Act 261 would require the Department of Finance and Administration to offer drivers the option of a digitized driver’s license by February 2025. The bill states a digitized driver's license may be accepted by a public entity for all state purposes authorized for a driver's license. It does not require any public or private entity to accept a digitized driver’s license.

Act 264 classifies the theft of a catalytic converter as a Class C felony. It states a person commits unauthorized possession of a catalytic converter if the person knowingly possesses a catalytic converter that has been removed from a motor vehicle and is not permanently marked. 

Act 211 allows the distribution of revenues from the additional registration fee for electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles under the Arkansas Highway Revenue Distribution Law.

Act 714 allows law enforcement to impound a vehicle if the driver committed the offense of drag racing on a public highway for second time in a five-year period.

You can find more acts passed by the 94th General Assembly and watch recorded meetings of the 2023 Regular Session at arkansashouse.org.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

In the 9th week of the 2023 Regular Session, the House passed several bills addressing education, elections, and healthcare. The House also passed a bill to increase the property tax credit for Arkansas families. 

With a vote of 99-0, the House voted in favor of increasing the homestead property tax credit from $375 a year to $425 a year. HB1032 now heads to the Senate. 

Education bills passing the House this week include the Seizure Safe Schools Act. HB1315 requires all schools to have at least 2 employees trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of seizures and know how to respond.  

The House also voted in favor of HB1535 and HB1462. 

HB1535 states that at each regular monthly meeting of a school board, a report of student academic performance should be provided to the board. 

HB1462 clarifies the definition of “unaccompanied homeless youth” to mean an individual between the ages of 16 and 22 who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. The definition will allow a school’s liaison for homeless children and youth to provide additional support. HB1462 also waives fees for identification, driver’s license, and birth certificates for unaccompanied homeless youth. 

The House passed several bills regarding elections including HB1487 and HB1510. 

HB1487 creates the Ballot Security Act of 2023. The bill allows for the tracking of ballots and proper delivery and creates a process to preserve spoiled ballots. 

HB1510 would require special elections to be held on the same dates as primary and general elections. It states special elections shall be held on the second Tuesday of March or November in a year when a presidential election is held or the second Tuesday of May and November of all other years. The bill outlines specific criteria for exceptions to hold an emergency special election. 

The House also passed HB1035. This bill requires a healthcare insurer to provide coverage for screening for depression of the birth mother by a healthcare professional within the first 6 weeks of the birth mother's having given birth on or after January 1, 2024. 

The House voted in favor of SB199. This bill states that a healthcare professional who performs a gender transition procedure on a minor is liable if the minor is injured in any way. It also states that a civil action can be filed for up to 15 years after the minor turns 18 years of age. 

And the House passed SB295. This bill seeks to create the Cost-Shifting Prevention Act of 2023 by addressing the rates paid for customer-owned net-metering facilities. It would require utilities to compensate solar users at wholesale rates as they do other power providers. 

The House will reconvene on Monday at 1:30 p.m. You can watch all committee meetings and House 

NALC’s Brown: State, federal lawmakers zero in on foreign ownership of U.S. farmland

By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — When it comes to foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States, legislatures at both the state and federal levels are asking “how much is too much?”

AG LAW — Micah Brown is a staff attorney with the National Agricultural Law Center. (U of A System Division of Ag photo by Fred Miller)

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency, foreign ownership and investments in U.S. agricultural land have increased to more than 40 million acres, an increase of almost 36 percent in foreign-owned farmland since 2011.

“Foreign ownership of agricultural land has emerged as arguably the single most active issue at the state and federal government levels, with more than half the states in the country proposing some kind of restriction on foreign ownership since Jan. 1,” Micah Brown, staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center, said. “This emerging interest in restricting foreign investments in U.S. land, especially agricultural land, is partly due to a Chinese-owned company purchasing more than 130,000 acres near a U.S. Air Force base in Texas. Another transaction that raised concerns among some lawmakers is the purchase of 300 acres near an Air Force base in North Dakota by the Chinese company Fefang Group."

