Arkansas House passes scores of bills; lawmakers debate earned‑wage access, data‑center incentives and petition rules

The Arkansas House of Representatives on the floor approved dozens of bills covering health care, elections, data‑center incentives, courts and consumer protections, with several high‑profile debates and multiple unanimous votes.

Lawmakers moved quickly through a long list of measures, approving technical corrections and agency bills as well as new consumer protections and program authorizations. Major policy debates included a bill setting standards for earned‑wage access providers, legislation meant to attract large data‑center investment, and two bills changing petition and signature rules for statewide ballot measures.

Representative Ray, who sponsored the earned‑wage access measure, said the product "is not a loan" and emphasized it involves no interest, credit checks or late fees. The bill — which creates a legal framework for companies that let employees access wages they have already earned — passed 93–3–4. Ray told colleagues the measure provides consumer protections and remains optional for employers; committee testimony cited about 400 employers in the state and roughly 50,000 workers currently with access to such services.

On health measures, the House passed a bill intended to expand access to diagnostic mammograms in rural hospitals. Representative Shepherd said the bill allows diagnostic mammograms to be performed when a radiologist is not physically on site, with safeguards requiring radiologist oversight; the measure passed 100–0. Another health bill, to allow state Medicaid to seek a waiver for acquired brain injury coverage, passed 94–1–2; Representative Bentley said a fiscal impact could not be estimated until a federal waiver is approved.

The House also approved an expansion of the existing data‑center sales‑tax exemption to create a "large scale data center" designation tied to multi‑billion dollar investment thresholds. Representative Pilkington described the measure as intended to make Arkansas competitive for major projects; the bill passed 71–17–11.

Elections and petition rules drew extended debate. Two bills authored by Representative Underwood received divided votes. One (Senate Bill 209), which gives the Secretary of State authority to disqualify petition signatures based on a preponderance‑of‑evidence standard, passed 62–29–5; the House later rejected the bill's emergency clause. A second (Senate Bill 210) requires canvassers to ensure a potential signer has read (or had read to them) the ballot title before accepting a signature; it passed 57–33–6 but its emergency clause also failed. Representative Collins argued these measures burden direct‑democracy participation; Underwood and supporters said they are intended to reduce misleading conduct by canvassers.

Several agency and cleanup bills passed with little opposition, including measures to reorganize information systems (House Bill 15‑48, 98–0–1), amend licensing and regulatory committees, and modernize court cost and district judge funding after Amendment 80 implementation (House Bill 16‑61, 100–0). A number of public‑safety and corrections bills passed, including adding certain offenses to lists that can carry extended post‑conviction no‑contact orders and changes to reassessment rules for incarcerated persons.

Votes at a glance: the House recorded final passage on many measures. In several instances the transcript did not include a roll call tally; those are marked "not specified." Notable roll calls include concurrence on Senate Amendment No. 1 to House Bill 12‑13 (96–0), passage of House Bill 13‑67 (98–0), House Bill 15‑83 (acquired brain injury coverage, 94–1–2), House Bill 15‑17 (earned‑wage access, 93–3–4), House Bill 14‑29 (mammography access, 100–0), House Bill 16‑43 (disclosure by corrections employers, 97–0), Senate Bill 2‑65 (wastewater/solid‑waste committees, 94–0–3), Senate Bill 2‑97 (municipal council election filings, 93–0–4), and others listed below.

The session closed with routine committee announcements and an adjournment motion.

Votes at a glance (selected bills from the transcript): - Concurred and sent Senate amendment No. 1 to House Bill 12‑13 — 96 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (concurred) - House Bill 13‑67 (Title Insurance Act amendment) — 98 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - House Bill 15‑83 (acquired brain injury coverage / Medicaid waiver authority) — 94 yea, 1 nay, 2 present (passed) - House Bill 15‑48 (abolish data & transparency panel / DIS authority) — 98 yea, 0 nay, 1 present (passed) - House Bill 15‑17 (earned‑wage access framework) — 93 yea, 3 nay, 4 present (passed) - House Bill 14‑88 (consumer bond/life insurance coverage) — vote tally not specified in transcript (passed) - House Bill 16‑43 (Corrections: disclosure of substantiated abuse/harassment with consent) — 97 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - House Bill 14‑29 (mammography diagnostic access) — 100 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Motion to re‑refer the prior bill back to committee for amendment — 98 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (approved) - House Bill 16‑61 (district judge compensation / district court clerks) — 100 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑65 (wastewater/solid waste licensing committee changes) — 94 yea, 0 nay, 3 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑97 (municipal council election ordinance filing with county clerk) — 93 yea, 0 nay, 4 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑67 (repeal Alternative Motor Fuel Development Act) — 88 yea, 0 nay, 5 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑24 (repeal Natural Organic Fertilizers law) — 99 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑49 (forestry violations/penalties; Arkansas Forestry Commission powers) — 96 yea, 1 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑50 (pest control law / state plant board duties) — 97 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑59 (Arkansas Waterways Commission director appointment to governor) — 83 yea, 5 nay, 3 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑51 (Arkansas Trails Council executive secretary change) — 97 yea, 1 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑36 (insurance holding company regulatory act) — 98 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑95 (allow election expense appropriation for certified monitors) — 95 yea, 1 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑91 (standardize election complaint deadlines) — 88 yea, 8 nay, 1 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑94 (election audit roll‑on for failed audits) — 94 yea, 1 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 1‑88 (require Secretary of State to post full text and ballot titles of circulated petitions) — 97 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑09 (disqualify signatures procured improperly) — 62 yea, 29 nay, 5 present (passed); emergency clause failed - Senate Bill 2‑10 (require reading of ballot title to signature gatherers or signer confirmation) — 57 yea, 33 nay, 6 present (passed); emergency clause failed - Senate Bill 2‑96 (early voting location designation & county board unanimous vote for extra site) — 72 yea, 21 nay, 3 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑72 (prohibit prefilled party on registration forms) — 99 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 1‑19 (Interstate Medical Licensure Compact enactment) — 99 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed) - Senate Bill 2‑92 (move annual school election off state holiday; emergency clause passed) — 98 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed with emergency) - Senate Bill 2‑44 (postponement of judgment / second‑chance bill) — 99 yea, 0 nay, 0 present (passed)

Where a roll call tally was not included in the transcript the result was recorded in the House record as "passed" and is flagged above as "not specified" where appropriate.

Representative quotes and major debate points are drawn from floor remarks. The House adjourned after committee announcements and a motion to recess until the next day.