Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Arkansas General Assembly, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
1 State of Arkansas A Bill
2 95th General Assembly
3 Regular Session, 2025 HOUSE BILL 1080
4
5 By: Representative Evans
6 By: Senator Hester
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT FOR A FISCAL IMPACT
10 STATEMENT FOR ANY PROPOSED LEGISLATION IMPOSING A NEW
11 OR INCREASED COST OBLIGATION FOR HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS
12 ON AN ENTITY OF THE STATE; TO REPEAL THE BILL FILING
13 DEADLINE FOR BILLS AFFECTING THE STATE AND PUBLIC
14 SCHOOL LIFE AND HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM AND OTHER
15 HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS OF ENTITIES OF THE STATE; AND
16 FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
17
18
19 Subtitle
20 TO REPEAL THE REQUIREMENT FOR A FISCAL
21 IMPACT STATEMENT FOR BILLS RELATED TO
22 HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS; AND TO REPEAL THE
23 BILL FILING DEADLINE FOR BILLS AFFECTING
24 HEALTH BENEFIT PLANS OF ENTITIES OF THE
25 STATE.
26
27 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
28
29 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code � 10-2-133 is repealed.
30 10-2-133. Increased cost obligations for health benefit plans -- Fiscal
31 impact statement required -- Definitions.
32 (a) As used in this section:
33 (1) "Entity of the state" means any agency, board, bureau,
34 commission, committee, council, department, division, institution of higher
35 education, office, public school, quasi-public organization, or other
36 political subdivision of the state;
*JET011* 01/10/2025 5:05:05 PM JET011
HB1080
1 (2) "Fiscal impact statement" means a realistic written
2 statement of the purpose of a proposed law and the estimated financial cost
3 to an entity of the state for implementing or complying with the proposed
4 law; and
5 (3) "Health benefit plan" means a policy, contract, certificate,
6 or agreement offered or issued by an entity to provide, deliver, arrange for,
7 pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of healthcare services, including
8 pharmacy benefits, to an entity of the state.
9 (b)(1) A bill filed in the House of Representatives or the Senate that
10 will impose a new or increased cost obligation for health benefit plans,
11 including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state shall:
12 (A) Have a fiscal impact statement attached to the bill
13 prepared and filed with the chair of the committee to which the bill is
14 referred; and
15 (B) Not be taken up by the committee to which the bill is
16 referred until a fiscal impact statement is provided to the chair of the
17 committee.
18 (2) The services of actuaries may be obtained in evaluating the
19 respective bills and preparing the fiscal impact statement.
20 (c)(1)(A) If a House bill or Senate bill is called up for final
21 passage in the House of Representatives or the Senate and a fiscal impact
22 statement has not been provided by the author of the bill or by the committee
23 to which the bill was referred, a member of the House of Representatives or
24 the Senate may object to the bill's being called up for final passage until a
25 fiscal impact statement is prepared and made available on the desk of each
26 member of the House of Representatives or the Senate at least one (1) day
27 before the bill's being called up for final passage.
28 (B) An affirmative vote of two-thirds () of a quorum
29 present and voting shall override the objection.
30 (2) If an objection is made without override, the presiding
31 officer of the House of Representatives or the Senate shall cause the bill to
32 be referred to an actuary for the preparation of a fiscal impact statement,
33 which shall be filed with the presiding officer not later than five (5) days
34 from the date of the request.
35 (d) A fiscal impact statement required by this section shall be
36 developed by an actuary within the guidelines adopted by the House Committee
2 01/10/2025 5:05:05 PM JET011
HB1080
1 on Insurance and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce,
2 as applicable.
3
4 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 21-5-421 is repealed.
5 21-5-421. Introduction of bills affecting State and Public School Life
6 and Health Insurance Program -- Definitions.
7 (a) As used in this section:
8 (1) "Entity of the state" means any agency, board, bureau,
9 commission, committee, council, department, division, institution of higher
10 education, office, public school, quasi-public organization, or other
11 political subdivision of the state; and
12 (2) "Health benefit plan" means a policy, contract, certificate,
13 or agreement offered or issued by an entity to provide, deliver, arrange for,
14 pay for, or reimburse any of the costs of healthcare services, including
15 pharmacy benefits, to an entity of the state.
16 (b) A bill affecting the State and Public School Life and Health
17 Insurance Program or that imposes a new or increased cost obligation for
18 health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state
19 to be considered by the General Assembly at a regular session shall be
20 introduced in the General Assembly during the first fifteen (15) calendar
21 days of a regular session.
22 (c)(1) A bill as described in subsection (b) of this section shall not
23 be introduced after the fifteenth day of a regular session unless the
24 introduction of the bill is first approved by a three-fourths (�) vote of the
25 full membership of each house of the General Assembly.
26 (2) If the General Assembly recesses for longer than three (3)
27 consecutive days during the first fifteen (15) days of a regular session, the
28 fifteen-day introduction deadline shall be extended for a time period equal
29 to the recess.
30 (d) A bill affecting the State and Public School Life and Health
31 Insurance Program or that imposes a new or increased cost obligation for
32 health benefit plans, including pharmacy benefits, on an entity of the state
33 shall not be introduced or considered at a fiscal session or an extraordinary
34 session of the General Assembly unless the introduction and consideration of
35 the bill is first approved by a two-thirds () vote of the full membership of
36 each house of the General Assembly.
3 01/10/2025 5:05:05 PM JET011Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.