Brown, who specializes in agricultural finance and credit issues at the NALC, including foreign ownership of agricultural land, recently spoke at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 99th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum. He presented the session “State Restrictions on Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land and Recent State Proposals.” Information on the event, as well as presentation slides and recordings of the sessions, can be found online.

“Some state foreign ownership proposals seek to restrict certain countries, such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia,” Brown noted in his presentation. He also said that there are fourteen states that currently restrict foreign ownership of farmland within their state to some degree.

In 2023, the Arkansas legislature has considered four proposals — HB 1255; HB 1479; SB 340; SB 383 — that seek to restrict certain foreign investments in agricultural land. Specifically, HB 1478 would restrict acquisitions of agricultural land by governmental entities of China and companies headquartered in China, while SB 340 and SB 383 seek to restrict foreign investments of governments and entities from several different countries, such as China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria.

There is no federal law restricting foreign individuals, business entities, or foreign governments from acquiring or holding U.S. agricultural land, but Congress is considering proposals that seek to restrict certain foreign investments in farmland, such as the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act — the PASS Act of 2023. If enacted, the PASS Act would require the president to prohibit certain foreign investments in U.S. agriculture, including acquisitions of businesses engaged in agriculture and land used in agriculture.

“The NALC covers, on a daily basis, many issues important to the agricultural industry, but foreign ownership of agricultural land has definitely risen to the top in 2023,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “Micah has emerged as a leading national expert on the topic, providing invaluable information to legislators, states’ farm bureaus, attorneys, and many others around the country.” 

In January, Brown presented a National Agricultural Law Center webinar on foreign ownership. The recording of the webinar, “Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land: Federal & State Legislative Update,” is available online on the NALC website. He has also developed the NALC’s Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land: FAQs and Resource Library, highlighting state laws, AFIDA, federal proposals, and more.

For updates on foreign ownership of agricultural land and other agricultural law developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture, which publishes twice a month.

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

In the 8th week of the 2023 Regular Session, the House passed SB294. This bill creates the LEARNS Act and outlines several educational reforms. 

SB294 raises the minimum teacher salary to $50,000 a year and raises current teacher salaries by $2,000. 

It requires that students be reading at a 3rd-grade level before advancing to the 4th grade. It also calls for 120 reading coaches to be deployed statewide and supplemental educational services for students struggling to read. 

The bill creates the Education Freedom Account. In a three-year phased-in approach, the account would offer universal school choice to all parents by the 2025-2026 school year. 

It also offers high school students the option of a career-ready diploma and requires high school students to complete 75 hours of community service before graduation. 

This bill now goes back to the Senate to concur in a House amendment. 

The House also passed HB1458. This bill creates the Vincent Parks Law. Vincent Parks was a Jonesboro police officer who died last summer during law enforcement training. HB1458 would require instructors to complete training on the recognition and management of certain health conditions and establish procedures in the event a cadet or officer has symptoms of cardiac arrest while receiving training. 

On Wednesday, the House passed HB1486. This bill amends the law concerning distracted driving. It states if a distracted driver causes an accident that results in serious physical injury or death of another person, the driver upon conviction is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor and could face a fine of up to $2,500 and imprisonment for up to one year. 

The House also passed HB1365 and SB265. 

HB1365 classifies the theft of a catalytic converter as a Class C felony. It states a person commits unauthorized possession of a catalytic converter if the person knowingly possesses a catalytic converter that has been removed from a motor vehicle and is not permanently marked. 

SB265 allows a hospital pharmacy to dispense up to a 31-day supply of medication to emergency room patients or patients who are being discharged from the hospital. Currently, hospitals can dispense a 2-day supply.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

On the 5th week of the Regular Session, the House passed legislation addressing substance abuse, teen pregnancy, public assistance, and transportation. 

The House passed HB1144. This bill creates the Arkansas Family Treatment Specialty Court Act. 

The bill states that there is a critical need for judicial intervention and support for effective treatment programs to reduce the number of family separations due to substance use disorders and mental health disorders.  HB1144 address that by creating a specialized court within the court system, similar to our current drug courts. 

