Senate Insurance & Commerce committee advances contractor, insurance and funeral‑service bills

A Senate Insurance & Commerce committee hearing on multiple bills resulted in several approvals and two items pulled for further work. Chair Ricky Hill opened the meeting and members disclosed potential conflicts before considering measures on contractors, funeral services, online age verification and insurance products.

Representative Hester described HB 1147 as a negotiated compromise permitting licensed residential contractors to have employees sell the employer’s homes without a separate real‑estate license, provided they represent only their employer and that a broker also represents the builder. After brief discussion the committee moved to pass the measure and the chair announced the bill passed.

Chair Hill presented SB 6, which would allow contractors age 65 or older with at least 12 years’ experience to purchase a one‑time restricted lifetime license for $65 while maintaining bonding and required financial filings; the committee approved the bill.

The panel also approved SB 98 and SB 99, which clarify payment practices among burial associations and funeral homes and simplify reporting requirements for funeral‑service entities, and approved SB 111 to authorize insurers to issue family‑leave insurance policies under an added statutory line of authority. Representative Wright’s HB 1040, which would repeal the Arkansas Legal Insurance Act and eliminate a long‑standing licensing requirement for prepaid legal plans, also passed.

Two items were pulled for further work. SB 97, a cleanup of prepaid funeral benefits and related statutes, was pulled after questions about how the code defines a license that has ‘‘lapsed’’; lawmakers asked for clearer statutory language on renewal and notification. SB 178, which would reimburse behavioral‑health care managers at primary‑care practices, was pulled so the sponsor can request a Medicaid fiscal/feasibility study and return with fiscal analysis.

The committee handled public testimony and cross‑examination for several measures; Jerry Cox of Family Council testified in favor of SB 66, and insurance‑industry counsel Derek Smith outlined SB 111’s purpose in opening an insurance line for paid family leave.

The committee adjourned after scheduling follow‑ups and confirming that pulled bills will return after the sponsor makes requested changes or obtains fiscal information.