All Roll Calls
Yes: 192 • No: 30
ArkansasHB15432025 Regular SessionHouse
TO ESTABLISH THE WORKFORCE EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITIES ACT OF 2025.
Sponsored By: Missy Irvin (Republican), Kendon Underwood (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Fewer injury protections for SNAP volunteers
Beginning January 1, 2026, SNAP work-requirement volunteers cannot receive Arkansas workers’ compensation benefits; the law provides no replacement payment. State-funded sites and employees generally are not liable for injuries or deaths arising from a volunteer’s conduct. This also covers injuries or deaths volunteers suffer at a site or during a related activity. The liability protection excludes reckless conduct and intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct. It adds to existing legal protections, preserves government immunity, and leaves volunteers’ duties and defenses unchanged.
New SNAP volunteer access, with site limits
Beginning January 1, 2026, eligible Arkansas residents can volunteer at qualifying public sites to meet SNAP work requirements. Residents must face SNAP employment and training requirements and lack a federal exemption under rules dated January 1, 2025. They must show proof of the requirement and photo ID. Eligible sites include state agencies, political subdivisions, and state offices where staff work indoors at least part-time. Municipal entities and offices qualify if they receive any state funding during the calendar year and meet that location rule. Sites must provide access to public areas for at least four hours daily when an employee is present, plus bathroom access. They must promptly certify attendance to the monitoring agency and provide other required information. Volunteers can observe operations without disrupting essential work or health and safety. Sites can allow or require tasks needing no experience or education, or tasks volunteers qualify for, including off-site tasks. Sites can restrict other on-site activities except basic human needs and must prevent disruption of essential work. Sites can refuse access when a volunteer’s presence inevitably or inherently disrupts essential operations or harms community health and safety.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Missy Irvin
Republican • Senate
Kendon Underwood
Republican • House
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/10/2025
House Vote - Thursday, April 10, 2025 2:47:09 PM
Yes: 84 • No: 9
Senate vote • 4/9/2025
Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 6:09:24 PM
Yes: 28 • No: 6 • Other: 1
House vote • 3/31/2025
House Vote - Monday, March 31, 2025 3:18:10 PM
Yes: 80 • No: 15 • Other: 2
Actions Timeline
Notification that HB1543 is now Act 631
4/16/2025HouseCorrectly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office.
4/10/2025HouseTO BE ENROLLED
4/10/2025HouseSenate amendment # 1 read and concurred in.
4/10/2025HouseReturned from Senate as passed, as amended # 1
4/9/2025HouseReturned to the House as passed as amended # 1 .
4/9/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
4/9/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
4/7/2025SenateRe-referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE
4/3/2025SenateREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
4/3/2025SenateAmendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.
4/3/2025SenateWithdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1
4/3/2025SenateRules suspended.
4/3/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE
3/31/2025SenateReceived from the House.
3/31/2025SenateRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
3/31/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
3/20/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE
2/20/2025HouseFiled
2/20/2025House
Bill Text
HB1543 - Introduced
2/20/2025
Act Version
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