# Arkansas SB223: TO CREATE THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT OF 2025. Arkansas SB223, TO CREATE THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT OF 2025., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Alyssa Brown (Republican), Mark Johnson (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-31 (Notification that SB223 is now Act 400) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB223-2025 - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB223 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: TO CREATE THE RELIGIOUS RIGHTS AT PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACT OF 2025. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-12 - Last action: 2025-03-31, Notification that SB223 is now Act 400 - Sponsors: Alyssa Brown (Republican), Mark Johnson (Republican) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (104 yes, 25 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Religious rights protected for Arkansas students: benefit, medium. The law protects students in Arkansas public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools. Students can pray silently or aloud when free speech is allowed, and silently during school moments of silence. They can gather for prayer, hold religious observances, form religious clubs, and… - Religious rights protected for school employees: benefit, medium. The law protects employees of Arkansas public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools. Employees can pray silently during school moments of silence and display or discuss the U.S. motto. They can read, discuss, and post historically important religious documents, and possess or… - Arkansas schools can offer Bible courses: benefit, low. Arkansas public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools can place Bibles and other religious texts where books are available. This includes libraries, classrooms, and other book areas used by students or employees. Schools can also offer an academic study of the Bible course und… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Alyssa Brown (Republican), House - Sponsor: Mark Johnson (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-03-19 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:12:49 PM | pass | 79 | 17 | | | 2025-02-25 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, February 25, 2025 3:20:29 PM | pass | 25 | 8 | | ## Actions (19) - 2025-03-31: Notification that SB223 is now Act 400 (Senate) - 2025-03-20: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-03-20: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-03-19: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Returned from the House as passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-19: Returned to the Senate as passed. (House) - 2025-03-19: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-03-18: Returned by the Committee Do Pass (House) - 2025-02-25: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on EDUCATION COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-02-25: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-02-25: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-02-25: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-02-24: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Re-referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-02-18: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to EDUCATION COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-02-12: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB223 - Introduced, 2025-02-12: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB223.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=400.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 - [SB223 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB223.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=400.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-SB223-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).