What happened on Tuesday, 13 April 2021
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 1842 would add language to existing statute to require drivers to stop for trains and other on-track equipment; the sponsor said rail operators, unions and the state's Operation Lifesaver coordinator support the clarification and the committee passed it by voice vote.
Alpine School District, School Boards, Utah
School board reviews budget necessities while addressing concerns over real estate valuation impacts.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
Senate Bill 6‑39, amended to narrow coverage and require prior approval tied to a pediatric center of excellence, was adopted by the committee. Sponsor said the amendment was crafted with an insurer to avoid open-ended obligations while allowing coverage for IVIG and related treatment for children diagnosed with PANDAS/PANS.
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 1743 would let film productions choose a rebate or a transferable tax credit and create a mechanism to authorize supplemental credits beyond a $4 million cap; committee discussion focused on fiscal exposure, qualifying expenditures, and the trust‑fund mechanism. Members voted to refer the bill to the Revenue & Tax Committee for further review.
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
The Senate Transportation Committee approved a bill to let commercial driver's license holders renew their CDL and hazardous-material endorsement together and raise the fee from $40 to $50 to align expiration dates and improve credential consistency.
CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
A bill that would require single statewide rules for disposable items — blocking cities and counties from adopting local bans or fees — passed the City, County & Local Affairs Committee after testimony from Fayetteville officials and retail groups. Proponents argued for uniform commerce; opponents warned it would undercut local litter-control programs.
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 1525 was passed out of the Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee to clarify enforcement and penalties for nonmedical marijuana violations, including allowing citation for public smoking and specifying possession amounts; law‑enforcement witnesses supported the measure.
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
Senate Bill 670 gives the Game and Fish Commission authority to increase resident hunting and fishing license maximums (65% now, plus two subsequent adjustments) with revenue dedicated to infrastructure; the committee approved the bill on a 5‑3 roll call after extensive questioning about funding and program priorities.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
Senator Hammer presented House Bill 11‑56 (Smart911); staff from the Division of Emergency Management provided usage data and the state Smart911 director reported 82,235 registered profiles as of March 18, 2021. Committee members requested a geographic coverage map and the sponsor offered to supply it and return Thursday for further action.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
The committee passed several bills (Senate Bill 5‑87; Senate Bill 6‑39 as amended; House Bill 18‑02; House Bill 14‑67) and postponed others for follow-up (House Bills 11‑56 and 16‑42). House Bill 13‑62 failed in committee.
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
The Senate Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee approved House Bill 1426, which would require third‑party food delivery services to obtain an agreement with restaurants before listing or delivering their food; sponsors agreed to delay the law’s effective date until Jan. 1, 2022 to allow compliance.
AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
Senate Bill 659 would place the Northeast Arkansas Economic Development District under supervision of the Delta Center for Economic Development at Arkansas State University while leaving local board authority and employees unchanged; local judges testified in opposition citing local control and $15 million in grants overseen locally.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
The Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee on a voice vote rejected House Bill 13‑62, which would have extended a bariatric-surgery pilot through Dec. 31, 2026. Supporters cited program benefits and usage data; opponents said prior task-force findings showed unsustainable costs.
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
New legislation creates a centralized website for locating towed vehicles across Arkansas.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 16‑42, which would apply child-support cooperation priorities used in other welfare programs to public housing, was presented and extensively questioned about definitions and unintended consequences. Sponsor withdrew the motion and committed to working with committee members to refine language before returning.
INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 18‑02 amends the deceptive trade practices statute to prohibit residential contractors from advertising they will cover an insured homeowner’s deductible on insurance claims. Sponsor and insurance department counsel said enforcement would be by the attorney general; the committee voted to pass the bill.
STATE AGENCIES & GOVT'L AFFAIRS-SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
Senate committee considered SB485 to eliminate Monday early voting; county election officials and voting-rights groups testified that Monday was a high‑turnout day and removing it would reduce access for rural and language‑minority voters. The measure lacked sufficient votes in committee and did not advance.
CITY, COUNTY & LOCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
The City, County & Local Affairs Committee issued do-pass recommendations for multiple bills affecting alcohol/tobacco oversight, county budgeting, municipal zoning and audits; HB17-48 (Sunday sales ballot placement) failed and SB377 (yard-sign First Amendment protections) was pulled for amendment.
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 1560 would remove 'consent' and 'non-consent' categories for towing, create a separate repossession category, and strengthen the Towing Board's authority over inspections and licensing for commercial tow vehicles; sponsor said the change deregulates certain classifications while adding safety oversight.
TRANSPORTATION, TECHNOLOGY & LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - SENATE, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas
House Bill 1811 would require towing companies to post notices of towed vehicles on a Towing and Recovery Board website in addition to publishing in newspapers when available; the sponsor said the change will help motorists find towed vehicles faster and impose about a $2 per-listing fee for tow operators.