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 SENATE BILL 344
4
5 By: Senator Irvin
6 By: Representative L. Johnson
7
8 For An Act To Be Entitled
9 AN ACT TO TRANSFER THE HEALTHY EMPLOYEE LIFESTYLE
10 PROGRAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO THE
11 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES; TO
12 AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE
13 PROGRAM; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
14
15
16 Subtitle
17 TO TRANSFER THE HEALTHY EMPLOYEE
18 LIFESTYLE PROGRAM FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
19 HEALTH TO THE DEPARTMENT OF
20 TRANSFORMATION AND SHARED SERVICES; AND
21 TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING THE HEALTHY
22 LIFESTYLE PROGRAM.
23
24 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
25
26 SECTION 1. DO NOT CODIFY. Cabinet-level department transfer of the
27 Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program from Department of Health to Department of
28 Transformation and Shared Services.
29 (a) The Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program is transferred by a
30 cabinet-level department transfer under � 25-43-101 et seq. from the
31 Department of Health to the Department of Transformation and Shared Services.
32 (b) The administrative functions of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle
33 Program are transferred by a cabinet-level department transfer under � 25-43-
34 1502 from the Department of Health to the Department of Transformation and
35 Shared Services.
36 (c) The statutory authority, powers, duties, functions, records,
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1 personnel, property, contracts, and unexpended balances of appropriations,
2 allocations, or other funds, including the functions of budgeting or
3 purchasing of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program, are transferred to the
4 Department of Transformation and Shared Services.
5 (d)(1) The transfer of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program does not
6 affect the orders, rules, regulations, directives, or standards made or
7 promulgated by the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program before the effective
8 date of this act.
9 (2) The orders, rules, regulations, directives, or standards
10 under subdivision (d)(1) of this section shall continue to be in effect until
11 amended or repealed under authority given by law.
12 (e) The Department of Health shall grant access to and provide all
13 information requested by the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program to accomplish
14 the transfer of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program and the mission of the
15 Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program.
16
17 SECTION 2. Arkansas Code � 21-4-106 is amended to read as follows:
18 21-4-106. Leave of absence for participation in Healthy Employee
19 Lifestyle Program -- Definitions.
20 (a) As used in this section:
21 (1) "Agency" means a department, agency, bureau, including the
22 Bureau of Legislative Research, board, or commission of any branch of state
23 government;
24 (2) "Employee" means a full-time employee of the State of
25 Arkansas or any branch, department, agency, board, bureau, including the
26 Bureau of Legislative Research, or commission of any branch of state
27 government; and
28 (3)(2) "Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program" means the incentive
29 program of the Department of Health Department of Transformation and Shared
30 Services that will reward encourages and rewards an employee for regular
31 exercise, good nutrition, and other healthy lifestyle choices.; and
32 (3) "State entity" means a department, agency, bureau, including
33 the Bureau of Legislative Research, board, or commission of any branch of
34 state government.
35 (b)(1) Upon completion of a pilot program to be conducted by the
36 department, the department The department shall:
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1 (A) Make Manage the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program
2 available to all agency directors; and
3 (B) Assist the agencies state entities in the
4 administration of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program's implementation
5 Program.
6 (2) Upon completion of the pilot program, every agency director
7 shall consider making the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program available to the
8 agency's employees. On or before July 1, 2026, a state entity shall allow for
9 employee participation in the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program.
10 (c)(1) At the discretion of the agency director, an employee may be
11 granted paid leave of up to three (3) days per calendar year for satisfactory
12 compliance with the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program. The department shall
13 determine appropriate methods to reward employees who satisfactorily complete
14 the requirements of the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program.
15 (2) A reward under subdivision (c)(1) of this section may
16 include up to twenty-four (24) hours of leave per calendar year.
17 (2)(3) The leave granted under subdivision (c)(2) of this
18 section shall be used in the calendar year in which it was granted within six
19 (6) months of approval.
20 (3)(4) The leave granted under subdivision (c)(2) of this
21 section is not compensable at termination.
22 (d) Each agency state entity shall identify and maintain, if
23 practicable, in or near each agency building an area or areas that employees
24 may use for walking exercise.
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