The House also passed the Support for Pregnant and Parenting Students Act. HB1161 allows pregnant and parenting students to have an additional 10 days of excused absence after the birth of their child. This bill also ensures adequate nursing facilities are provided by schools to parenting students. 

The House passed two bills this week regarding qualifications for public assistance. 

HB1197 would disqualify a person from collecting unemployment compensation for any week he or she fails to respond to a job offer or fails to appear for a job interview. 

HB1196 would require an able-bodied person to work, train, or volunteer in order to qualify for and receive public housing. Several exceptions are outlined in the bill. 

In addition, the House passed HB1182. This bill aims to address the state’s shortage of large animal veterinarians by providing clarity regarding the certification of a veterinary technician specialist and defines a collaborative agreement between a veterinarian and a specialist. 

The House passed SB43 which defines an adult-oriented performance and adds certain restrictions. 

And the House passed a couple of transportation bills. 

HB1324 would allow law enforcement officers to pull over a driver who does not have their headlights on when it is raining, snowing, or any time the windshield wipers are being used. 

SB47 repeals a law that prohibits leaving a running vehicle unattended.

The deadline to file proposed constitutional amendments was Wednesday of this week.

In all, 33 proposals were filed. Constitutional amendments are typically one of the last items to be addressed in the session. You can review the proposals at arkansashouse.org.

AUDIO: Governor Hutchinson’s Weekly Address | Successes in the Session

LITTLE ROCK – This week the 93rd General Assembly concluded its business, and today I’d like to talk about a few of the success stories from the legislative session.

First, I appreciate the leadership of Senate Pro Tem Jimmy Hickey of Texarkana and Speaker Matthew Shepherd of El Dorado. Their steady hand and leadership helped us to navigate through some of the more contentious debates.

One bill that created some last-minute controversy was Senate Bill 298, which was known as the Arkansas Sovereignty Act. This bill was designed to push back against the federal government for what many Arkansans believe will be a new round of gun-control measures. I support that message, and I am a defender of the 2nd Amendment. But the bill would have penalized state and local law enforcement officers for cooperating with federal agencies; it also would have jeopardized hundreds of cases pending in federal court. In other words, public safety would be compromised, and the bill was clearly unconstitutional.

For those reasons I vetoed the bill. As a result, everyone worked together to draft a new bill that Representative Jeff Wardlaw and Senator Missy Irvin sponsored. The new bill sends the same message to Washington that we will not accept unconstitutional burdens on our 2nd Amendment rights. But the bill protects our public safety needs and will not put law enforcement at risk. This was House Bill 1957, and I have now signed the bill into law.

Now, let me talk about some additional successes in the session. 

One of our biggest wins was passage of the Revenue Stabilization Act. The act, known as the RSA, was implemented in the 1940s and requires the state to maintain a balanced budget. Passage of the RSA is an annual exercise in which legislators prioritize spending for the next fiscal year.

As part of the RSA this year, our reserve funds continue to build. We have consistently increased our surplus funds from zero when I took office to the current $210 million. And with the new budget adopted  in this session of the General Assembly, I expect those reserve funds to grow to more than $700 million. As Senator Jonathan Dismang said, the state has never been in better financial condition. Our reserve funds are like a long-term savings account that allows us to weather unexpected economic setbacks.

Other bills we passed include a $2,000 increase in the median salary for school teachers; a reduction in the number of years of service for state police officers to retire from thirty years to twenty-eight years; a requirement that Arkansas students take at least one computer science course to graduate; and that every high school employ at least one certified computer science teacher.    

As you can see, we had a very busy and successful legislative session.

Daily Legislative Update From State Representative Deann Vaught

The House is now in an extended recess. We will return in the fall to address redistricting.

House members returned to the chamber shortly after midnight to concur in an amendment to HB1957.

HB1957 states all acts, laws, orders, rules, and regulations of the United States Government that were enacted on or after January 1, 2021, that infringe on the people's right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Arkansas Constitution, Article 2, § 5, are invalid in this state, shall not be recognized by this state, are specifically rejected by this state, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in this state. The amendment helped to clarify exceptions.

