# Arkansas HB1638: TO MODERNIZE REFERENCES TO THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES; AND TO AMEND ARMED FORCES AND UNIFORMED SERVICES LISTINGS TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE. Arkansas HB1638, TO MODERNIZE REFERENCES TO THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES; AND TO AMEND ARMED FORCES AND UNIFORMED SERVICES LISTINGS TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Steve Crowell (Republican), Stetson Painter (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-10 (Notification that HB1638 is now Act 508); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1638-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas HB1638 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO MODERNIZE REFERENCES TO THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES; AND TO AMEND ARMED FORCES AND UNIFORMED SERVICES LISTINGS TO INCLUDE THE UNITED STATES SPACE FORCE. - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-03-03 - Last action: 2025-04-10, Notification that HB1638 is now Act 508 - Sponsors: Steve Crowell (Republican), Stetson Painter (Republican) - Cosponsors: 1 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 2 (129 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 18 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Space Force gains state tax exemptions: benefit, high. Arkansas’s military income-tax exemptions now expressly cover qualifying Space Force pay and benefits. Retired Space Force members also qualify for the exemption covering eligible retirement and disability benefits. The pay exemption’s updated definitions also cover state National Guard service and… - Military attorneys trigger court case pauses: benefit, low. A lawsuit must pause after written notice to the parties and court when a party’s reserve-component attorney receives qualifying active-duty orders. Orders must come under written authority of the President or Arkansas Governor. The pause covers active duty plus at least 15 days before and 30 days… - Military members gain legal process coverage: benefit, low. Wartime claim-deadline protections now expressly include Space Force members and any state’s National Guard. When the United States is at war with another nation, covered deadlines pause during the war and six months afterward. Eligible debt or property claims can be filed within one year after tha… - Military voting rules include Space Force: benefit, low. Arkansas election law now expressly includes the Space Force in its uniformed-services definition. If the federal military and overseas absentee-voting definition differs, Arkansas uses that federal definition as it existed January 1, 2025. This determines coverage under election rules tied to unif… - Space Force gains military driving exemptions: benefit, low. Space Force members are exempt from state operator-license requirements when driving for a military purpose, not for general civilian driving. During emergencies, Arkansas’s finance department can authorize highway use without vehicle license fees for Space Force- or Coast Guard-supervised vehicles… - Space Force officers can certify documents: benefit, low. People serving in or with the U.S. Armed Forces, and their dependents, can acknowledge legal documents before qualifying officers anywhere. The officer list now includes active commissioned Space Force officers ranked second lieutenant or higher. Officers serving in or with the armed forces can als… - Space Force veterans gain special plates: benefit, low. People who establish prior Space Force service can apply for a special plate with a “U. S. Veteran” decal. Retired Space Force members can also apply for the applicable retired-member plate. Retirees must present Space Force retirement orders. These provisions state no plate fee or fee waiver. - Space Force families gain hardship-grant access: benefit, low. Military Family Relief Trust Fund grants now expressly include covered Space Force reserve members and their families. The program also serves Arkansas National Guard members and families. Eligibility considers family need, pay grade, military-versus-civilian pay differences, or other signs of fina… - Military license holders gain exam relief: benefit, low. Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard veterans receive a 10% credit on qualifying state licensing exams. They must give the examining body an original or certified copy of an honorable discharge. The exams must be for professional, trade, or employment licenses or permits; this credit does not re… - Military medical workers gain licensing relief: benefit, low. Commissioned uniformed-service medical or surgical officers, including Space Force officers, are exempt from barber licensing while properly doing professional duties. Coast Guard dental or medical officers are exempt from dental licensing for duties in Arkansas. Air Force surgeons are exempt from… - Space Force children gain school protections: benefit, low. The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children now includes the Space Force. Its existing education protections extend to children in Space Force families. The law changes the covered service list, not the compact’s remaining eligibility requirements. - Space Force employees gain military leave: benefit, low. Public employee military-leave rules now expressly include Space Force service. NOAA and Public Health Service commissioned officers qualify when properly assigned to duty with the armed forces. Eligible licensed and classified Arkansas public-school employees retain 15 days of leave per fiscal yea… - Space Force service counts toward pensions: benefit, low. Covered Space Force reserve service now counts under existing public employee, state police, and teacher retirement service-credit rules. A separate public employee prior-service rule requires public employment immediately before involuntary service and reemployment within six months after discharg… - Space Force gains official-duty weapons exceptions: benefit, low. Arkansas weapons-law definitions now include regular and reserve Space Force members and any state’s National Guard. Members on official duty qualify for specified handgun exceptions involving minors or school property and a lawful-purpose presumption. People helping them qualify when acting at the… - Space Force gains state military roles: benefit, low. Arkansas military-affairs definitions now include regular and reserve Space Force components; the armed-forces definition also includes any state’s National Guard. Prior active-list commissioned Space Force service counts toward eligibility for the state militia’s property and finance officer posit… - Stolen-valor law now covers Space Force: benefit, low. Arkansas’s stolen-valor law now expressly includes regular and reserve Space Force service. Its armed-forces definition also includes the other listed military branches and any state’s National Guard. The change extends the statute’s service coverage without creating a household payment. - Military parent coverage expands and changes: mixed, low. The deployed-parent custody and visitation law now includes Space Force parents and families. Its remaining eligibility requirements stay in place. A separate parent-related law includes regular and reserve military components, the Space Force, and any state’s National Guard. That separate definiti… - Military workers gain protections, coverage changes: mixed, low. The Military Service Protection Act now covers qualifying Space Force service. Coverage includes current honorable service or an honorable discharge within six months before the alleged discrimination. Separate job and reemployment rights apply to U.S. Armed Forces members called to active state du… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Steve Crowell (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Stetson Painter (Republican), House - Cosponsor: David Ray (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-07 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 7, 2025 5:51:19 PM | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2025-04-02 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 3:15:15 PM | pass | 95 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-04-10: Notification that HB1638 is now Act 508 (House) - 2025-04-08: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House) - 2025-04-07: TO BE ENROLLED (House) - 2025-04-07: Returned from the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-04-07: Returned to the House as Passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the calendar. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Received from the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-01: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-03-18: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House) - 2025-03-18: Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House) - 2025-03-18: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House) - 2025-03-03: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JOINT COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS (House) - 2025-03-03: Filed (House) ## Bill text - HB1638 - Introduced, 2025-03-03: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1638.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=508.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) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - 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) - 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 - [HB1638 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1638.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=508.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) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [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-HB1638-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).