# Arkansas SB178: TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HEALTHCARE DECISIONS ACT; AND TO CLARIFY THE ABILITY OF A SURROGATE TO OBTAIN RECORDS ON A PRINCIPAL'S INCOME, ASSETS, AND BANKING AND FINANCIAL RECORDS. Arkansas SB178, TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HEALTHCARE DECISIONS ACT; AND TO CLARIFY THE ABILITY OF A SURROGATE TO OBTAIN RECORDS ON A PRINCIPAL'S INCOME, ASSETS, AND BANKING AND FINANCIAL RECORDS., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Justin Boyd (Republican), Ryan A. Rose (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-02-27 (Notification that SB178 is now Act 202) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB178-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB178 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO AMEND THE ARKANSAS HEALTHCARE DECISIONS ACT; AND TO CLARIFY THE ABILITY OF A SURROGATE TO OBTAIN RECORDS ON A PRINCIPAL'S INCOME, ASSETS, AND BANKING AND FINANCIAL RECORDS. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-03 - Last action: 2025-02-27, Notification that SB178 is now Act 202 - Sponsors: Justin Boyd (Republican), Ryan A. Rose (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (126 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Financial privacy rules limit surrogate record sharing: mixed, low. For co-owned or beneficiary accounts, banks must give written notice to the joint account holder or entity-account signatory. That person has 10 business days from the notice date to object in writing. An objection requires the bank to notify the surrogate and refuse the request. Without an objecti… - Surrogates get limited access for benefit applications: mixed, low. In Arkansas, a surrogate is a designated health care decision-maker for another person, called the principal. Surrogates can help complete, sign, and submit public-benefit applications, including Medicare and Medicaid applications, subject to federal restrictions. They can also handle eligibility r… - Surrogates need written proof to request records: mixed, low. Surrogates must present a written designation signed by the principal or supervising health care provider. It must name both people, give the date, and be notarized or signed by two witnesses who are not family. A provider-signed form must confirm a licensed doctor found the principal lacks decisio… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Justin Boyd (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Ryan A. Rose (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-26 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, February 26, 2025 3:21:43 PM | pass | 94 | 0 | | | 2025-02-12 | Senate | Senate Vote - Wednesday, February 12, 2025 2:21:03 PM | pass | 32 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2025-02-27: Notification that SB178 is now Act 202 (Senate) - 2025-02-26: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-02-26: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-02-26: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-02-25: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-02-12: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-02-12: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-02-12: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB178 - Introduced, 2025-02-03: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB178.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=202.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 - [SB178 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB178.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=202.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-SB178-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).