# Arkansas HB1049: TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL OFFENSES; AND TO CRIMINALIZE UNLAWFUL SQUATTING. Arkansas HB1049, TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL OFFENSES; AND TO CRIMINALIZE UNLAWFUL SQUATTING., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Ronald Caldwell (Republican), Dwight Tosh (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-04 (Notification that HB1049 is now Act 238) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1049-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas HB1049 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO AMEND ARKANSAS LAW CONCERNING CRIMINAL OFFENSES; AND TO CRIMINALIZE UNLAWFUL SQUATTING. - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2024-11-21 - Last action: 2025-03-04, Notification that HB1049 is now Act 238 - Sponsors: Ronald Caldwell (Republican), Dwight Tosh (Republican) - Cosponsors: 58 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (304 yes, 4 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Squatting victims can sue for losses: benefit, medium. If you are harmed by a violation of the unlawful-squatting law, you can sue the person responsible. You can seek damages, including repayment for losses, and reasonable attorney’s fees. The law does not set a fixed recovery amount. - New protections and penalties for squatting: mixed, low. Arkansas gives property owners new criminal-law protection against unlawful squatting. The crime covers dwellings, commercial buildings, and vacant or unimproved land. It requires knowingly entering and living there for any period without lawful authority. The person must lack ownership, current te… - Owners control reports; responding officers gain protection: mixed, low. Law enforcement can accept unlawful-squatting reports only from the property owner or the owner’s authorized representative. Officers responding in good faith are protected from criminal and civil liability for that response. The law also allows a false-report charge when someone falsely reports un… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Ronald Caldwell (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Dwight Tosh (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Wade Andrews (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sonia Eubanks Barker (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rick Beck (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mary Bentley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Keith Brooks (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cameron Cooper (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Frances Cavenaugh (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Paul Childress (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bruce Cozart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cindy Crawford (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matt Duffield (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Hope Duke (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Les D. Eaves (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brian S. Evans (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Tony Furman (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Justin Gonzales (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Zack Gramlich (Republican), House - Cosponsor: RJ Hawk (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mike Holcomb (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Hollowell (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Julie Mayberry (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jeremiah Moore (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Lane Jean (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Joey L. Carr (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John P. Carr (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Karilyn Brown (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Lee Johnson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jack Ladyman (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Wayne Long (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Robin Lundstrum (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Roger D. Lynch (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matt Brown (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mark D. McElroy (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Matthew J. Shepherd (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Maddox (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mindy McAlindon (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rick McClure (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Richard McGrew (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ron McNair (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jon Milligan (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Stetson Painter (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Shad Pearce (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chad Puryear (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rebecca Burkes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: R. Scott Richardson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Ray (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Marcus E. Richmond (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Johnny Rye (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Stan Berry (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Stephen Meeks (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Bart Schulz (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Trey Steimel (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steve Unger (Republican), House - Cosponsor: DeAnn Vaught (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Steven Walker (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Les Warren (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jim Wooten (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-27 | House | House Vote - Thursday, February 27, 2025 2:18:36 PM | pass | 92 | 2 | 3 | | 2025-02-25 | House | House Vote - Tuesday, February 25, 2025 2:12:40 PM | pass | 91 | 0 | 3 | | 2025-02-24 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, February 24, 2025 2:26:58 PM | pass | 32 | 0 | | | 2025-02-10 | House | House Vote - Monday, February 10, 2025 2:41:54 PM | pass | 89 | 2 | 5 | ## Actions (23) - 2025-03-04: Notification that HB1049 is now Act 238 (House) - 2025-02-27: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House) - 2025-02-27: TO BE ENROLLED (House) - 2025-02-27: Senate amendment # 2 read and concurred in. (House) - 2025-02-25: Senate amendment # 1 read and concurred in. (House) - 2025-02-24: Returned from Senate as passed, as amended # 1 & 2 (House) - 2025-02-24: Returned to the House as passed as amended # 1 & 2 . (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-18: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Amendment # 2 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-02-13: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-02-13: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-02-06: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-02-04: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House) - 2025-02-04: Amendment No. 2 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House) - 2025-02-04: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House) - 2025-01-13: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2024-11-21: Filed (House) ## Bill text - HB1049 - Introduced, 2024-11-21: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1049.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=238.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related bills - HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR. (enacted) - HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO SET PENALTIES FOR A VIOLATION OF THE PROHIBITION OF SOLICITATION OF INJURED INDIV… (failed) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE USE OF ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; AND TO REGULATE ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS FACILITIES. (failed) - HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO ALLOW A MUNICIPALITY TO PETITION TO SET ASIDE THE SALE OF PROPERTY TO CERTAIN P… (failed) - HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY; TO REQUIRE THAT A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE SELECTED A… (failed) ## Sources - [HB1049 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1049.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=238.pdf&ddBienniumSession=2025%2F2025R) ## Related - [HB1265: AN ACT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT LITTLE ROCK APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1265-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [SB440: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING EMBALMERS AND FUNERAL DIRECTORS; TO REGULATE THE US…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB440-2025) - [HB1695: TO CLARIFY THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS FOR PROPERTY SUBJECT TO A MUNICIPAL LIEN; TO…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1695-2025) - [HR1012: TO AMEND THE RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HR1012-2025) - [Arkansas bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas/bills) - [Arkansas state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/arkansas) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1049-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).