Arkansas Senate approves wide slate of bills, extends Medicaid appeal window and repeals obsolete motor‑fuel program

The Arkansas State Senate on the floor approved a batch of bills and resolutions that lawmakers and sponsors described as technical fixes, administrative clarifications and efficiency measures.

Among the measures adopted, senators amended and passed a change to initiative and referendum petition language requiring canvassers to be told that petition fraud is a criminal offense; extended the appeal window for Medicaid providers from 35 to 65 days; revised enforcement options for the Arkansas Forestry Commission; shortened the retake interval for failed pest‑control licensing exams; and repealed the state’s Alternative Motor Fuel Development Act, which sponsors said no longer had dedicated funding.

Senator Hammer, the floor sponsor for Senate Bill 207, said the bill was amended in committee to resolve a statutory cross‑reference and that the final language makes the canvasser disclosure a criminal‑offense statement rather than a class A misdemeanor. After debate and a roll call, the Senate approved the measure with the emergency clause.

Senator Penzo, sponsor of Senate Bill 257, described the measure as “not controversial” and said the bill increases the Medicaid appeals period to reduce paperwork and problems caused when mailed notices arrive after a provider’s appeal deadline. “Currently, it’s 35 days. This bill would extend it out to 65 days,” Penzo said on the floor.

Senator Stone presented two agency bills: Senate Bill 249 would add an intermediate enforcement option for people who unlawfully hold themselves out as registered foresters, allowing fines rather than proceeding directly to a class A misdemeanor; and Senate Bill 250 cleans up pest‑control law following an administrative reorganization, reduces the wait to retake a licensing exam from three months to 14 days, and requires commercial pest‑control vehicles to display company names. Stone said the forestry change creates an option “to assess the situation and maybe give them a fine just to get their attention” before arrest.

Senator Irvin sponsored Senate Bill 218 to align the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer grant programs administratively and to lift a restriction that had limited matching‑grant awards to three per business. Irvin said the change uses existing funding and is intended to improve program administration.

Senator Irvin also sponsored Senate Bill 267, which repeals the Arkansas Alternative Motor Fuel Development Act. Irvin said the fund tied to that act no longer exists and that the program had been underutilized.

On the consent and House transmittal side, the Senate returned a House concurrent resolution to the House at the House’s request and approved a series of House bills on subjects that included tax‑forfeited land transfers, donation‑deed language tied to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision (Tyler v. Hennepin), egg‑repackaging language, music appreciation recognitions and administrative changes to the State Board of Finance.

Votes at a glance

- Senate Bill 207 (initiative and referendum canvasser disclosure, as amended): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 25; no: 0; not voting/present: 1). Emergency clause adopted. - Senate Bill 218 (Small Business SBIR/STTR administrative alignment): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 34; no: 0). - Senate Bill 249 (forestry enforcement and penalties / Arkansas Forestry Commission authority): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 33; no: 0; present: 2). - Senate Bill 250 (pest control law updates and assignment of duties): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 34; no: 0; present: 1). - Senate Bill 257 (Medicaid Fairness Act — extend provider appeal period to 65 days): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 35; no: 0). - Senate Bill 267 (repeal Arkansas Alternative Motor Fuel Development Act / repeal associated fund): Passed; roll call recorded (yes: 32; no: 0; not voting: 1; present: 2). - Senate Resolution 30 (recognition of CG Roxanne LLC / Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water — 35‑year celebration): Adopted by voice vote. - A series of House bills transmitted back to the House after Senate action, including House Bill 11‑21 (repeal of transfer of tax‑forfeited lands to state institutions; passed — yes: 31; no: 3; present: 1), House Bill 12‑79 (amend Arkansas Egg Marketing Act — passed yes: 35; no: 0), House Bill 13‑68 (Arkansas music appreciation day recognitions — passed yes: 35; no: 0), House Bill 13‑78 (State Board of Finance composition changes — passed yes: 35; no: 0), House Bill 13‑99 (donation‑deed/homestead donation deed language — passed yes: 38; no: 2; present: 3), House Bill 14‑17 (designate mallard as state duck — passed yes: 35; no: 0), House Bill 14‑41 (update Arkansas coordinate system law — passed), House Bill 14‑50 (consolidate department reporting requirements — passed yes: 34; no: 0; present: 1), and House Bill 14‑87 (change number of commissioners on the Arkansas Forestry Commission committee — passed yes: 34; no: 0; present: 1).

What senators said and why it mattered

Sponsors repeatedly described the package as a mix of housekeeping fixes and fixes to administrative processes. Several sponsors told colleagues the bills do not create new spending but instead change how programs are administered or remove statutory language connected to funds no longer in use. Senator Penzo framed SB257 as a modest procedural change intended to reduce administrative burden on hospitals and the state; Senator Stone and others framed their bills as corrections or clarifications for agencies.

What the Senate did not do

No bill on the floor was sent to conference or vetoed during the session recorded in the transcript. Where questions about funding buckets were raised on the floor, sponsors either said existing appropriations cover the changes or they promised to secure detail from the relevant agency.

Next steps and context

Passed Senate bills will be transmitted to the House when required (or returned to the House as amendments). Sponsors said several measures were agency bills or technical corrections; one repeal (SB267) was described as removing a statute tied to a defunct fund. Several bills reference administrative practice (grant administration, licensing, reporting) rather than creating new policy frameworks.

The Senate adjourned the session subject to the desk clearing and set its next floor time as 02/27/2025 at 12:30 p.m.