April 20 –
The House passed two bills today which would create new tax credits.
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.
The House also passed the following:
HB1746-This bill would allow registered hairstylists to shampoo, blow-dry, and perform simple styling without a cosmetology license if they are under the supervision of licensed cosmetologists.
HB1848-This bill creates the Healthy Active Arkansas Schools Act. It would require the Department of Education to work with the Department of Health to develop guidelines for public schools and open-enrollment charter schools to address healthy eating and increased physical activity.
HB1870-This bill would require the biological father of a child to pay 50% of pregnancy and childbirth expenses incurred by the child’s mother.
The House will convene on Tuesday at 1 pm.
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With a vote of 78-15 and 3 members voting present, the House passed SB55. This bill is the appropriation for Medicaid and the Medicaid expansion program now known as ARHOME.
The House also passed the following bills on Tuesday:
HB1912-This bill would reduce the sales tax from 6.5% to 3.5% on used cars priced from $4,000-$10,000.
SB498-This bill states that following a written complaint concerning any election law violation or irregularity to the county board of election commissioners, the written complaint shall be sent by the county board of election commissioners to the State Board of Election Commissioners for evaluation. Currently, the complaints are directed to the county clerk or prosecuting attorney.
SB557-This bill gives county election boards the power to supervise all election officials.
SB576-This bill states that each school district and open-enrollment public charter school shall have a policy detailing how a record of pupil attendance shall be kept for public school students who attend school via virtual or remote learning programs.
SB543-This bill extends tax credits for waste reduction, reuse, or recycling equipment by steel manufacturers.
SB553-This bill states that a historical monument shall not be relocated, vandalized, damaged, destroyed, removed, altered, renamed, rededicated, or otherwise disturbed. It defines a historical monument as a statue, memorial, gravestone plate, plaque, or historic flag display that is located on public property and was installed or dedicated in honor of a historical person, historical event, public service organization, firefighter, police officer, military organization, or military unit.
SB590-This bill states that a state agency, a political subdivision of the state, or a state or local official shall not mandate an individual in this state to use a face mask, face shield, or other face covering. It also states that the General Assembly reserves the right to enact legislation regarding the mandatory use of face masks, face shields, or other face coverings.
SB355-This bill states that if a lottery winner wins more than $500,000, he or she may keep their identity confidential.
The House will convene on Wednesday at 1 pm.
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April 21
House members are now reviewing the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2022. The Revenue Stabilization Act (RSA) categorizes and prioritizes state spending. It is typically one of the last items passed every session. We have posted the proposal at www.arkansashouse.org .
Meanwhile the House passed more than 20 bills today including the following:
SB564-This bill creates the Arkansas Tutoring Corps Act. It allows the Department of Education to develop a program to identify qualified tutors and a curriculum to support elementary students in reading and math. The bill states that data suggests that learning loss suffered as a result of the pandemic will be substantial, particularly for the state’s most vulnerable students.
SB629-This bill will allow a school district with declining enrollment to receive both declining enrollment funding and special needs isolated funding.
SB680-This bill creates a tax credit for eligible contributions made to a scholarship-granting organization under the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program Act. This legislation would allow a student who has an annual family income less than or equal to 200% of the federal poverty level to receive an educational scholarship that covers all or part of the tuition and fees at a private school.
The scholarships would equal 80% of foundation funding for students in K-8 and 90% of foundation funding for high school students. The total amount of tax credits awarded in a year shall not exceed $2 million.
SB450-This bill states that members of the male sex are prohibited from an interscholastic, intercollegiate, intramural, or club athletic team or sport that is expressly designated for females, women, or girls. The bill also states the Attorney General may bring a cause of action for injunctive relief and any other relief available under the law against an entity that does not comply.
HB1761-This bill states that a public school or an open-enrollment charter school shall not express, depict, or teach about race or ethnicity in a manner that prevents or inhibits fair and open discourse that employs reason as a guide for deliberation in the exchange of ideas and opposing points of view.
SB248-This bill creates the Food Freedom Act by exempting certain producers of homemade food or drink products from licensure, certification, and inspection.
SB606-This bill would give Arkansans up to 24 months to take the driving portion of a driver’s test after passing the written portion of the exam. Currently, Arkansans are only given 12 months before they have to re-take the written exam.
SB26-This bill would reduce the sales and use tax on coal if used in manufacturing.
The House will convene on Thursday at 1 pm.
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April 22
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.
