An act TO CREATE THE BABIES AT WORK ACT, the official text

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 1720

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5 By: Representative Vaught

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8                            For An Act To Be Entitled

9   AN ACT TO CREATE THE BABIES AT WORK ACT; TO ALLOW

10  STATE AGENCIES TO PERMIT PUBLIC EMPLOYEES WHO ARE

11  PARENTS OR LEGAL GUARDIANS TO BRING THEIR INFANTS SIX

12  MONTHS OR YOUNGER TO WORK; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

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14

15                                     Subtitle

16                       TO CREATE THE BABIES AT WORK ACT; TO

17                       ALLOW STATE AGENCIES TO PERMIT PUBLIC

18                       EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PARENTS OR LEGAL

19                       GUARDIANS TO BRING THEIR INFANTS SIX

20                       MONTHS OR YOUNGER TO WORK.

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22 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:

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24  SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Title.

25  This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Babies at Work Act".

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27  SECTION 2. DO NOT CODIFY. Legislative findings and intent.

28  (a) The General Assembly finds that:

29  (1) A parent or guardian who is a public employee has a

30 responsibility to both his or her job and his or her family; and

31  (2) The first six (6) months of a child's life poses heightened

32 demands of a parent or a guardian.

33  (b) This act is intended to increase public employee retention by

34 allowing state agencies to permit a parent or guardian who is a public

35 employee to bring his or her infant to work.

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    *LGL137*                                                   03/10/2025 11:06:03 AM LGL137
                                                                     HB1720

1        SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 21, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1, is amended

2 to add an additional section to read as follows:

3        21-1-107. Infants at work -- Definitions.

4        (a) As used in this section:

5        (1) "Infant" means a:

6        (A) Biological child, adopted child, or stepchild under

7 six (6) months of age of a public employee; and

8        (B) Foster child under six (6) months of age who has been

9 placed in the home of a public employee;

10       (2) "Public employee" means an employee of a state agency; and

11       (3) "State agency" means any department, agency, board,

12 commission, office, or other authority of the state.

13       (b) The head of a state agency may permit a public employee of the

14 state agency to bring his or her infant to work.

15       (c) The head of a state agency who permits a public employee to bring

16 his or her infant to work under this section may establish an internal policy

17 that includes without limitation:

18       (1) The identification of an appropriate work environment;

19       (2) The acceptable work performance standard of the public

20 employee while his or her infant is at his or her workplace; and

21       (3) Safety guidelines for an infant who is brought to the

22 workplace under this section.

23       (d) The provisions of this section do not prohibit a state agency from

24 allowing a public employee to bring to the public employee's workplace his or

25 her:

26       (1) Biological child, adopted child, or stepchild who is six (6)

27 months of age or older; or

28       (2) Foster child six (6) months of age or older who has been

29 placed in the home of the public employee.

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