On Tuesday, the House passed the following:

SJR14- This is a proposed constitutional amendment titled the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment”. It state government may burden a person's freedom of religion only if the government demonstrates that application of the burden to the person is in furtherance of a compelling government interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling government interest.

SB691-This bill states that any advertisement using the image of an elected official appearing in any newspaper, television, radio, or electronic medium which is paid by taxpayer funds shall clearly contain the words “Paid advertisement” or “paid ad” and the name of the state entity, county, or constitutional officer that paid for the ad.

SB336-This bill creates an exemption from the sales and use tax for coins, currency, and bullion.

SB484-This bill states that a nonresident individual who is paid a salary, lump sum payment, or any other form of payment that encompasses work performed both inside and outside of Arkansas shall pay Arkansas income tax only on the portion of the individual's income that reasonably can be allocated to work performed in Arkansas.

SB693-This bill would abolish the state and public school life and health insurance board and transfer the duties to the state board of finance.

We will continue to update you during the interim.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, the Joint Budget Committee advanced two bills outlining the proposed budget for the next fiscal year.

The Revenue Stabilization Act prioritizes and categorizes state spending. It is typically one of the last bills passed every session. This year, the RSA is outlined in two identical bills SB702 and HB1949.

The proposal disburses $5.84 billion in general revenue. While fully funding our obligations, it decreases overall state spending by $50 million.

Proposed increases can be found in Medicaid, corrections, and State Police. The budget also includes the largest percentage increase in educational adequacy in 15 years.

The state’s long-term reserve fund is expected to reach over $700 million by the end of this fiscal year. This savings helps the state to secure lower interest rates and bond ratings.

This week, the House also passed a bill to reduce the sales tax from 6.5% to 3.5% on used cars priced from $4,000-$10,000.

HB1912 passed both chambers and is now awaiting the Governor’s signature.

Other tax measures passing the House this week include HB1719 and HB1456.

HB1719 creates the Reboot Pilot Program. It would provide income tax credits for employers who hire former felony offenders who were released from his or her first term of incarceration in the last year. The maximum amount of this credit is $3,000.

HB1456 creates an income tax in an amount equal to 50% of an eligible railroad track maintenance expenditures. The maximum amount of the credit is $5,000 per mile of track.

On Thursday, the House voted in favor of SJR10. This is a proposed constitutional amendment which, if approved by voters, would allow the General Assembly to call a special session upon the submission of a written proclamation with signatures from at least 2/3 of both the House and Senate membership. Currently, only the Governor can call for a special session.

The House also voted in favor of HR1048. This resolution would allow the House to consider a third proposed constitutional amendment, SJR14, the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment.

The House previously passed HJR1005 would require statewide ballot initiatives to receive 60% of the vote before becoming law.

Proposed constitutional amendments approved by the General Assembly will be on the November 2022 ballot.

The House expects to enter an extended recess beginning Tuesday, April 27, and return in the fall to address congressional redistricting. The Governor has also indicated he intends to call a special session in the fall to address additional tax cuts.

You can find all House agendas and links to live streams at www.arkansashouse.org.

Daily Legislative Update From State Representative Deann Vaught

With a vote of 82-9, the House voted in favor of SJR10. This is a proposed constitutional amendment which, if approved by voters, would allow the General Assembly to call a special session upon the submission of a written proclamation with signatures from at least 2/3 of both the House and Senate membership. Currently, only the Governor can call for a special session.

The House also voted in favor of HR1048. This resolution would allow the House to consider a third proposed constitutional amendment, SJR14, the Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment.

The House also passed the following bills on Thursday:

HB1926-This bill defines virtual currency under Arkansas Code. It also defines rights of ownership and the process for adverse claims against the currency.

HB1944-This bill provides definitions of advanced plastic recycling technologies in an effort to help facilitate the growth and investment of these facilities.

SB181-This bill amends the Sales Tax Holiday to exempt certain electronic devices from sales tax during the first weekend in August.

