[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6118899,"mediaKeyId","2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226","parentId",2715535,"title","Committee advances bill allowing DFA to implement electronic vehicle titling and registration","audioSeconds",162,"startMs",747000,"endMs",909000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226&start=747&end=909","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226/thumbnail_747000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6118899/Arkansas/Committee-advances-bill-allowing-DFA-to-implement-electronic-vehicle-titling-and-registration","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118899-bf97d9b0109c7ae97743d8f206ea3707/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443070&Signature=Pu4lFgg3zPD~RPOsXVondSG8r1Bf6XDnJ87j9LV7Qr2tFxmGpvBd8hSN8EQs74ofRCl52KWU2yGGmkkP5lXhitPaVUmpmK1iWBpXC91Yv0o~RV5NlgidLHpQWqMCMio1cq3JS8SNebGZtdO6T2N5aVy5wDHH~LtkQD9jp-Sc1RpjLW54hzkFCwLfdVeQbViNa-NmgZnjjkI1qD~A9gfSosFQgX4rRuYs-QujHSWxFopr1kSMy0MkwfHkkeMS5-E8C8qsPD4LwvAhMZI7c4ygn3-J1CSgwy33q1eiqGKohpHZtsgjCrsw03ZmYtN2aJRyahv7IPgHLSmd1dfZlOmvdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Arkansas Legislature","date","2025-03-20T00:00:00Z","article","Representative Mike Holcomb described House Bill 1845 as a permissive measure allowing the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) to implement an electronic titling and registration system that would let dealers and authorized users upload customer documents digitally to speed transfers of ownership.

\"HB 18 45 is a permissive bill allowing DFA to implement a system for the electronic ignition and tiling of motor vehicles that will allow dealers in Arkansas to digitally upload customer documents with a goal of ultimately just speeding up,\" Holcomb said, explaining the bill would clarify that certain documents may be signed electronically.

Alicia Austin Smith, chief counsel for revenue with DFA, told the committee the bill had just been filed and the agency was still scoring the fiscal impacts but was not opposed. \"So this bill just hit our system yesterday. So we are still scoring it, but no, we are not opposed to the bill and as it stands right now, it's just allowing us to create this system,\" Austin Smith said. She said DFA expected to run a request-for-proposals process for any vendor work and that the bill as filed is permissive and does not create an immediate cost to the state.

Members asked about fraud, duplicate electronic titles, whether a third-party vendor would run the system and whether Arkansas would still receive paper titles. Greg Kirkpatrick of the Arkansas Automobile Dealers Association told the committee that many states already implement electronic registration and titling and that the bill primarily allows dealers to digitally transmit paperwork to the state. \"This is going to allow DFA to start implementing and it is permissive to implement a system that would allow dealers to upload that paperwork digitally,\" Kirkpatrick said. He added the bill does not itself convert the title to digital form and that Arkansas would continue to issue paper titles unless and until the state decides to implement digital titles.

Committee members asked DFA to proceed carefully on implementation; DFA counsel said the agency would do due diligence and use normal checks and procedures. No public testimony for or against the bill was recorded; the committee advanced the measure by voice vote.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION- HOUSE March 20, 2025 10:00 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved House Bill 1845, a permissive measure that would allow the Department of Finance and Administration to implement an electronic titling and registration system; DFA counsel said there is no immediate cost as filed and the agency would follow an RFP process for implementation.","taxTitle","PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION- HOUSE, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Arkansas","taxId",25674,"location","Arkansas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6118903,"Committee approves amendment adding sponsor; advances bill increasing penalties for misuse of dealer tags",74,602000,676000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226&start=602&end=676","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226/thumbnail_602000.jpg","/articles/6118903/Arkansas/Committee-approves-amendment-adding-sponsor-advances-bill-increasing-penalties-for-misuse-of-dealer-tags","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118903-afd6ecb4262af8b0fe89e7e7cdf2d807/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443070&Signature=F9-PUNilguzdbwnDQbTl6sOHoTrm1LmOPhsDlkj8Kn8XA6lEFoklgoYwSLWZINW4O3qG9wB0bLAFrI-QmLVUfDx3uCs1i4bWhodkUbATszZJhlO3F2DrIIhUenccyY7jigc3akR89aqHA02qAz7Y9pvRXVJwO6Jdh77aFq9Wl~zT45x5EZ1p1V0TW4PX4NdytBxnECo0ETY~daNSkpWliV2LGSYFKxlYkrR3UXMPo5nWM~EYK8veiYN2htJ18EhY0wGyLx3kVEj9LPwG21sXNLM4hfe6A9hBKXl20u0DMhkUE7scPr5z6265Lkm2gF1F8gi7rODPh8nkr7Vfjhvenw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Mike Holcomb, R-93, told the House Committee on Public Transportation that an amendment to House Bill 1834 would add Senator Matt Stone as a sponsor. The committee adopted the amendment by voice vote.

