# Arkansas SB313: CONCERNING FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT; AND TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND QUALITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. Arkansas SB313, CONCERNING FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT; AND TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND QUALITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Missy Irvin (Republican), Kendra Moore (Republican); status enacted, last action 2025-04-18 (Notification that SB313 is now Act 733); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-SB313-2025 - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Arkansas SB313 - State: Arkansas - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: CONCERNING FORENSIC MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATIONS AND TREATMENT; AND TO PROMOTE AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCIES AND QUALITY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES. - Status: enacted - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-26 - Last action: 2025-04-18, Notification that SB313 is now Act 733 - Sponsors: Missy Irvin (Republican), Kendra Moore (Republican) - Cosponsors: 16 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (164 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 10 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Unfit defendants get five-year dismissal hearings: benefit, medium. After five continuous years of unfitness caused by mental disease or defect, the court must hold a dismissal hearing. The five years run from the finding of unfitness, and dismissal is not automatic. A dismissal under this process is without prejudice, meaning charges can be brought again. If the c… - Jailed defendants can receive remote restoration care: benefit, low. County jails can provide clinical and educational services to help defendants regain fitness for their criminal cases. These services include mental-health, medical, and substance-abuse treatment and can use telehealth. Other jail-based restoration procedures require consent from the sheriff or jai… - Defendants face medication orders with safeguards: mixed, medium. Courts may continue treatment or medication through the criminal case when a defendant has been receiving and responding well to treatment. Courts may order medication for jailed defendants who refuse medicine needed to maintain fitness. For defendants who are not dangerous to themselves or others,… - Treatment reviews and release for unfit defendants: mixed, medium. Courts may commit unfit defendants to Arkansas Human Services for treatment and must direct them to recommended services and supports. Available recommended services remain required when a mental disease or defect makes restoration impossible. Designated inpatient or outpatient facilities and progr… - Defendants’ sentencing exams lose time cap: mixed, low. Courts may order psychiatric examinations before sentencing without the former 30-day maximum. The law sets no replacement time limit. Courts may direct Arkansas Human Services to provide a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist for the examination and evaluation. - Defendants face new exam record requirements: mixed, low. Fitness and criminal-responsibility exams require a standard court order with case, custody, attorney, and protected health-information release details. The state courts office develops the form with prosecutors, human services, and public defenders. After filing, the requesting party must immediat… - More exam settings and defendant safety checks: mixed, low. Arkansas Human Services must arrange fitness exams in jails, prisons, community settings, or psychiatric hospitals. Exams may last up to 60 days; longer exams require the director or a designee to find more time necessary. Fitness reports must assess the defendant’s ability to take part in the case… - New rules for defendants seeking mental exams: mixed, low. Defendants planning a lack-of-criminal-responsibility defense must notify the prosecutor and court as early as practicable; notice pauses proceedings. When there is reason to question fitness, the court or a party must raise the issue. The court must pause proceedings and order an exam when the law… - Treatment providers and officers gain liability protections: mixed, low. People administering treatment or medication under these procedures receive criminal-liability protection when acting in good faith. Civil-liability protection requires reasonable conduct that follows accepted medical and other professional practices. Police and corrections officers may use reasona… - State drug payments and defendant treatment charges: mixed, low. When Arkansas Human Services cannot accept an ordered defendant, it pays for restoration drugs prescribed by its designated vendor. Payment responsibility starts on the custody-order date and covers qualifying psychotropic medication. Counties must submit electronic quarterly invoices within 30 day… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Missy Irvin (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Kendra Moore (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Alyssa Brown (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Breanne Davis (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Sonia Eubanks Barker (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mary Bentley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Frances Cavenaugh (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Cindy Crawford (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Carol Dalby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Hope Duke (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Dolly Henley (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jane English (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Mayberry (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Karilyn Brown (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Robin Lundstrum (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mindy McAlindon (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Rebecca Burkes (Republican), House - Cosponsor: DeAnn Vaught (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-15 | Senate | Senate Vote - Tuesday, April 15, 2025 1:24:50 PM | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2025-04-14 | House | House Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 3:12:08 PM | pass | 95 | 0 | | | 2025-03-10 | Senate | Senate Vote - Monday, March 10, 2025 2:15:27 PM | pass | 34 | 0 | | ## Actions (25) - 2025-04-18: Notification that SB313 is now Act 733 (Senate) - 2025-04-16: DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR. (Senate) - 2025-04-16: Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor. (Senate) - 2025-04-15: ORDERED ENROLLED (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Rules suspended. (Senate) - 2025-04-15: House Amendment No. 1 read first time, rule suspended, read second time and concurred in. (Senate) - 2025-04-15: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Returned from the House as passed as amended # 1 . (Senate) - 2025-04-14: Returned to Senate as passed, as amended # 1 (House) - 2025-04-14: Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate. (House) - 2025-04-09: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (House) - 2025-04-09: Amendment No. 1 read and adopted and the bill ordered engrossed. (House) - 2025-04-09: Placed on second reading for the purpose of amendment. (House) - 2025-04-08: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it do pass as amended 1 (House) - 2025-03-10: Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on JUDICIARY COMMITTEE- HOUSE (House) - 2025-03-10: RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE (House) - 2025-03-10: Ordered immediately transmitted to the House. (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Read the third time and passed. (Senate) - 2025-03-06: REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed. (Senate) - 2025-03-06: Placed on second reading for purpose of amendment. (Senate) - 2025-03-05: Returned by the Committee with the recommendation that it Do Pass as amended, Amendment # 1 (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JUDICIARY COMMITTEE - SENATE (Senate) - 2025-02-26: Filed (Senate) ## Bill text - SB313 - Introduced, 2025-02-26: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB313.pdf) - Act Version: [PDF](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=733.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) - HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS. (failed) - 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) - 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 - [SB313 - Introduced (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FBills%2F2025R%2FPublic%2FSB313.pdf) - [Act Version (PDF)](https://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Acts/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2025R%2FPublic%2F&file=733.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) - [HB1686: TO AMEND THE LAW CONCERNING LICENSES TO CARRY CONCEALED HANDGUNS.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1686-2025) - [HB1237: TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS FROM SOLICITING INJURED INDIVIDUALS; AND TO S…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/AR-HB1237-2025) - [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-SB313-2025 (as of 2026-10-16).