City staff brief board on state bills being monitored in 2025 legislative session

City staff provided a legislative update at the Feb. 4 Little Rock Board of Directors meeting, summarizing state bills that city departments are watching and noting concerns or potential impacts to Little Rock operations.

Susan Altrui, the city’s legislative liaison, delivered the report and told the board staff is tracking multiple bills and working with authors where appropriate. Among the measures Altrui listed: - HB 1034: Concerns the Division of Aging Adult and Behavioral Health Services; city staff said they are monitoring possible impacts on local hospitals but have only minor concerns at this time. - HB 1057: Would permit restoration of firearm‑possession rights to nonviolent felons. The police department indicated concern; staff said they are working with the bill author on possible amendments. - HB 1121: Proposes to repeal the law concerning transfer of tax‑forfeited lands to state institutions; public works has used that mechanism for property acquisition and the repeal could be financially consequential for future city projects. - HB 1130: Amends permitting processes and would allow local governments to create a housing improvement zone with permit exemptions; planning staff supports local authority for improvement zones but wants the city to retain responsibility for building, mechanical, electrical and plumbing inspections to protect safety. - HB 1148: A privacy‑related bill dealing with images captured by aircraft systems; public works raised concerns about drone surveying on public lands and potential employee liability from incidental imaging. - HB 1149: Concerning protections for vegetable gardens; staff said the city supports reasonable protections but wants to retain code enforcement authority to prevent nuisance or safety issues. - HB 1352: Addresses actions related to certain foreign entities and has raised questions about sister‑city relationships; staff are working with the bill author to seek an exemption for an existing decades‑long sister‑city relationship in China. - HJR 1006: A proposed constitutional amendment that would bar governmental bodies from using state or local funds to contract with lobbyists; staff noted potential complications for dues to organizations that employ lobbyists and are reviewing implications. - SB 3: Addresses prohibiting discrimination or preferential treatment by state and other public entities; the city attorney believes the bill as written does not impact city government now, but the city is monitoring for amendments. - SB 91: Would preempt local regulation of rental application fees or deposits; staff said the city currently does not regulate such fees but would be prohibited from doing so in future if the bill passes as written. - SB 182: Would require a local government to continue operating under the prior year’s appropriation ordinance until a new appropriation ordinance is adopted; staff are monitoring potential fiscal impacts.

Altrui told the board the list is changing rapidly and that city staffers Robert [last name not specified] and Derek Smith are assisting at the capitol. She provided a hard copy bill‑tracking document to directors at the time of the report. Directors had no further substantive amendments and the board accepted the update for monitoring purposes.