# Arkansas SB279: TO ASSIST THE DIVISION OF LABOR WITH ENFORCING THE FAIR AND PROMPT PAYMENT OF WAGES TO ARKANSAS CITIZENS; AND TO CLARIFY THE MANNER IN WHICH WAGE AND HOUR COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED.

Arkansas SB279, TO ASSIST THE DIVISION OF LABOR WITH ENFORCING THE FAIR AND PROMPT PAYMENT OF WAGES TO ARKANSAS CITIZENS; AND TO CLARIFY THE MANNER IN WHICH WAGE AND HOUR COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Missy Irvin (Republican), Jeremy Wooldridge (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-03-31 (Notification that SB279 is now Act 397) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB279-2025
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Arkansas SB279
- State: Arkansas
- Session: 2025 Regular Session
- Title: TO ASSIST THE DIVISION OF LABOR WITH ENFORCING THE FAIR AND PROMPT PAYMENT OF WAGES TO ARKANSAS CITIZENS; AND TO CLARIFY THE MANNER IN WHICH WAGE AND HOUR COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED.
- Status: enacted
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-24
- Last action: 2025-03-31, Notification that SB279 is now Act 397
- Sponsors: Missy Irvin (Republican), Jeremy Wooldridge (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (131 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Stronger unpaid-wage protections for Arkansas workers: benefit, low. Arkansas's Division of Labor must investigate every unpaid-wage complaint for legal violations, and its Director can sue to recover wages owed. Reviews cover the two years before filing and can extend through the assessment notice when an enforceable violation hinders the investigation. Filing paus…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Missy Irvin (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Jeremy Wooldridge (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-19 | House | House Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:18:53 PM | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2025-03-13 | Senate | Senate Vote - Thursday, March 13, 2025 2:35:29 PM | pass | 34 | 0 |   |

## Actions (15)

- 2025-03-31: Notification that SB279 is now Act 397 (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)
- 2025-03-13: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House)
- 2025-03-13: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House)
- 2025-03-13: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate)
- 2025-03-13: Read the third time and passed. (Senate)
- 2025-03-12: Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND LABOR COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate)
- 2025-02-24: Filed (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB279 - Introduced, 2025-02-24: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB279.pdf)
- Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=397.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
- [SB279 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB279.pdf)
- [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=397.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-SB279-2025 (as of 2026-10-19).