SB513-This bill amends the law concerning the suspension or revocation of a person’s driver’s license for failure to pay a fine or failure to appear. This would allow judges to restrict a license rather than suspend to allow the defendant to drive for essential purposes.

The House will convene on Monday at 1 pm.

Daily Legislative Report From State Rep Deann Vaught:

On Thursday, the House advanced a proposed constitutional amendment. HJR1005 would require statewide ballot initiatives to receive 60% of the vote before becoming law. If approved by the Senate, HJR1005 would be placed on the ballot in November of 2022.

The House also passed the following:

HB1391-This bill amends the law concerning consumer protection of seniors from predatory practices. It states that if a financial services provider has reasonable cause to suspect that financial exploitation may have occurred or is being attempted, the financial services provider may refuse or delay the execution of a financial transaction.

HB1012-This bill would require a buyer of a used catalytic converter other than a scrap metal recycler to file an electronic record of the used catalytic converter purchase.

SB298-This bill is titled the Arkansas Sovereignty Act of 2021. It states that all acts, laws, orders, rules, and regulations of the United States Government that infringe on the people's right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and Arkansas Constitution are invalid in this state and shall not be recognized.

SB59-This bill states that a personal firearm, a firearms accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in Arkansas and that remains within the borders of Arkansas is not subject to federal law or federal regulation.

SB536-This bill establishes the Buffalo River Conservation Committee.

The House will convene on Monday at 1 pm.

Daily Legislative Report From State Rep Deann Vaught:

On Tuesday, the House passed bills outlining several tax credits and exemptions.

HB1157 would double the income tax deduction for a teacher's qualified classroom expense from $250 to $500.

HB1513 creates an income tax credit for up to $3,500 for retired law enforcement officers who work cold cases for Arkansas State Police.

HB1196 would provide a sales and use tax exemption for water used by a poultry farm.

HB1054 allows for sales tax exemptions of isolated sales at special events.

The House also passed the following:

HB1879-This bill allows tuition waivers for dependents of disabled veterans, prisoners of war or a person declared missing in action or killed in action to be used at private and non-profit institutions of higher education. The amount of the waiver would be capped at the maximum amount of those at state-supported institutions.

HB1849-This bill states a vehicle shall not be driven upon the left lane of a multilane highway, except as follows:

(1) When overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction under the rules governing that movement

(2) When all other lanes for traveling in the same direction are closed to traffic while under construction or repair

(3) When all other lanes for traveling in the same direction are in disrepair or are in an otherwise undrivable or unsafe condition

(4) When a vehicle is preparing to exit the multilane highway on the left

HB1767-This bill allows the operation of a personal delivery device in pedestrian areas and certain streets.

HB1547-This bill states that a state agency or a state or local official shall not mandate an individual to receive a vaccine for COVID-19. It also states that if a state-controlled facility desires to mandate an individual to receive a vaccine, then the agency can make the request to the Arkansas Legislative Council. If a variant of COVID-19 occurs and mutates to be a more virulent strain that impacts children within two years from the date that the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine, then the Department of Health can request a meeting with the Public Health, Welfare, and Labor Committee.

SB139-This bill allows a student applying for the Arkansas Governor’s Scholars Program or the Minority Teacher Scholarship Program to use his or her ACT super score.

The House will convene on Thursday at 1 pm.

Legislative Update From State Representative Deann Vaught

On Tuesday, the House passed the following:

HB1388-This bill states that in an adoption proceeding concerning a minor who is not in the custody of the Department of Human Services, a prospective adoptive parent may voluntarily enter into a written agreement with a birth parent concerning post-adoption exchange of information, communication, or other contact between the birth parent and the minor.

HB1728-This bill states the use of campaign funds to pay a candidate's childcare expenses shall not be considered a taking of campaign funds as personal income if the campaign funds are used to pay for childcare for time the candidate is engaging in campaign activity and the childcare expenses would not exist in the absence of the campaign.

SB160-This bill states that in the 2022-2023 school year, Holocaust education shall be taught in all public schools in a manner that generates an understanding of the causes, course, and effects of the Holocaust. The bill states the lesson must also develops dialogue with students on the ramifications of bullying, bigotry, stereotyping, and discrimination.

