Arkansas – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed 28 new bills into law on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, introducing changes across education, healthcare, public safety, taxation, and government operations.
One of the education-related measures, SB391, creates a robotics competition grant program to support public and private school teams and promote student involvement in STEM fields.
HB1561 establishes the Research and Education Protection Act of 2025, focusing on academic integrity in higher education institutions. HB1598 directs the Department of Education to implement a new school accountability system and temporarily removes public schools from the rating process during the transition.
Other education changes include HB1633, which updates eligibility for homeschooled and school-transfer students participating in athletic activities. HB1705 requires public school social studies standards to include how the religious and moral beliefs of the nation’s founders shaped early U.S. governance.
The governor also signed measures related to health and safety. HB1474 mandates the display of the national human trafficking hotline in public locations, and SB100 allows physician assistants to serve as primary care providers under the Arkansas Medicaid program. HB1549, titled the Arkansas Cybersecurity Act of 2025, addresses cybersecurity protections across the state.
In the area of criminal law, HB1551 creates the crime of coerced criminal abortion through fraudulent means. SB305 enforces new testing standards on processed medical marijuana products to ensure consumer safety.
Transportation policy also received attention. SB411 introduces an offense for operating a vehicle with a modified bumper. Meanwhile, SB416 repeals the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure grant program and related funding mechanisms.
Several appropriation bills were enacted, including HB1094 for tobacco prevention and cessation programs under the Department of Health, HB1125 for the Department of Finance and Administration’s regulatory division, and HB1232 for the Department of the Military’s operational needs in fiscal year 2026.
Additional laws include HB1691, which exempts certain charity-used motor vehicles from personal property taxes, and SB392, which updates the classification and compensation structure for state employees.
The Governor’s Office said the legislation reflects continued efforts to strengthen public services, modernize policy, and support Arkansas families. More legislative activity is expected later this session.