All Roll Calls
Yes: 124 • No: 0
ArkansasSB1772025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS TO TITLE 17 OF THE ARKANSAS CODE CONCERNING PROFESSIONS, OCCUPATIONS, AND BUSINESSES.
Sponsored By: Clarke Tucker (Democratic), Jimmy Gazaway (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 4 costs, 2 mixed.
Fewer licensing paths for Arkansas dentists
Arkansas dentist applicants must be at least 21 and hold a dental surgery or dental medicine degree from an ADA-accredited college. The board can request proof of age and fitness. The law removes an alternative path based on a board-approved North American dental degree and an approved exam. That path also required Arkansas and U.S. residency and one year under a provisional license.
Public voices on foot doctor board
The law establishes a five-member Arkansas Board of Podiatric Medicine, appointed by the Governor for three-year terms. Three members must be practicing podiatrists who were active in the field immediately before appointment. Two public members represent consumers and older adults; the older-adult representative must be at least 60. All members must have lived in Arkansas for at least one year. Public members are appointed at large and require Senate confirmation.
Penalties for nursing and medication violations
A first covered nursing-law offense carries a fine of $25 to $500. Later offenses are unclassified misdemeanors carrying a fine, up to 30 days in jail, or both. Covered offenses include nursing license, practice, title, education-program, and prescribing violations. Medication assistive personnel face $25 to $500 for a first certification or practice offense. Later offenses are Class C misdemeanors carrying up to $500, up to 30 days in jail, or both.
Penalties for pharmacy violations and fraud
A first unlicensed pharmacy-practice offense carries a $50 to $100 fine. Later offenses are unclassified misdemeanors carrying at least $100, 30 days in jail, or both. Authorized pharmacists, interns, and technicians are excluded when acting within their allowed duties. Pharmacists who knowingly, intentionally, and fraudulently adulterate drugs, chemicals, or medical preparations and offer them for sale commit a violation. Conviction requires a $5 to $100 fine and revocation of the pharmacist's license.
Penalties for unlawful foot doctor practice
A knowing violation of Arkansas podiatry law is an unclassified misdemeanor after conviction. It carries up to $1,000, up to 30 days in jail, or both. A separate unlawful-practice offense becomes an unclassified misdemeanor rather than a Class A misdemeanor. That offense carries $100 to $500, three months to one year in jail, or both, after conviction.
Changed criminal review for psychology licenses
The Arkansas Psychology Board must follow the shared licensing rules in § 17-3-102 for criminal-offense-based license decisions. This replaces the prior rule requiring denial or revocation for specified offenses unless the person received a waiver. Criminal offenses can still be considered when denying or revoking a license. The provided text does not establish which applicants gain or lose access.
Medical board pays capped investigation charges
The investigative division can charge the Arkansas State Medical Board for services covered by the law. Hourly charges can reach $50, with hourly costs capped at $4,000 per case. Travel expenses at state-employee levels and other out-of-pocket costs can be charged in addition to that cap. These charges are between government entities and do not directly require households to pay.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Clarke Tucker
Democratic • Senate
Jimmy Gazaway
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Joshua Bryant
Republican • Senate
Matthew J. Shepherd
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 2/19/2025
House Vote - Wednesday, February 19, 2025 2:24:49 PM
Yes: 91 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/13/2025
Senate Vote - Thursday, February 13, 2025 11:06:40 AM
Yes: 33 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB177 is now Act 170
2/25/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
2/20/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
2/20/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
2/19/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
2/19/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
2/19/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
2/19/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
2/18/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE
2/13/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
2/13/2025HouseOrdered Immediately transmitted to the House.
2/13/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
2/13/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
2/12/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - SENATE
2/3/2025SenateFiled
1/31/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB177 - Introduced
1/31/2025
Act Version
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