SB394-This bill states that a public school district or open-enrollment charter school shall conduct a comprehensive school safety audit every 3 years to assess the safety, security, accessibility, and emergency preparedness of district buildings and grounds in collaboration with local law enforcement, fire, and emergency management officials.

SB27-This bill requires the Arkansas Department of Health to ensure that the Suicide Prevention Hotline employs individuals who have experience working with veterans or are veterans.

SB524-This bill states that by August 1, 2022, each public school district and open-enrollment public charter school in the state shall prepare a three-year teacher and administrator recruitment and retention plan. The plan should include goals for recruitment and retention of teachers and administrators of minority races and ethnicities who increase diversity among the district staff and, at a minimum, reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the district's students.

HB1743-This bill amends the Digital Product and Motion Picture Industry Development Act of 2009 to allow production companies a choice of applying for either a rebate or tax credit with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.

SB474-This bill creates the offenses of fertility treatment abuse and fertility treatment fraud.

The House will convene on Wednesday at 1 pm.

Daily Legislative Update From State Representative Deann Vaught:

The House approved a resolution that will provide for an extended recess of the 2021 Regular Session. HCR1015 would allow the General Assembly to recess on April 30 and return when census data becomes available to complete congressional redistricting. Currently, census data is expected to be released in September.

The House also voted in favor of the following bills on Monday:

HB1678-This bill allows the State Board of Education to issue a teaching license to a university professor or an assistant professor.

HB1313-This bill addresses damage, destruction, or vandalism to buildings and objects on the State Capitol Grounds and at the Governor’s Mansion. It states damage to public buildings or objects of respect is a Class A misdemeanor if the damage is under $500. It becomes a Class D felony if the value of the damage exceeds $500.

HB1505-This bill makes leaving the scene of an accident with injuries a Class D felony. If there are serious physical injuries or death of a person, the offender would be charged with a Class B felony.

SB339-This bill states restaurants holding a valid alcoholic beverage permit may sell alcoholic beverages in a sealed container to be consumed off-premises. This is currently allowed under an executive order due to the health emergency. SB339 would allow the practice to continue after the emergency.

SB341-This bill prohibits collective bargaining by public employees. The bill states public employees do not include law enforcement officers, firefighters, or public transit system employees.

SB354-This bill states that interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic teams or sports that are sponsored by a school shall be expressly designated as one of the following based on biological sex:

(1) "Male", "men's", or "boys”

(2) "Female", "women's", or "girls"

It also states a student who is deprived of an athletic opportunity or suffers harm as a result of a violation of this law can seek injunctive relief and monetary damages.

The House will convene on Tuesday at 1 pm.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

In the 10th week of the 2021 Regular Session, the House passed several bills focusing on improved education.

Once enacted, these bills would increase funding for our public schools, raise teacher salaries, and require every high school student to complete a computer science course.

HB1677 raises the foundation funding amount for public schools from the current $6,899 per student to $7,182 per student for the next school year. It increases the amount for the 2022-2023 school year to $7,349 per student. The bill also outlines enhanced funding amounts for school districts where a large majority of students qualify for the national school lunch program. This bill will now be considered by the Senate Education Committee.

This week, the House also addressed teacher salaries. While the 92nd General Assembly worked to improve the minimum teacher salary, our teachers continue to make less than those surrounding states when it comes to the average salary. The current average salary for teachers is $49,822.

HB1614 seeks to raise the average salary by creating the Teacher Salary Equalization Fund. The bill outlines a statewide target average of $51,822 for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years. This bill would direct the Department of Education to disperse money from the Equalization Fund to districts whose average teacher salary falls below $51,822.

The House voted 97-0 in favor of HB1614. The bill is now before the Senate Education Committee.

Meanwhile, another education bill is making its way to the Governor’s desk.

The House passed SB107, which requires students entering the ninth grade class of 2022-2023 to earn one credit in a computer science course before graduation. SB107 states that beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, a public school district shall employ a computer science teacher at each high school.

