New Arkansas laws arrive with the new year

Education, child safety among new additions to state law in 2025

By Ralph Hardin

news@theeveningtimes.com

As we turn the page to 2025, we are nearing the beginning of a new legislative session.

The Arkansas General Assembly will convene in Little Rock on Monday, Jan. 13, including several new faces among the lawmakers. In fact, several bills up for consideration have already been filed (the open filing period began Nov. 15).

But there are also some new laws that have already taken effect in January, left over from previous sessions. Some are continuations of laws that have already taken effect, like the LEARNS Act and the Protect Arkansas Act which were both passed in 2023. These laws have phased effective dates so there’s a more gradual shift to give departments or organizations time to adjust to the new requirements.

Here are the new laws taking effect next year:

ACT 237 The Arkansas LEARNS Act

The LEARNS Act, which was signed into law in March 2023 but didn’t take effect until Aug. 1, 2023, has a section that says the Arkansas Department of Education has to develop and maintain a mobile app to help potential job seekers by January 2025.

The law says the app will show available jobs by location, list the training requirements for those jobs and show where necessary training or certifications are to qualify for those positions.

It states the app will include projections for employment growth and decline, state and regional labor market conditions, the balance of supply and demand for workers and the outcomes of workforce programs.

The app is intended to make it easier for potential employees to receive training and grow their careers.

ACT 659 The Protect Arkansas Act

The Protect Arkansas Act says anyone who commits a certain felony and is convicted after 2024 will have to serve their full sentence and will not be eligible for early release due to good behavior.

These are the felonies ineligible for early release:

• Capital murder

• First-degree murder

• Kidnapping (if a Class Y Felony)

• Aggravated robbery

• Rape • Trafficking of persons

• Causing a catastrophe

• Aggravated residential burglary (if a Class Y felony)

• Treason

• Fleeing (if Class B felony)

• Possession of firearms by certain persons (if Class B felony)

• Engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium

• Pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child

• Transportation of minors for prohibited sexual conduct

• Internet stalking of a child

• Sexually grooming a child

• Producing, directing, or promoting a sexual performance by a child

• Computer exploitation of a child

See LAWS, page A2

File Photo LAWS

From page A1

There is a second category of felony charges that are referred to as “restricted release felonies” and anyone convicted of any of them has to serve at least 85% of their sentence before they are eligible to be released.

These are the restricted release felonies:

• Second-degree murder

• Manslaughter

• Negligent homicide

• Encouraging the suicide of another person

• Kidnapping (if Class B felony)

• First-degree battery

• Terroristic act

• Sexual indecency with a child

• Sexual extortion

• Exposing another person to HIV

• First-degree sexual assault

• Unlawful female genital mutilation of a minor

• Voyeurism

Act 575 Healthcare Efficiency Act

A portion of Act 575 is intended to help streamline efficiency in Arkansas’ healthcare system.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, organizations part of the state’s Medicare-managed care programs must have a system to either reduce or remove the need for prior authorizations. The law describes prior authorizations as approvals required by Medicare or insurance providers before

See LAWS, page A10 LAWS

From page A2

healthcare services can be provided to patients.

The Arkansas Health and Opportunity for Me Program and qualified health plans under the Affordable Care Act purchased on the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace are primarily impacted by the law along with other Medicaid- managed care programs.

Any program looking to reduce prior authorizations has to submit its plan to the Arkansas Insurance Department for approval from the Legislative Council.

The full 17-page law can be found on the Arkansas State Legislature’s web site, www. arkleg.state.ar.us, under the 2023 session links.