07-04-2025
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 49 bills into law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 49 bills into law on Thursday.
The new laws include the routine affairs of the state, alongside bills impacting prescription drug access, a grant program for homeowners, a committee to encourage census participation and 2nd Amendment rights.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders promotes legislation tightening restrictions on social media
PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
Senate Bill 103, now Act 425, mandates that pharmacy benefits managers accept any pharmacy or pharmacist willing to work within their terms. The act's language states it intends to remove barriers to competition.
The act includes an emergency clause, meaning it went into effect with the governor's signature.
HOMEOWNER GRANTS
Senate Bill 366, now Act 427, creates the Strengthen Arkansas Homes Act. The act allows homeowners and non-profits to apply for a grant administered through the state insurance department to fortify their homes against wind or hail damage.
The home must meet FORTIFIED Home construction standards created by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, and an appropriately licensed and certified contractor must do the work.
Bill to extend Medicaid post-partum care to 12 months passes Arkansas House, heads for Senate
CENSUS PARTICIPATION
Senate Bill 403, now Act 449, intends to increase Arkansans' participation in the 2030 census. According to the bill's preamble, Arkansas had the highest undercount rate in the 2020 census of 5.04%.
Federal programs allocate to states based on census data, so an undercount means Arkansas is not getting the full federal funding it deserves.
The act creates the 2030 Arkansas Complete Count Committee of state officials to increase census participation.
Four takeaways from the 12th week of the 95th General Assembly
2ND AMENDMENT
Senate Bill 1509, now Act 452, forbids payment processors from using merchant category code 5723. That number was approved in 2022 by the International Organization for Standardization as the listing for gun and ammunition dealers, effective July 1, 2024.
Those favoring the code said it was needed to identify suspicious purchase patterns. In contrast, opponents of the code's use said it could lead to privacy violations and unwarranted tracking.
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