Holcomb then described the bill as expanding the Motor Vehicle Commission’s authority to act against dealers when temporary or dealer-issued tags are used by non-eligible drivers. Under the bill, the commission could deny, suspend, or revoke a dealer’s license or, instead of revocation, assess a civil penalty of up to $4,000 per occurrence.

Holcomb said the bill also addresses the form of temporary buyer tags by moving from cardboard buyer tags to a temporary preprinted paper buyer tag. He said some commission rules referenced in the bill would require review by the Legislative Council before being implemented and that stakeholders had reviewed the bill.

The committee heard no public testimony for or against the bill during the hearing. After Holcomb closed and moved the bill to pass as amended, the committee advanced the bill by voice vote; the transcript records the chair announcing the bill had passed.","Lawmakers amended House Bill 1834 to add a sponsor and advanced a bill that would allow the Motor Vehicle Commission to penalize dealers up to $4,000 per occurrence when temporary dealer tags are misused.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6118908,"Committee advances bill to create voluntary \"green envelope\" identifier for people with serious mental illness",128,210000,338000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226&start=210&end=338","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226/thumbnail_210000.jpg","/articles/6118908/Arkansas/Committee-advances-bill-to-create-voluntary-green-envelope-identifier-for-people-with-serious-mental-illness","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118908-e7268df29bc5a205741460b1edd6ca84/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443070&Signature=OiQ3G5Qm7UnA2bZUv1TyCDNVFnkvXCxQJ3fwGmixn-fcL1Oqee-LzcKIVY92aphMaVcClbHxRzyUr4oKgRp2T~3eL7aLIxf8QpmqB3FMaIf94Mx6JkpFtTUBTI2BpQ1ehC-SGFu0CSzOqD7rRIoB0kL5fOgPaWhgdVBtrwMKz6rQb7IltYUlh1x4WSEkXxwyDyjykdsrG8Afkqg2v67X74gZnmGF4b67Q2MuAmIZFLf~UmwtxjxM8znPcrnvUQTZZhlm1oLufuMzF0i8NlB5bYrqXJqqbPnio~HerCr6N-SBoHaDpy-0Bdan3BGn7cAuTiIFVh1qywKbtno7C7~tGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Jason Azarenko, House District 4, presented House Bill 1798, which he said would establish a voluntary \"green envelope\" program to help law enforcement identify callers or drivers with diagnosed mental illnesses and to give officers information aimed at preventing encounters from escalating.

\"Due to the mental illness that the couple suffered, that situation caused a great deal of stress and anxiety. It escalated very quickly for both the couple and the law enforcement officers that were involved,\" Azarenko said, recounting an incident he used to illustrate the bill's intent. He said a clinician would inform patients about the program and that a diagnosis from a licensed health-care provider would be part of the eligibility process.

Azarenko told the committee the program is intended to be implemented in coordination with existing training for law-enforcement officers and that program materials would be distributed through channels such as agency emails and annual training. He acknowledged concerns discussed during presentation of a prior \"blue envelope\" proposal, including the privacy risk of an external placard on a vehicle and the potential for targeting individuals who display identifiers.

