# Arkansas SB139: TO CLARIFY THAT A COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE AGREEMENT IS UNENFORCEABLE FOR CERTAIN LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. Arkansas SB139, TO CLARIFY THAT A COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE AGREEMENT IS UNENFORCEABLE FOR CERTAIN LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Zack Gramlich (Republican), Justin Boyd (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-04 (Notification that SB139 is now Act 232) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB139-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB139 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO CLARIFY THAT A COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE AGREEMENT IS UNENFORCEABLE FOR CERTAIN LICENSED MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-29 - Last action: 2025-03-04, Notification that SB139 is now Act 232 - Sponsors: Zack Gramlich (Republican), Justin Boyd (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (114 yes, 7 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Arkansas doctors gain protection from noncompetes: benefit, medium. The law voids noncompetes that block covered physicians from practicing within their licensed scope. Covered physicians include people authorized or licensed under Arkansas law to practice medicine or osteopathy. The state's general noncompete section excludes professionals licensed under Title 17,… - Business deals keep separate noncompete rules: mixed, low. Arkansas's statutory noncompete section does not cover noncompetes tied to business sales, franchise deals, or other nonemployment contracts. Existing court-made rules still govern those agreements. This exclusion does not make every business-related noncompete enforceable. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Zack Gramlich (Republican), House - Sponsor: Justin Boyd (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-03 | House | House Vote - Monday, March 3, 2025 2:16:50 PM | pass | 86 | 5 | 4 | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, February 18, 2025 10:53:50 AM | pass | 28 | 2 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-03-04: Notification that SB139 is now Act 232 (Senate) - 2025-03-03: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-03-03: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-03: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-03-03: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-02-27: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-02-18: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-02-18: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-02-18: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB139 - Introduced, 2025-01-29: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB139.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=232.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 - [SB139 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB139.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=232.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) - [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-SB139-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).