# Arkansas HB1810: TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. Arkansas HB1810, TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Jane English (Republican), Joey L. Carr (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-17 (Notification that HB1810 is now Act 796); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1810-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas HB1810 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO AMEND PROVISIONS OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND AND THE ARKANSAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF; AND TO DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. - Status: enacted - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-03-17 - Last action: 2025-04-17, Notification that HB1810 is now Act 796 - Sponsors: Jane English (Republican), Joey L. Carr (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (199 yes, 16 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 14 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Adults gain access to career programs: benefit, medium. People older than 21 who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing can attend available career and technical programs. Attendance follows the combined school's policy. The law does not state program costs or capacity. - Families lose old school attendance penalties: benefit, medium. The law repeals the old requirement that certain deaf or blind minors attend the school for at least 32 weeks yearly. It also removes the related attendance offenses, fines, and enforcement rules. The board can still adopt attendance policies needed for the school's purpose and function. - School employees receive state worker benefits: benefit, medium. Combined-school employees are state employees for the applicable state personnel laws. They receive the benefits and follow the policies and procedures those laws provide. Teachers remain subject to teaching-license requirements set by law and the State Board of Education. These provisions do not l… - Families get yearly school service information: benefit, low. State- or federally funded education providers must share school service information at least annually during an IEP meeting. This applies to students ages 3–21 who qualify under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Parents, guardians, or people acting as parents receive information abo… - Tax donations support the combined school: benefit, low. For tax years beginning on or after January 2, 2025, the income-tax donation option supports the combined school. Taxpayers can give $1, $5, $10, or a write-in amount from a refund or as an extra contribution. Contributions are voluntary and do not change tax liability. The former rule splitting qu… - Arkansas combines deaf and blind schools: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, both schools' staff, property, records, contracts, duties, and remaining funds transfer to one combined school. Existing rules, licenses, and standards stay in force until changed or repealed. A five-member board appointed by the Governor, with Senate approval, oversees the… - Combined school gets shared funding tools: benefit, low. The combined school's account supports maintenance, operations, and improvements, with a listed maximum allocation of $20.031769 million. Federal vocational-education reimbursements stay outside this account. When money is available and a need exists, the school may buy electronic textbooks, adapti… - Blind graduates lose aid and gifts: cost, medium. The law ends postsecondary aid for qualifying Arkansas residents who graduated from the Arkansas School for the Blind. Former aid covered necessary expenses, including readers, up to $750 per fiscal year for no more than four years. It required enrollment in a university, college, music conservator… - School can dismiss students for misconduct: cost, medium. The school board can dismiss a student for disciplinary violations when the superintendent recommends dismissal. The board must follow school policy and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. - School loses out-of-state placement funding authority: cost, medium. The law repeals the former blind school's specific authority to fund certain out-of-state educational placements. That authority covered children under 21 who were both deaf and blind when Arkansas had no educational facilities for them. Available funds could cover room, board, tuition, transportat… - School staff pay gains and changes: mixed, high. The law repeals the former extra salary step for teachers certified to teach students with sensory impairments. It establishes eligibility for a salary differential with Arkansas Department of Education certification for blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard-of-hearing students. The law does not… - Free school access for Arkansas families: mixed, medium. Arkansas residents ages 3–21 who are blind, visually impaired, deaf, or hard of hearing can apply for free admission. Admission follows school policy and is not guaranteed. An Individualized Education Program (IEP) team must refer a student when it finds the school is the right placement. Otherwise… - Out-of-state students can attend with tuition: mixed, low. Eligible students living outside Arkansas can attend the combined school under its admission policy. They must pay tuition and fees. The law does not state those amounts. - Student travel support and lodging limits: mixed, low. The school may use general revenue for student buses, motor vehicles, and airline travel for out-of-state trips. Chartered vehicles must be licensed to do business in Arkansas and meet minimum federal transportation safety standards. Transportation is not guaranteed for every student. The school mu… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jane English (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Joey L. Carr (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | House | House Vote - Tuesday, April 15, 2025 2:46:54 PM | pass | 84 | 8 | 5 | | 2025-04-09 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 8:24:58 PM | pass | 34 | 1 | | | 2025-04-01 | House | House Vote - Tuesday, April 1, 2025 2:31:35 PM | pass | 81 | 7 | 8 | ## Actions (23) - 2025-04-17: Notification that HB1810 is now Act 796 (House) - 2025-04-16: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House) - 2025-04-15: Senate amendment # 1 read and concurred in. (House) - 2025-04-14: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass, concur in Senate Amendment No. 1 (House) - 2025-04-10: Re-referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-04-10: Returned from Senate as passed, as amended # 1 (House) - 2025-04-09: Returned to the House as passed as amended # 1 . (Senate) - 2025-04-09: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (Senate) - 2025-04-09: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-04-08: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-04-07: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-04-01: Received from the House. (Senate) - 2025-04-01: EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED (House) - 2025-04-01: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-03-31: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House) - 2025-03-31: Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House) - 2025-03-31: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House) - 2025-03-20: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1 (House) - 2025-03-17: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-03-17: Filed (House) ## Bill text - HB1810 - Introduced, 2025-03-17: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1810.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=796.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 - [HB1810 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1810.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=796.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-HB1810-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).