# Arkansas HB1826: TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR DELIVERY OF A NEWBORN IN A LICENSED BIRTHING CENTER.

Arkansas HB1826, TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR DELIVERY OF A NEWBORN IN A LICENSED BIRTHING CENTER., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Mary Bentley (Republican), Dave Wallace (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-17 (Notification that HB1826 is now Act 866); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1826-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas HB1826
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO MANDATE COVERAGE FOR DELIVERY OF A NEWBORN IN A LICENSED BIRTHING CENTER.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-18
- Last action: 2025-04-17, Notification that HB1826 is now Act 866
- Sponsors: Mary Bentley (Republican), Dave Wallace (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 2 (122 yes, 2 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Equal birthing center coverage for Arkansas families: benefit, medium. Beginning January 1, 2026, covered Arkansas health plans must cover licensed birthing center services the same as hospital birth services. The center must be licensed by the Arkansas Department of Health. Deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and out-of-pocket limits cannot be greater than for any…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mary Bentley (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Dave Wallace (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-14 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 1:43:12 PM | pass | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 2025-04-02 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, April 2, 2025 2:17:44 PM | pass | 91 | 1 | 2 |

## Actions (16)

- 2025-04-17: Notification that HB1826 is now Act 866 (House)
- 2025-04-15: Correctly enrolled and ordered transmitted to the Governor's Office. (House)
- 2025-04-14: TO BE ENROLLED (House)
- 2025-04-14: Returned from the Senate as passed. (House)
- 2025-04-14: Returned to the House as passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-14: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-04-08: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-04-02: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE (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: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House)
- 2025-04-01: Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House)
- 2025-04-01: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House)
- 2025-03-31: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1 (House)
- 2025-03-18: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on INSURANCE & COMMERCE- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-18: Filed (House)

## Bill text

- HB1826 - Introduced, 2025-03-18: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1826.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=866.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
- [HB1826 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1826.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=866.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1826-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).