All Roll Calls
Yes: 127 • No: 1
ArkansasHB13222025 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
TO AMEND THE LAWS UNDER THE ARKANSAS LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE RETIREMENT SYSTEM CONCERNING LINE-OF-DUTY DEATH FROM OCCUPATIONAL CANCER; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY.
Sponsored By: Clarke Tucker (Democratic), Nicole Clowney (Democratic)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Expanded survivor benefits for Arkansas first responders
Beginning July 1, 2025, Arkansas's Local Police and Fire Retirement System expands survivor benefits for duty-related disease deaths, including cancer. The active member must die in employer-paid service before retirement, and the retirement board must find the disease arose from actual duty. Listed cancers include leukemia, lymphoma, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the brain, urinary tract, liver, skin, breast, cervix, thyroid, prostate, testicle, colon, or other digestive tract organs. Additional cancers qualify for firefighters when the Arkansas Department of Health finds higher rates among firefighters, considering International Agency for Research on Cancer findings. For those additional cancers, firefighters must have encountered a known cancer-causing substance during actual duty and received their diagnosis in the line of duty. Evidence showing otherwise is more likely than not can overturn a finding that the cancer was diagnosed in the line of duty. Existing benefit limits under Arkansas Code § 24-10-610 still apply.
Higher pensions for some Arkansas surviving spouses
Beginning July 1, 2025, the law requires an adjustment to certain Arkansas police and fire survivor pensions paid to spouses. It covers spouse annuities payable under Arkansas Code § 24-10-608(b)(1)(A) because of a qualifying cancer death. The annuity's effective date must be after November 1, 2019, and before March 1, 2020; neither boundary date qualifies. The calculation uses the greater of an annuity based on 25 credited service years or the employment-service amount under § 24-10-602. Existing benefit limits still apply, and the law does not require retroactive benefit payments.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Clarke Tucker
Democratic • Senate
Nicole Clowney
Democratic • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/20/2025
Senate Vote - Thursday, March 20, 2025 3:11:42 PM
Yes: 31 • No: 0 • Other: 2
House vote • 3/19/2025
House Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 2:25:34 PM
Yes: 96 • No: 1 • Other: 1
Actions Timeline
Notification that HB1322 is now Act 416
3/25/2025HouseCorrectly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office.
3/21/2025HouseTO BE ENROLLED
3/20/2025HouseReturned from the Senate as passed.
3/20/2025HouseReturned to the House as passed.
3/20/2025SenateEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
3/20/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
3/20/2025SenateRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the calendar.
3/19/2025SenateReceived from the House.
3/19/2025SenateEMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED
3/19/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
3/19/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
3/18/2025HouseREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
2/26/2025HouseAmendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed.
2/26/2025HousePlaced on second reading for the purpose of amendment.
2/26/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC RETIREMENT & SOCIAL SECURITY PROGRAMS-JOINT
1/30/2025HouseFiled
1/30/2025House
Bill Text
HB1322 - Introduced
1/30/2025
Act Version
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