# Arkansas HB1923: TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING NATURAL STATE INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY ZONES.

Arkansas HB1923, TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING NATURAL STATE INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY ZONES., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Bart Hester (Republican), John Maddox (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-17 (Notification that HB1923 is now Act 838) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1923-2025
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas HB1923
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACT; AND TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING NATURAL STATE INITIATIVE OPPORTUNITY ZONES.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-03-31
- Last action: 2025-04-17, Notification that HB1923 is now Act 838
- Sponsors: Bart Hester (Republican), John Maddox (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (114 yes, 7 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Easier incentive access for tourism businesses: benefit, low. Arkansas lowers minimum investment for tourism projects in Natural State Initiative Opportunity Zones from $250,000 to $50,000 in high-unemployment counties. In other counties, the minimum falls from $500,000 to $150,000. Zones can extend up to one mile beyond state parks, cultural or historic site…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Bart Hester (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: John Maddox (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-04-14 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 2:20:00 PM | pass | 34 | 0 |   |
| 2025-04-03 | House | House Vote - Thursday, April 3, 2025 3:14:20 PM | pass | 80 | 7 | 9 |

## Actions (13)

- 2025-04-17: Notification that HB1923 is now Act 838 (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)
- 2025-04-03: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Received from the House. (Senate)
- 2025-04-03: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House)
- 2025-04-02: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House)
- 2025-03-31: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-31: Filed (House)

## Bill text

- HB1923 - Introduced, 2025-03-31: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1923.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=838.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)
- 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)
- HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (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
- [HB1923 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FHB1923.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=838.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)
- [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025)
- [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025)
- [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-HB1923-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).