The House also passed two other education bills this week, HB1451 and HB 1594.

HB1451 allows a public school district to adopt a bilingual program or a dual-immersion program approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

HB1594 allows the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to grant a teaching license to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients who have completed the necessary requirements.

You can find summaries of other legislation passed this week as well recorded meetings, links to live streams, and committee agendas at www.arkansashouse.org.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

As we wind down the 8th week of the 2021 Regular Session, more than 270 bills have been signed into law. 

Next week, the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee will begin hearing proposals for constitutional amendments. According to Joint Rules, the House and Senate can each recommend one amendment, but it must be approved by a majority in both chambers. A 2/3 vote is required by both chambers to introduce a third proposed constitutional amendment. 

This week, the House passed more than 50 bills, including the following: 

HB1061-This bill creates the No Patient Left Alone Act. The bill outlines visitation rights for hospital patients, including children, patients with disabilities, hospice care, long-term care patients, and members of the clergy. 

SB6-This bill would ban abortions except those performed to protect the life and health of the mother. 

HB1568-This bill creates a legislative study on the possible use of election technology to increase transparency and security.  

SB137-This bill states that a local government shall not adopt any ordinance or policy that would prohibit a customer's right to purchase, use, connect, or reconnect to a utility service. 

HB1437-This bill concerns “Publish for Pay websites” or privately-owned websites that request a fee to remove a booking photograph from the website. The bill states the person responsible for removing the booking photograph from the website shall remove the picture within five business days of receipt of a written request and not require payment of a fee for removing the booking photograph. It also states the website must post contact information. 

HB1457-This bill creates “Paisley’s Law”. It allows parents of a stillborn child to claim an income tax credit in the amount of $500. 

HB1488-This bill allows employees to file a Workers’ Compensation Claim for COVID-19 if the employee can prove they contracted the virus at their place of employment.  

HB1407-This bill modifies the method of calculation of the stabilization tax and caps the tax at .2% for 2022. 

HB1409-This bill caps the taxable wage base for employers at $10,000 for 2022. 

HB1433-This bill outlines transportation funding for the 2020-2021 school year for districts that need more than the foundation funding provided to all public schools. 

HB1464-This bill adds a provision to the Arkansas Code that allows parents to challenge instructional material, events, or activities in public schools.  

HB1389-This bill creates the Arkansas Foresters for the Future Scholarship Program. This scholarship will be funded by the State Forestry Fund. 

SB287-This bill expands eligibility for the Governor’s Scholars Program and the Arkansas High Technology Scholarship Program to migrants from the Compact of Free Association Islands (Marshallese) and to an individual or child of a person who holds a Federal Form I-766 Employment Authorization Document (work permit). 

HB1462-This bill allows state-supported two-year and four-year institutions of higher education to designate a staff member as a homeless and foster student liaison.  

There will be some changes to committee schedules beginning next week to accommodate hearing bills and proposed amendments. You can find updated schedules and links to live streams on our website www.arkansashouse.org.

Daily Legislative Report From State Rep Deann Vaught:

With a vote of 94-0, the House passed legislation to expand broadband access in Arkansas.

SB74 allows cities, counties, and improvement districts to partner with established providers to expand broadband services for those who currently do not have service or those who are underserved.

The House passed HB1113, which amends the Commission of State Lands Urban Homestead Act.

Currently, the Commissioner of State Lands can donate land to community organizations to develop low-income housing. This bill states that if the donated land has not been used for that purpose after three years, the commissioner has the option to allow the land to be used for the development of a public school or open-enrollment charter school in an area with a high poverty rate.

The House passed HB1202. This bill requires counties to post sample ballots on the Secretary of State website at least 20 days before each preferential primary and general election and at least ten days before each general primary, general runoff, school, or special election.

The House passed HB1211, which states the Governor shall not prohibit or limit a religious organization from continuing to operate religious services during a declared emergency.

The House also passed SB76, which creates a permitting process for excursion trains to serve and sell alcoholic beverages.

The House will reconvene on Monday at 1 pm.