All Roll Calls
Yes: 117 • No: 7
ArkansasSB4202025 Regular SessionSenate
TO EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR WATER DEVELOPMENT STATE PROGRAMS; TO AMEND THE WATER AUTHORITY ACT; AND TO AMEND THE USES OF THE CONSTRUCTION ASSISTANCE REVOLVING LOAN FUND.
Sponsored By: Howard M. Beaty, Jr. (Republican), Bart Hester (Republican)
Enacted
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More Environmental Projects Qualify for Financing
Arkansas expands the Construction Assistance Revolving Loan Fund to cover more environmental projects and public or private owners, including prospective owners. Federal agencies remain excluded. Eligible projects include water and wastewater systems, solid and hazardous waste facilities, recycling, polluted-runoff management, wetlands management, and other environmental projects. Financing or refinancing can cover planning, design, acquisition, construction, expansion, equipment, rehabilitation, or consolidation of projects or project parts. The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission can deposit loans, bonds, notes, and other debt from local governments and eligible project owners into the fund. Financing must follow the Clean Water Act as it existed on January 1, 2025. The law sets no loan amounts or terms, provides no new appropriation, and does not guarantee financing.
More Providers Can Become Water Authorities
More Arkansas water and wastewater providers can form or become public water authorities, opening access to tax-exempt borrowing. Eligible groups include nonprofits, government and municipal entities, municipal authorities, investor-owned utilities, improvement districts, and rural development authorities. They must provide or develop qualifying water services or wastewater projects. A converting public facilities board needs an approving ordinance from the county or municipality that formed it. Authorities need at least five directors, “public water authority” in their names, and Secretary of State name certification. Approved fictitious names are allowed. Conversion filings must include governing-body approval and details about directors, the office, service agent, service area, and bylaws. A filing and review fee remains required; the commission sets the amount. Assets and debts transfer to the authority unless the filed papers expressly keep the old entity alive and retain specified assets and debts. Converting governments are exempt from other government property-transfer procedures. A commission certificate of existence confirms compliance with formation and conversion requirements. The law aims to support favorable water rates but does not set or guarantee lower household bills.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Howard M. Beaty, Jr.
Republican • House
Bart Hester
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Lee Johnson
Republican • House
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/14/2025
House Vote - Monday, April 14, 2025 3:30:59 PM
Yes: 92 • No: 1
Senate vote • 3/19/2025
Senate Vote - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 3:07:34 PM
Yes: 25 • No: 6
Actions Timeline
Notification that SB420 is now Act 736
4/18/2025SenateDELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.
4/15/2025SenateReported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.
4/15/2025SenateORDERED ENROLLED
4/14/2025SenateReturned from the House as passed.
4/14/2025SenateReturned to the Senate as passed.
4/14/2025HouseRead the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.
4/14/2025HouseReturned by the Committee Do Pass
4/9/2025HouseRead the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and referred to the Committee on INSURANCE & COMMERCE- HOUSE
3/19/2025HouseRECEIVED FROM THE SENATE
3/19/2025HouseOrdered immediately transmitted to the House.
3/19/2025SenateRead the third time and passed.
3/19/2025SenateReturned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass
3/18/2025SenateRe-referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE
3/17/2025SenateREPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED
3/17/2025SenateAmendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.
3/17/2025SenateWithdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1
3/17/2025SenateRead first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to INSURANCE & COMMERCE - SENATE
3/11/2025SenateFiled
3/11/2025Senate
Bill Text
SB420 - Introduced
3/11/2025
Act Version
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