Senate approves school firearm safety instruction, re‑refers behavior‑analyst registration; advances dental‑hygienist compact and Medicaid clarification

The Arkansas Senate on March 3, 2025, approved a bill requiring up to 30 minutes of age‑appropriate firearm safety instruction in public schools, re‑referred a bill to create a state registration for behavior analysts back to committee for amendment and moved several licensure and Medicaid clarifications toward final action.

The chamber passed House Bill 11 17, authorizing schools, in cooperation with the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, to provide up to 30 minutes of “age appropriate” firearm‑safety instruction. Senator Bryant, who sponsored the Senate handling of the measure, described the program as a classroom safety exercise similar to other drills and said the intent is to teach students to avoid handling unsecured firearms and to report them to an adult. The Senate recorded the roll call as 28 yeas, 5 nays and 1 present; the bill will return to the House.

The bill drew questions on parental choice. Senator Tucker asked whether parents could opt their children out; Bryant said that, as drafted and as discussed on the floor, the instruction would be implemented similarly to routine safety training and that an explicit opt‑out had not been included in the version before the Senate. The transcript shows debate on that point but no late amendment addressing opt‑out before the final vote.

On professional regulation, the Senate took up House Bill 12 45, which would create a state registration option for board‑certified behavior analysts. Senator Irvin said the measure is intended to give Arkansas parents a state‑level registry and a forum for complaints where no in‑state option currently exists. Opponents on the floor—including Senator Sullivan and Senator Mark Johnson—expressed concern about delegating enforcement authority to a newly empowered body and the possibility of substantial civil fines. Senator Irvin and other supporters said the intent is to provide local accountability for parents and to avoid sole dependence on national organizations. The Senate voted to re‑refer HB 12 45 back to the Public Health Committee for purposes of amendment; the motion carried on a voice vote.

The Senate also approved Senate Bill 1 11, a multistate compact for dental hygienists. Senator Hammer said the compact is supported by the Department of Defense and national dental groups and is intended to ease practice transitions for dental hygienists who move between compact states (a point Hammer said is especially important for military spouses). Hammer emphasized that “we are not giving up any of our authority as far as scope of practice; everything remains in the state,” and cited statutory language preserving state licensure control. The vote was recorded as 31 yeas, 0 nays and 3 present; the bill will be transmitted to the House.

Senators also passed Senate Bill 2 22 to amend the Medicaid Provider‑Led Organized Care Act to clarify what counts as prohibited marketing. Sponsor Senator Davis described the bill as a narrow clarification that allows direct service providers to inform existing or prospective Medicaid enrollees whether a provider is “in network” without that being treated as improper marketing or steering. The Senate recorded the vote as 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting, and adopted the bill’s emergency clause.

On court practice, the Senate approved Senate Bill 2 44 to codify the district‑court practice of postponing judgment in some cases if conditions are met. Senator Bryant said the bill aligns statute with what many district courts already do: impose a sentence and suspend it on compliance, leading to dismissal. The recorded vote was 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting.

Senate Bill 2 60, which would create an additional tool for district courts to collect fines, fees and costs after default, drew questions from senators worried about collection priority—particularly whether such collections could affect child support or federal tax liens. Senator Flowers asked whether the proposal could place court collection ahead of child support; the sponsor said the bill follows existing priority rules and that any ordering follows the civil process. The transcript records floor debate and questions but does not include a definitive roll‑call result for the final passage of SB 2 60 in the available excerpt; the bill’s treatment is therefore recorded here as “not specified” based on the available transcript.

Votes at a glance (selected measures mentioned on the floor): - House Bill 11 17 (school firearm safety instruction): Passed 28 yeas, 5 nays, 1 present. (Sen. Bryant) - House Bill 12 45 (behavior‑analyst state registration): Referred back to Public Health for amendment (motion carried on the floor; proponents will revise language after due‑process and penalty concerns). - Senate Bill 1 11 (dentist/dental‑hygienist compact): Passed 31 yeas, 0 nays, 3 present. (Sen. Hammer) - Senate Bill 2 22 (Medicaid provider‑led organized care — marketing clarification, emergency clause): Passed 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting. (Sen. Davis) - Senate Bill 2 44 (postponement of judgment — district court practice): Passed 33 yeas, 0 nays, 1 not voting. (Sen. Bryant) - Senate Bill 2 60 (collection of fines/fees after default): Floor debate recorded; final roll‑call result not specified in the transcript excerpt.

What happened next: Several passed bills were transmitted to the House; HB 12 45 was returned to committee for amendment. The Senate adjourned to reconvene at 1:30 p.m. on March 3, 2025.

Why it matters: The measures change school safety practice, create or clarify pathways for professional oversight and multistate licensure, and alter court collection and court‑record outcomes—each of which affects parents, students, licensed providers, and court users across Arkansas.

Sources: Proceedings of the Arkansas Senate, morning and business hours, March 3, 2025 (floor remarks and roll calls).