When committee members asked what qualifies as a mental illness under the program, Azarenko said eligibility would be based on a clinical diagnosis and the expectation that a licensed clinical social worker or other medical provider would communicate program information to the patient before the patient requests the designation from the agency. Committee members also asked whether documentation would be required at application; Azarenko said the bill does not require specific paperwork to be submitted with the application and that clinicians providing the information in advance would be sufficient.

Azarenko said he had discussed the proposal with Sheriff Scott Bradley and that he was not aware of organized opposition; he also said he had not been contacted by state police. The committee heard no public testimony for or against the bill during the hearing and advanced the bill by voice vote after the sponsor closed with a motion to pass.

Why it matters: The bill would create a voluntary mechanism linking clinicians, the licensing agency, and law enforcement to share a diagnostic-based identifier intended to reduce escalation in encounters involving people with mental illness. Supporters cited potential public-safety benefits; the sponsor and others flagged privacy and targeting risks as concerns to consider.","A sponsor told the committee House Bill 1798 would create a voluntary program—similar to a prior \"blue envelope\" program—to let clinicians notify authorities that a person has a diagnosis that may help law enforcement de-escalate encounters. The bill advanced out of committee by voice vote.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6118913,"Arkansas committee approves bill to require male or female gender marker on driver ID",80,91000,171000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226&start=91&end=171","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2715535-862864bc7f1b30d60e09db16b8d2e226/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6118913/Arkansas/Arkansas-committee-approves-bill-to-require-male-or-female-gender-marker-on-driver-ID","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6118913-e1ea9940dfa291cdf8932184779b4d37/orig.mp4?Expires=1770443070&Signature=VEhAO3xy~ORsvLNSirM6EoW7ZM04EOZ6ClFcJfN9dbVG5M4qXmJL0s~bj6KalOpDmpzQqT5d8ibL9JnmDVsH2RhJLcihNg2y~jmUv~h1n7cdQ5gUy7zftqeDmxi7FFcoWEllqDFlxwzveJ6od4nGuJXYsuSna9X6JuyoDxm41nr3~vCaXjD~ko1kCluH8B3ky~JGH7Cc-ncf4qGBCCm4TGyk8LrauSIc4o7JExHZOgOK1QPCb3MVNPZeeDTsdUJRhE2kzYjEXzi7OWexlfQAqF1Alb8eKhipZAz3JgGgu8dy-HHU4h7OVzMii0h1tlD2qVFAQDyf6KPOm9mwQnFSnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Howard Beatty, D-95, told the House Committee on Public Transportation that House Bill 1796 would codify an administrative rule governing the way gender information is displayed on Arkansas driver’s licenses and ID cards.

\"Basically the bill requires display of gender information on an Arkansas driver's license ID card and specifies that that gender information must be stated as either male or female,\" Beatty said. He told the committee the change simply places in statute a rule the Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) adopted earlier by rule.

The bill’s sponsor closed by asking for a motion to pass; the committee granted the motion and the bill advanced out of committee. No roll-call tally or recorded dissent was provided in the transcript; committee action was by voice vote.

Why it matters: The measure would put the DFA rule on gender markers into state law rather than leaving the policy only in agency rulemaking. The transcript records no public testimony for or against the bill during the committee hearing.

Committee discussion and outcome: Committee members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the hearing. Representative Beatty described the bill as a standardization of existing practice and said he appreciated the committee taking the bill early in the session. The transcript shows a voice motion to pass and the chair announcing the bill had passed.","A House committee advanced a bill to put into state law a rule requiring Arkansas driver license and ID gender fields be listed as either \"male\" or \"female.\" Sponsor said the measure codifies an existing agency rule.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances bill allowing DFA to implement electronic vehicle titling and registration

Committee approves amendment adding sponsor; advances bill increasing penalties for misuse of dealer tags

Committee advances bill to create voluntary "green envelope" identifier for people with serious mental illness

Arkansas committee approves bill to require male or female gender marker on driver ID