09-04-2025
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs 28 bills into law
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 28 bills into law on Tuesday.
The bills that are now law cover a range of issues, including state employee pay, cybersecurity, abortion, human trafficking, social studies teaching and bumper heights.
STATE EMPLOYEE PAY
Senate Bill 392 is a 122-page document clarifying provisions for state employees, such as student loans, and setting pay schedules for state employees by classification. The bill also tweaks specific employee titles and circumstances for special pay rates, such as appointments by the governor.
CYBERSECURITY
House Bill 1549 establishes the State Cybersecurity Office and outlines its duties and powers. The agency will be charged with auditing state computer networks and responding to threats. It will also coordinate with federal cybersecurity officials and be a resource for local, state, and federal agencies.
ABORTION
House Bill 1551 makes tricking someone into taking an abortion-inducing drug a felony of criminal abortion. An exception is made for treatments, including medicines, that increase the risk of miscarriage but were done to treat a condition.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING
House Bill 1474 mandates that certain establishments must have a poster giving information about the national human trafficking hotline. Mandated establishments are hotels or motels that have been cited for prostitution, strip clubs, private liquor-only clubs, airports, train stations, bus stations, any place that provides food, fuel, showers and overnight parking and, finally, nail salons.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 888-373-7888.
SOCIAL STUDIES
House Bill 1705 requires the Board of Education to add 'information that addresses the founding of the United States, including the founding fathers and their religious and moral beliefs and how their religious and moral beliefs influenced the founding documents of the United States.'
The act continues to mandate teaching 'How the religious and moral beliefs of the founding fathers influenced the founding of the United States and documents and concepts relevant to the founding fathers' religious and moral beliefs.'
It will go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year.
BUMPER HEIGHT
Senate Bill 411 makes it illegal to drive a motor vehicle modified to where the front bumper is 4 inches higher than the rear bumper. Penalties are $250 for the first offense, $500 for the second offense, and fines plus a 12-month driver's license suspension for the third and subsequent offenses.
The governor has signed 499 bills into law during this legislative session.
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