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Committee shortens statutory seizure-free driving interval from 12 to 6 months in proposed change
Summary
Senate Bill 540 would change the state's maximum seizure-free interval for driving from 12 months (current DFA rule) to six months in statute; medical advocates said the change aligns Arkansas law with evidence-based practice and national neurology guidance, while committee members asked about reporting and enforcement.
State Representative Denise Ennett, District 80, introduced Senate Bill 540 and said Arkansas currently lacks a statutory standard for driving after a seizure; instead, the Department of Driver Services (a DFA rule) sets a 12-month seizure-free interval. Ennett said SB 540 would put a six-month maximum seizure-free interval into statute to align state policy "with evidence based practice."
Olivia Cox, a nurse practitioner specializing in adult neurology, testified that many states already use shorter intervals and that the change is consistent with the American Academy of Neurology, the American Epilepsy Society and the Epilepsy Foundation position statement released in March 2025. Cox told the committee that longer mandatory intervals and mandatory clinician reporting can increase unlicensed driving and discourage patients from seeking care; she said shorter intervals may increase voluntary reporting and improve treatment uptake. "SB 540 will reduce that to a maximum of 6 months, which is in line with the majority of other states, 38 other states," Cox said.
Committee members asked practical questions about how the Department of Driver Services would know when a person last had a seizure and whether clinicians would be required to report seizures. Witnesses and advocates clarified that, under current practice, clinicians typically advise patients of the seizure-free interval but there is not a mandatory reporting mechanism to Driver Services, and many states do not require clinician reporting. Allison Johnson, an epilepsy advocate, reiterated that requiring clinicians to report patients is not the current standard and said mandatory reporting can damage the doctor-patient relationship.
Representative McElroy moved to do pass; the committee approved SB 540 by voice vote. The transcript records committee questions about reporting and liability but does not show a roll-call vote or the bill's final statutory language. Sponsors said the change prioritizes public safety while easing restrictions that affect patients' autonomy and quality of life.
